Outpatient Surgery RN Pay

[Frogger2134]

I am moving from Florida to the Fairfield/Napa area. I have 10 yrs experience (ADN). I did 2 years of tele and then 8+ yrs outpatient surgery and endoscopy centers doing Pre-op/Pacu. I have seen virtually nothing as far as outpatient surgery center RN's are concerned. How is the market? What is the pay like? Thanks.

[luvinmylife197]

Hi!

I don't work outpatient surg, rather I work for a state owned developmental center in Sonoma, having come here for work from Southern California 3 years ago. I can tell you the nurses in Northern California, particularly the Bay area, are the highest paid in the state, by and large. With the exception of a State job, that is, because that payscale is state wide except for cost of living differentials.

Both Kaiser and St Joe's start Northern California nurses at a higher wage then S Cal. The Northern California nurses are represented by different, stronger unions, thus higher wages. The cost of living, with the exception of San Francisco, is roughly the same at both ends of the state. Even Home Health here pays more. For example, I did work Home Health in Napa for a bit, before our HUGE fire last year, I was hired at $50/hour. Same job with the same organization started at $37/hr in Los Angeles. So, for what its worth, that's my input. I wouldn't want to work anywhere else in California except near the Bay Area. But then again, I prefer Redwoods and vineyards to sunny beaches any day.

Best of luck to you, and welcome to the area!