HDFXDWGRN

I'm trying to understand what you have 4 years of experience in and how you specialize in ICU, trauma, and M/S if you're currently a student.

It's not all relative. In and around San Fran, San Diego, or L.A., yes, but not where we live. In the midwest where pay is dismal, a comparable house is close to what it is here. Plenty of nice homes in my ZIP code for less than $350,000. I lived and worked in 9 states and D.C. This is by far the best pay for the lowest cost of living. A new nurse at our facility starts out with 4.5 weeks PTO a year. Takes me 20 minutes to drive to work, no traffic jams, toll roads, etc.

Central California, 36 hour/week on 12 hour shifts, 10 years RN experience, operating room, $56 hourly pay, $double time pay after 12 hours, $8/hour for on call, $6/hour night shift differential, no weekend differential, health insurance for me alone costs $60/month, dental, vision, 401K with 6% match, 6.48 hours PTO every 2 weeks, 18 paid hours per year for education, a few more small benefits.....

Sonometer! Not even sure if that's how you spell it. Preceptorship.

Maybe this has already been said, but I think it is easier to meet women. :)

Buy Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover Book. Follow his advice. Buy a used car you can pay cash for. Best thing I ever did was GET OUT OF DEBT. I am 37 years old, don't owe anyone any money at all and IT FEELS GOOD!!! Worked overtime to pay off the student loans early and drove used cars. YOU can do it too, I promise! It takes hard work and lots of sacrifice, but so worth it in the end. Not worrying about how will I pay bills and being stress free when it comes to finances is one of the best feelings ever. Granted I do not own a house but have over $120,000 saved in investment accounts and 401k.

Can anyone email me this study guide? Thank you.

I sent you a detailed PM, but in my opinion, make sure you are absolutely 100% confident in your ability to function as a nurse with one day of hospital orientation and ZERO unit/floor orientation. The money can be very good, but my motto is, there are hundreds of nursing jobs, but just one small incident can leave a spot on a nursing license forever. Good luck no matter what you choose.

Lol!!

In my travel experiences working for at least six different companies, I would choose NurseChoice, or any other AMN company, only if there are no other options. Just my opinion based on personal experiences.

Try Favorite healthcare first. I worked for them, nurse finders, and Maxim in the PHX area at different times. Nurse finders would have been my first choice but really went downhill after they were bought out by American Mobile Healthcare. You can request to be sent to different facilities depending on what they have for availability that day/night so you can get a feel of where you might want to apply. Also it might be good to just take a travel RN position. That way you have a furnished place to stay and an income while searching for a more permanent job. Agency work in PHX/Mesa can be very hit or miss. You might be able to work 3-4 shifts one week then only one shift the next week or two. PM me if you want some more detailed info. Good luck whatever you choose!!

Georgetown University Hospital in DC was a great place to work if you want to go that far north.

Never in FL, I've heard far more bad stories than good ones about the poor staffing there.

I believe new grad RNs are required to have a BSN my most, if not all of the Boston area hospitals. The Boston RN market is saturated and it is very unlikely you will find any kind of sign-on bonus, relocation assistance, etc. Since you have a year and a half, lots could change but I doubt it. If you want to live anywhere near Boston proper, count on paying a lot to live, park a car, etc. I've travelled around nursing for four years, if you have specific questions, feel free to PM me.

"Pay rates for staff in union heavy Boston rivals San Francisco and can top out over $70 an hour. But like San Francisco, housing costs eat into the agency bill rate, cutting your hourly. Working in other parts of Massachusetts often end up being more lucrative than Boston. Springfield or Worcester for example." Yes both areas have unions, California's has much more influence than any in Massachusetts. Pay rates in Boston do not rival San Francisco for New Grads or otherwise. As for agency bill rates, I don't think they are the same in Boston and Springfield. The two are different markets. As for Springfield and Worcester being more lucrative, that would depend on what you can negotiate with the company. The agency does anything they can to pay the nurse less, like say that housing costs eat into the bill rate. Again to quote you, "we are talking about travel assignments" But you stated pay rates for staff nurses in your post. No staff nurse I worked with in Boston was making $70 an hour, not even the ones that had been there 30+ years. I'll find the link for the UCSF RN pay scale when I get to a desktop and you let me know where a Boston nurse makes anywhere close to the money on it.