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And for you to say "I'm not really a union guy," what's that based off of? Obviously never working as a nurse. Unions are GREAT when they fight for the benefit of the nurse and not for the healthcare system.

Riverside and Grant are part of Ohio health.... Worked for them for 2 years and enjoyed my experience. Don't work at Mt Carmel unless you're desperate.... They're known to seasoned nurses as a dangerous place to work...

I'm not sure how much they pay for new grads, but in 2012, they offered me a position in ICU for a little over $25/hr with a 4.75 night diff and 4.75 weekend diff. I had a year and a half of experience at the time. Thing is, OSU is a tough place to work right now, that's why I turned the offer down. They are mandating overtime, forcing RNs to work 16 hour shifts... You also have to pay out the nose for parking... I think I remember it being like $35 a month and you have to park far away in an uncovered lot and take a shuttle! You also have to pay union dues which aren't cheap, and obviously don't have an RN's best interest in mind if they're mandating left and right. I've worked all over Columbus and the best places for new grads in my opinion are Riverside, Grant, and Children's.

I've been a nurse in CA, it's a pain to get licensure there but it's so nice to feel safe delivering care as a nurse. What is it like being an RN in Hawaii?

ShoeGal, can I ask what region of California you are traveling? (Aka SF Bay Area, LA area, SD area)

I would love to learn more about traveling to Hawaii!! I've filled out applications with several travel agencies and would love to go ASAP, but I'm worried about my current job. I want to ask to do a LOA as well but seeing as I've only been with them six months, I'm not sure if they'll grant me that... I'm strongly considering Hawaii and California. Which state were you a nurse before? What is your specialty? Which company are you traveling with? Feel free to PM me anytime!! -Lauren

Ned, thanks so much for the advice! Maybe I need some remediation in Travelers 101, haha... Let me see if I understand what you said: if I travel and live in say, California... I will still be paying for my house (and taxes) in Ohio. When I rent a place while I travel, I can't be taxed twice, so the agency will give me tax-free money to pay for my rent? Please correct me if I'm wrong, I won't be offended... How will that look when I go to do my taxes, still claiming myself as an Ohio resident? I still have a lot to learn!! Good thing I haven't quit my day job!

I've been an ICU nurse for over 3 years now and I'm looking to travel in a couple months... I've done my fair share of research so I think I'm past the Traveling 101 stage... Now I'm wanting to know specifics! I keep reading about compensation being better if you have a "tax home" but I'm not a numbers person and I need someone to explain this to me better... My husband owns a house in California and it's in his name (we haven't gotten around to adding me to the mortgage yet). We rent out our house and have downsized to a small rental in Ohio where we live now. I'll be traveling alone for at least the first assignment. My ultimate goal is to make enough money to pay off debt and to get away from the horrendous Ohio winters. I'm looking at getting back to California, or considering Texas, Florida, or even Hawaii as back-ups. Can you all give me some tips of the trade and perhaps a reality check? I've spoken to recruiters from Aya, Travel Nurses Across America, and Flexcare. Thanks in advance for your help! :)

Janfrn, thanks immensely for the list of other posts... I guess it's a fairly common question. I feel better about making the transition now... Can anyone tell me what kind of orientation I should ask for? Not just weeks, but experiences? I was on another forum asking about NICU nursing and one of the nurses got to rotate through labor and delivery and postpartum to get her mind back into the groove of performing newborn assessments and whatnot. I would love something out of the box like that. The PICU I would be working in is a large unit with level I everything lol... Basically, they take the sickest of the sick and other hospitals around the state and bordering states send their really sick patients here...

Hi all!! I've been an adult ICU nurse for about 3 years and I'm looking for a change. I'm bored of the same old same with adults. I've always seen myself as a pediatric RN and I miss caring for kids! Just something about them that makes your job worthwhile!! Just wondering if anyone could provide insight on the transition from adult critical care to PICU. I am well aware I will be getting into an entirely different field!

Hi all!! I've been an adult ICU nurse for about 3 years and I'm looking for a change. Just wondering if anyone could provide insight on the transition from adult critical care to care of our youngest patients.

I found myself back home to Ohio after a 1 1/2 year stent in California as an RN (and I was a regular FTE, not a traveler). The ICU I came from was a well-oiled machine and staff morale seemed to be pretty high. I lived in an area of California where the cost of living was VERY comparable to Ohio, yet nurses were paid upwards of $30/hr and staffing ratios were mandated. If our unit was short a nurse, they were required to fill the hole instead of having the nurses pick up the slack for 4+ hours until a replacement could be found. If we missed any or all of our breaks during the day, and the charge RN was aware, we filled out a form and got paid extra for missing a break/lunch. If we were made to work more than 12 hours in one shift, every hour over that was paid doubletime. In a nutshell, our union had everything to do with this and I was so happy to feel that someone had our backs. Now that I'm back to Ohio, staffing can be downright unsafe!! Nurses are frequently asked to stay an extra 4 hours because they couldn't find a nurse to fill a hole in staffing. Overtime for us is anything over 80 hours in a pay period.... Meaning, if I have to work an extra four hours each week, I get NO overtime. Basically, if I work one extra day a pay period, it is worthless.... I would only get overtime if I worked two or more shifts. I asked one of the nurses about how unfair this is, and she shrugged her shoulders and said they just "suck it up." Our management has hired tons of new grads to save money and seem to have their hands tied behind their backs most of the time, that they can't always do what's right for the nurses or our patients. We have nursing assistants, but we only get 1-2 to cover 30-something beds, so they're NEVER available when you need them. Not to mention, the pay difference is about 25-30% less in Ohio. There is no nurse's union to have my back and it feels like a nurse's destiny lies in the greedy hands of hospital administrators. Nurses here basically get crapped on and no one has the balls to stand up and fight back!! California has its problems, but my quality of work environment was the best I've seen, and I've worked for several hospitals in Ohio before moving out to CA.... but isn't there anything that can be done to make the work environment more healthy? Why hasn't anyone stood up and addressed this problem? Feedback??

Man, this has been a rough week... Not with thinking, just with writing. To say that the classes are writing intensive may be an understatement! Except I didn't get either book for Transitions or Health Assessment. Do you think I'll need them? -Lauren