Taking a paycut for experience?

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Hello everyone! New to all nurses. I am currently working on a stepdown unit in a benefited position that pays $72/hr + $7 differential. There is a nearby hospital hiring for ICU training. The issue is that they will be paying $52 dollars and it is a NON-benefited position for 3 months. I would switch to per diem at my current job but losing benefits and over $20 an hour pay cut is a bit steep imo.

In case anyone is wondering, I live/work in the bay area in California. Have been a nurse for 3 years now.

Any ideas or opinions on the matter? Thanks in advance!

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area -- in between San Francisco and San Jose on the East Bay side. Yes.....the cost of living is astronomical compared to everywhere else. Apartments in the East Bay easily go for around $1800 on up for a 1 Bedroom/1 Bath apartment in an "OK" neighborhood. Around 600 sq. ft or so. $1800 is considered cheap.

I moved back in w/ my mom to my childhood home. Our house in nothing special - 3 bedrooms/2 Baths. The entire lot size is around 1200 sq. ft and the house is approximately 65 years old. The going rate in my neighborhood right now for this type of house is approximately $565,000. You go across the bay to San Mateo / Palo Alto / Menlo Park areas the same house can easily go for around $800,000 give or take.

Dropdatslurpee, hopefully you're in situation where you either don't pay rent or pay very minimal rent. If so, you can take a chance and get the other job. If you're on your own, I hate to say it but, you're better off staying put and hopefully something will open up where you're already employed at. Your pay rate is pretty reasonable and you get benefits! Benefits cost a fortune if you have to pay out of pocket for that on your own!

Specializes in PCCN.
Wait?! You have 3 years experience and earn $72 an hour??? No wonder every one talks about money on here. I had no idea you earned so much in the US. Not even are most senior nurses or even nurse practitioners here in NZ earn that. I have to say, I have a lot less compassion now for US nurses ranting on here, when I'm dealing with the same bullsh*t for $23.79 an hour.

Umm, very NOT TYPICAL in the us. 13 yrs experience gets 31 bucks/hr and have to pay for my benefits additional 450 bucks a month out of my pocket.

Specializes in Critical care.
Wait?! You have 3 years experience and earn $72 an hour??? No wonder every one talks about money on here. I had no idea you earned so much in the US. Not even are most senior nurses or even nurse practitioners here in NZ earn that. I have to say, I have a lot less compassion now for US nurses ranting on here, when I'm dealing with the same bullsh*t for $23.79 an hour.

I started at just $25/hour in a fairly high priced cost-of-living area. A nurse I know started at $18 just a few years ago in the Deep South. Most of us aren't earning that kind of money. Certain areas of California and New York City are where nurses earn a lot.

OP- I'd stay at your current job and let them know you are interested in advancing. Ask for additional education, volunteer to float to the icu when they need more help, and network, network, network until you are in the ICU. Good luck!

Wait?! You have 3 years experience and earn $72 an hour??? No wonder every one talks about money on here. I had no idea you earned so much in the US. Not even are most senior nurses or even nurse practitioners here in NZ earn that. I have to say, I have a lot less compassion now for US nurses ranting on here, when I'm dealing with the same bullsh*t for $23.79 an hour.

Whoa whoa whoa...hold it. Chicagoland RN of 6 years here. I mention Chicago because pay tends to be higher taking into account cost of living. About $30/hr is what you'd expect to make here, ok...let's get that straight. And you have no clue the outrageous staffing issues. I am bewildered at OPs post and actually wonder if it is a troll. Even as a NP, you don't typically start off at 150k a year, 164k with shift differential. Especially with only 3 years experience. No flipping way is this common ANYWHERE in the US.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area -- in between San Francisco and San Jose on the East Bay side. Yes.....the cost of living is astronomical compared to everywhere else. Apartments in the East Bay easily go for around $1800 on up for a 1 Bedroom/1 Bath apartment in an "OK" neighborhood. Around 600 sq. ft or so. $1800 is considered cheap.

I moved back in w/ my mom to my childhood home. Our house in nothing special - 3 bedrooms/2 Baths. The entire lot size is around 1200 sq. ft and the house is approximately 65 years old. The going rate in my neighborhood right now for this type of house is approximately $565,000. You go across the bay to San Mateo / Palo Alto / Menlo Park areas the same house can easily go for around $800,000 give or take.

Dropdatslurpee, hopefully you're in situation where you either don't pay rent or pay very minimal rent. If so, you can take a chance and get the other job. If you're on your own, I hate to say it but, you're better off staying put and hopefully something will open up where you're already employed at. Your pay rate is pretty reasonable and you get benefits! Benefits cost a fortune if you have to pay out of pocket for that on your own!

Extremely comparable to where I live in Chicago. Yet pay is 30-35 for new grad to 3-4 years experience. And the property taxes are unbelievable. I get asked so much why I pay what I do for an apartment. Ummm because I don't want to pay half a mil for a run down house just because of where it's located....and the property taxes!!! My husband's take home pay would only cover the property taxes.

The program would be 3 months long. Real classes and training in MICU, TICU, SICU, and CCU. They'd be hiring me as "extra help". I believe I get a benefited position that pays 4 dollars more after the completion of the program. Nothing stopping me from leaving except the frowned upon "I trained you and you're leaving immediately afterwards?!" For that reason I would plan on staying for 6 months to 2 years.

I wish I did have a cross training program available. My hospital seldom creates cross training positions and when they do, the hiring process is by seniority. Theres rumors of them having more training programs in a year but nothing set in stone.

I appreciate all the perspectives. Thanks everyone.

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
Wait?! You have 3 years experience and earn $72 an hour??? No wonder every one talks about money on here. I had no idea you earned so much in the US. Not even are most senior nurses or even nurse practitioners here in NZ earn that. I have to say, I have a lot less compassion now for US nurses ranting on here, when I'm dealing with the same bullsh*t for $23.79 an hour.

You missed the part about "Bay area". When I first read the $72/hr I thought "Must be San Francisco or some other place where the cost of living is hideously expensive". Then I saw "Bay area". Bingo.

Check out the cost of housing in the Bay area, then decide if you have much sympathy for the OP. Those of us in other parts of the country don't come close to making that much; we don't need to.

Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

Why can't you transfer to the ICU at your hospital? That's probably the best choice. But, I get why you'd want to get off the step-down unit. If there's no way you can transfer to ICU at your current hospital and you are inspired by critical care nursing and the stability and benefits are things you can live without, go for the ICU training program. I am a believer in pursuing ones goals and doing what inspires you.

I finally made an account just for this. I've heard pay is great in SF but cost of living is high, so there you go. Here in Orange County CA after 20 years I get around 54 an hour, the same as one of our new nurses with one (1) year experience when he went over the county line to LA at a UC hospital. One year on the job, making what I do after 20 years, but I'm not bitter. People also get a huge bump in pay when they go to that K hospital (are we allowed to say names?). To respond to the OP, are you serious, taking that much of a cut for ICU experience? After 3 months do they bump the pay and release the benefits, if not, they're ripping you off. There are other avenues to get into the ICU and I promise that hospital is not the only game in town in the Bay. Money may not be everything but it certainly is if you like to eat, live, have nice clothes, stuff like that. Okay, just my 2 cents.

Wait?! You have 3 years experience and earn $72 an hour??? No wonder every one talks about money on here. I had no idea you earned so much in the US. Not even are most senior nurses or even nurse practitioners here in NZ earn that. I have to say, I have a lot less compassion now for US nurses ranting on here, when I'm dealing with the same bullsh*t for $23.79 an hour.

OP is in California. Most of us are making a lot less (some lower than what you've mentioned). That being said, the cost of living in that area is insane.

Wait?! You have 3 years experience and earn $72 an hour??? No wonder every one talks about money on here. I had no idea you earned so much in the US. Not even are most senior nurses or even nurse practitioners here in NZ earn that. I have to say, I have a lot less compassion now for US nurses ranting on here, when I'm dealing with the same bullsh*t for $23.79 an hour.

Other parts of the US pay far less. Where I live, a nurse with 3 years of experience makes about what you do.

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