PICURN76

Thanks for all the comments! I checked out AirBandB's in the area and none of them allow pets unfortunately. Guess it's going to be the extended stay. No worries though. I'm getting paid very well for this contract and can live anywhere for 13 weeks. Not planning on spending much time in the hotel anyway aside from sleeping!

I'm guessing this is where I'll be housed for an upcoming assignment in Oakland, CA. Have not read one positive review of this hotel, and don't know anyone in the area/or want to deal with the hassle of finding my own housing for this assignment. Just curious if anyone has had the (dis)pleasure of staying here and how your experience was. Thanks!

I have not traveled in a while and am considering it. In the past I have traveled with AMN, had a decent experience, but this time around want to get on board with a few different agencies in case one assignment falls through and want to have the flexibility to choose. So besides AMN, what other companies do you all travel with? Thanks to all in advance for your replies!

i am not talking about staff nurse pay rates, i am looking for travel nurse pay rates at this hospital.

Was wondering what I should expect for pay rates at UCSF as a traveler and what company you recommend traveling with to this hospital. I have been away from traveling for a few years and have been a staff nurse for a while. Have decided that I want to move to a new city and will be traveling to check out different cities and hospitals until I find a place that I'd like to sign on to. I know the pay rates in Northern California are probably some of the best in the country, but when my recruiter quoted me for UCSF I was shocked because it was so low compared to other hospitals in the area. I do not know if they are just low-balling me, or they are telling me the truth that UCSF just pays significant;y lower than other hospitals in the area. Also wouldn't mind recommendations of other travel company suggestions/recruiter suggestions (currently with AMN, and traveled with them 5 years ago and it was fine, just had to be on my toes because they would try and take advantage of you any way they could) but seems like it's even worse these days. I just want to make sure I am getting paid what I should be and have no qualms switching travel companies as well. Thanks!

So a little about me, been a nurse for 7 years now, 3.5 years in adult critical care end ED, and have spent the last 3.5 years in pediatric critical care in a level I peds trauma center. the hospital i work at (and not going to list the hospitals name, since that's not the nature of this post) is not a place that apparently cares about it's nursing staff, benefits are not very good, and although i really love my coworkers who are amazing people, i just do not see a future there for me as far as career growth and potential. i used to be a traveler in the adult world. did it for two and a half years. the reason i am thinking about traveling again is because i want to move somewhere new (i am in southern california now) maybe even within the same state, but have no idea where i want to end up. i'd also like to find a hospital to eventually go staff at, one with better benefits, better tuition assistance, etc. (like a hospital associated with a college or university that offers really good tuition assistance for graduate education). I'm finishing up my BSN online right now. I am just concerned with the way the market is right now and the state of the economy. My hospital has actually had a hiring increase in the amount of travelers, and have been told that PICU travelers are sought after and are much harder to find in the travel world, making us a commodity. WIth that said, there are obviously way less PICU's compared to adult ICU's, so I am not sure how valid the statement is about PICU travel nurses being in such demand. So is traveling in this current economy a bad idea? I am just worried about being cancelled often, having my contract cancelled, or not being able to find an assignment after I decide to commit and already start traveling again. I still have regularly kept in touch with my recruiter from when I used to travel. I've already had an offer from one facility, the going rate for pay (around $29/hr plus housing or a stipend) and also hospital parking paid for in the contract and a competition bonus for a 3 month contract, and double bonus for a 6 month contract. Also, any one have any PICU travel experience in any Southern California hospitals (Los Angeles in particular), or any in Northern California that you'd recommend or would stay away from? Thanks!