snowbiggie

1. Bay Area, CA 2. 5 years exp 3. Large Hospital ICU 4. 63$/hour days 5. Non union. Cost of living is crazy here.

Thank you! your blog has been a great read! How are things going for you now?

Hello, As the title states, I've got 5 years ICU experience in major hospitals (all certs). I've decided to apply for a commission in either Army or Navy (AF is full for next FY as I have heard) as I would like to be inside the military in the next 9 months. I've done my forum searching and talked with recruiters already. My personal goals include a masters in the military (maybe CRNA) and travel. Deployment is okay as I have no kids, no spouse, no house, etc. Questions: 1a: Which branch is the faster to process through right now, Army or Navy? I've heard AF is a traffic jam with good prior service applicants. 1. When you are stationed at a base, you can either live on base or receive BAH subsidy for housing off base. When you get deployed, do you lose BAH? If so, it seems like a drop in pay to get deployed, especially with BAH being nontaxed. anything I am missing here? 2. Any insight to going Army vs Navy? any active duty RN's offer any insight here? Would this differ if I wanted to do career track? 3. When you report to your first duty station, does the military help you move any of your things (ie, moving truck?) Thanks in advance, Allnurses has been invaluable to me!

Greywolf (and others), I've been reading your allnurses posts and you seem like a wealth of excellent traveling knowledge with all of your experience! I was wondering if I could pick you brain on a couple traveling/staff gigs, ask a couple of questions. I am an ICU nurse (4 years exp) that has been traveling the last 1.5 years. 1. Can you recommend some good agencies with good pay/assignments or agencies you have used?? I currently travel with cross country since the start. 2. Recommendations on how to negotiate higher stipends or wage? 3. Do you take the high wage/high stipend contracts? Any advice on where to go or how you did it? 4. Recommendations for areas to go to earn high wages, work lots of overtime?. Looks like experience ICU staff nurses in the bay area make well above $50 an hour but I've heard its crazy impossible to get a job there now. Thanks a million for any response and your time!

I know that stanford pay possibly strike in the near future, I would like to take a travel contract sometime there in the future. Who staffs stanford for normal travel contracts (not the pending strike)?

Wolf, please check your pms! thanks!

What company are you with for the stanford contract? PM me with details, thats exactly the start date, etc Im looking for.

Suzanne or others, Can you name some good Agencies for the bay area for picking up shifts? ICU particularily?

What agencies did you work with in LA? I'm thinking about first class or 24/7. Any info on those?

highly interested!

Can you name some good agencies for RN ICU contract work? Thanks!

Can you tell us more about contracting with the military hospitals, etc? Any names of companies, locations or hospitals would be helpful! Thanks!

Let me know how your first assignment goes! Good luck and safe travels!

I'm currently on assignment out west (3-4 weeks left to go) and struggling with whether to resign with my current contract (low pay) or wait for something to open up mid-febuary when I am done. If I wait, I risk not having a contract or a potential worse one! However, my current one isn't the best either....ARGH! Hopefully it opens up soon. If anyone knows of any good day ICU positions out west (CA, AZ, NM) that would be wonderful!

Kate, Which hospital did you sign with? What company are you working through? I'm looking into northern california for ICU...what ICU are you in? Thanks!