Kait

Hey KellyNY! You seem to know about NY and the weather...I'm looking to travel to NY to work, and I was thinking about late February. I'm not in THAT great a hurry at the moment, I was thinking of the weather, too! Would you mind telling me what March is like? Thanks! To the original poster...I wish I could help, but I always stayed at the youth hostel in NY :) ~Kait

Thank you so kindly to everyone who has replied!! As for apartment, I don't know where it will be. They tell you AFTER you accept the assignment, I believe. I just know it will be near the hospital. But I'm not really worried about that part... It's a night shift and that INLCUDES the differential. Yeah, not *too* impressed... However, if it's where I want to go... I'm kind of with your way of thinking, Loriann. Just once even...and the second time around...I'll have hopefully a better idea of what kind of deals there are out there and be able to have a bit more to back myself up, plus experience. Ideally it would be good to stick with the same company, but if I'm being lowballed and I can get a better offer...then see ya!

Hmm...if you don't mind me asking, what is your specialty and how many years of experience do you have? I a medsurg nurse with 2 years experience and this will be my FIRST travel assignment, so I think those things put me fairly low on the totem pole right now! And how DO you negotioate a better rate? The only thing I can think of if to take the first one even if it's low, then meet other travelers who are getting better rates and THEN ask for something better my second time around and if they won't do it, simply then go to a different company.

Thanks for the thoughts, guys. It's so good to get other people's take on such a new experience!

Oh, and I've *been* all over the Travel Nursing forum trying to find answers without much luck, although someone was very helpful.

Hi guys, I've been on this forum and all over the Internet, *trying* to find answers! I can't find anything. If anyone has any thoughts, please tell me! Here's the situation. I'm a medsurg RN with 2 years experience (I'm Canadian). I have applied to be a travel nurse (am licensed now in NY state), and I'm with CCTC so far. I would like to work at Columbia Presbyterian in NYC, and CCTC staffs them. CCTC is offering $26 an hour for me to work there. I'm not looking to make my fortune. I just want a COMPETITIVE, FAIR wage. To me, $26 seems awfully low. They also offer the free apartment, too. Can anyone tell me...what is reasonable for someone in my situation? Is $26 low? Does the fact an apartment (though taxable!!) is included make $26/h reasonable? I politely told my recruiter that $25-26 was lower than I expected, and I had thought it would be more like 30, and she said, "Who told you that? I think they're lying to you." ??! I don't know what to do. Accept this assignment? Is it really an OK deal? Or will I be laughed off the ward by other travel nurses?! Being a first-time traveller, should I expect a lower wage? :uhoh21: AND...are there any webpages with actual stats I could use when talking to the recruiter (see "they must be lying" comment above). HELP, anyone!! Thanks in advance. ~Kait

Alem-Tsahai, I really appreciate this feedback! I have been having an absolutely TERRIBLE time finding some kind of baseline for what I should expect. I am SO grateful for any thoughts that you have! Yes, I am a medsurg RN with 2 years experience (I'm Canadian). CCTC also provides a free apartment (though it's going to be part of my taxable income). If they are providing an apartment like this, would this change your thoughts about the rate of pay? Are the CCTC nurse making 40-50 medsurg nurses, and are they NOT getting the free housing? And is it typical for a first-time traveller (like me) to be paid a lot lower wage...can I ask for/get a higher wage after a few assignments? Also, do you have any idea of where I could find some solid info I could back myself up with when talking to the recruiter? I believe you 100%, but I would be like to say to the recruiter, "Look, nurses make more than that and I know because..." Things like payscale.com are useless. And, I've already said to the recruiter I expected it to be higher than that, and she said, "who told you that? I think they're lying to you." ??! If CCTC are lowballing me, I might go with another company. I'd really hate to be taken so much for a fool...I don't want to work at the hospital THAT much .:uhoh21: I'm not trying to make the most money ever here. I just want to be paid a COMPETITIVE, FAIR wage. Thanks so much again.

KyRNBSN- Thanks for your reply! I forgot to clarify something, so I edited by post- I mean Columbia Presbyterian in NYC!!! I think you're right about signing on with a few agencies. I've signed on to one other. The problem is, CCTC seems to be a "supplier" of this hospital! ~Kait

I made the mistake of telling CCTC I'd like to work at a Columbia Presbyterian in NYC, which I know they staff. They've had other jobs come up I don't want, like 8 hour shifts at other hospitals for $30/h. Now that one at Columbia's come up, it's only $26/h! HMM...not much of a coincidence, I don't think!! However, the fact is I DO want to work at Columbia, and while I feel a bit irritated at what I feel is a game they're playing...it IS what I want. So I'll probably suck it up. I am a first time traveler. Maybe I'll have a little more clout the second time around?? Anyway...I just really to live on the Upper West Side just ONCE in this life. I can afford to be more picky once I've fulfilled that dream! And if I meet travellers who laugh at me for getting $26/h I could switch to their company for the next assignment... ~Kait

On the surgical ward, 6:1 with one LPN shared between four nurses. On the medical ward, 8:1 but you have your own LPN for part of the day.

I think this response was needed here. Thank you.

Sunnibee, thanks so much for all this! I'm going to be taking my first travel assignment probably next month, and this is invaluable to me. I really, really appreciate you taking the time to write it all out!

Hi there! I'm an RN in Vancouver (who's actually going to the States next month, lol) and we DO have agency nurses here. They're quite well paid too... our starting wage for a new grad is about $27/h, goes to about $35 or more for years of experience and more for specialty. We're paid by the government here, so there's no haggling. Travel nurses here though, make about $42/h! I know some people who've been travel nurses here, and I believe their company was called "Staffing Solutions", so maybe give them a try. They had their housing paid for, and no complaints as far as I know. Good luck! If I can help with any other questions, just ask! ~Kait

Thanks for the advice, guys! The last time I talked to my agency, they talked about a job at the same hospital for $30/h. Hmmm...! (this was after I'd politely expressed surprise at $25). The thing is, this company (CCTC) staffs the hospital I'm interested in working at (Columbia-Presbyterian). I haven't heard the greatest things about CCTC either, but my recruiter SEEMS decent (although I know it's her job to make $ for the company). I have_ been shopping around, but a lot don't do NYC and the ones that do have comparable offers but not with the hospital I want. So...I think I'll be going with them. I figure as a rookie I'll miss out on something and learn some things the hard way. I know just to have EVERYTHING in the contract! Thanks again... Kait

Well, I'll post with uncertainty. I'm looking at being a travel nurse in NYC and they're offering $25-$28 an hour. I thought this was kind of low (esp. for a travel nurse...) and someone was kind enough to confirm that for me here. It's hard to find answers, though! Anyway, I'm glad you're making a good rate! ~Kait

Don't do it! It's illegal, unethical... And if you something happened and you were caught, do you think your administrator would stand up for you, even though he asked you to do it? Not a chance...I'm sure he'd hang you out to dry!!

Congrats! I know you will be happy for ages because of this!!

Hey Margaret, Some of the people who did the best in my class were the mature students! I don't think any of them did poorly, actually...they were all very focused. We looked up to them, too. Kait

Started nursing school at 24...finished at 26.

Hi guys! I'm been in RN in Canada for 2 years (medsurg). I'm traveling to NY to work, I just got licensed. My agency is talking about jobs that pay $25-27 an hour. I suspected that was a bit low, and a poster named Suzanne was kind enough to inform me that starting wage for a staff RN in NYC was $30/h. Is there a difference in the pay of a staff nurse and an agency nurse? I would've thought an agency nurse would be paid higher, if anything! Does the agency try to lowball you? I don't mind working for $27/h...I just don't want to be taken for a fool and working for less than the standard! Thanks for any thoughts... ~Kait P.S. If you know of websites to get info on hourly rates by state or city, I'd love to know, too!

Hi guys! I've been an RN (medsurg) in Canada for two years. I'm going to travel in the states soon, and I wonder if anyone knows of any websites where I could find out rates of hourly pay per state/city. I know they can be different. I would appreciate any help! (I ask because I *think* my agency is trying to lowball me ($25-$27 for NYC?) and I want to be able to have some solid info!) Thanks so much! ~Kait

Hi again! What the company said is that the apartment is "free" but it's part of my taxable income. Therefore, if my pay was say $3500 a month and my "free" apt. was say $2000, I would be taxed as though I was making $5500. Is that not right/common? As far as the wage goes: she listed off some jobs that were $25-27 an hour. Should I say, "Hmm, I believe that the starting rate is more like $30. I'd like to keep looking." ? Is the travel company paying me out of what the hospital gives them, or is the hospital paying me directly? (ie, is the stated wage what the hosptial is offering, or CCTC?!) I'm sorry...I feel so clueless!

Hi guy, My name is Kait and I've been a medsurg nurse in Canada for 2 years. I recently wrote (and passed!) my NCLEX, and I'm going to do travel nursing in the states. I'm currently working with Cross Country Trav Corps; it took 14 months to get licensed in the US for me (NY State) and they were the ONE company who actually knew their stuff and could/would help me. I definitely feel kind of indebted to CCTC, and for that reason I will be travelling with them unless I have some kind of negative experience. However, I think maybe it's not good I've already "decided" on a company, because on this board I keep hearing about how the companies, if you don't know, will make you work for less, not give you the bonuses, etc. I would be willing to change companies if I felt I was getting a raw deal, but here's the problem: I'm a medsurg nurse of only 2 years, I've never done travel nursing, and I want to go to MANHATTAN!! I think that due to these circumstances, I can't afford to be too "greedy", you know? I don't think I can call all the shots under the circumstances. (It's not like I'm an ICU nurse with 20 years experience wanting to go to "Nowhereville"...you know?) What do you guys think?? Also, what should I be looking out for a contract? So far I've thought of this: -a free apartment (CCTC says it's part of your taxable income though...is this right?) that is furnished. About 600 square feet apartment (it's NYC...) -untilities included in the "free apartment" -a wage of about $25-27/h, working 3 shifts a week -medical insurance -is dental insurance common?? something to ask for? -malpractice insurance -a few hundred dollars towards moving cost (I think they give like $300) Is this appropriate? Should I hold out for anything else, considering my position? I feel I'm lucky to be getting to do this...but I don't want to get shorted, either. Also, by nature I'm pretty easygoing and flexible, I think my recruiter gets this, and I don't want her to take advantage of this! Any thought are appreciated... :)

First of all: I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. I really hope you passed...let us know! I know how awful the waiting period is I am wondering why it is a good sign to get priority questions? I got a TON of those (I took mine last month (and passed!)...it shut off at 75). Just curious...

Oh... I'm a medsurg nurse. I am hoping to be right in NYC. CCTC says they can get me there... I tried Medical Express, but they just kept trying to get me to go to California. I like California, don't get me wrong...but I was going to choose my assignment, thank you very much!