jab3da

The posts I've found seem to be started years earlier. So anyone know the going rates for a staff RN with 2 years of RN experience med-surg/med-tele (and 4 years LPN experiece med-surg)? I have a prospective place in mind, but I don't want to low-ball myself because I'm not familiar with the area. I'm from MO and I was making 22.25 base pay plus night shift diff. Cost of living calculators show it is lower to live here than Kansas City, but I just don't see how that's possible since apartments and gas are more here. A supervisor has hinted that pay is generally a little higher than $30/hr plus shift diff. Where does that fit in the Austin area? An agency nurse is saying I should start asking for $35 and negotiate to around $31. Thoughts please??

So, I've been traveling since January now. Previous to traveling I was working med/tele in a 100 bed hospital on a 24 bed unit. I was used to taking up to 6 pts when I was just straight med-surg and 5 on med/tele. My first contract was med/tele at VA Hospital in Nashville. It was busy for sure.I took 6 patients, we had 1-2 techs on 36 bed unit. No lab techs so drew my own blood. They were very welcoming there, and all in all it was busy but a good experience. At the end of that contract I was getting very scared about finding a contract. I very specifically wanted Austin, TX. It came down to the wire but I got a contract at a private 23 bed hospital, Westlake Medical Center. I have taken up to 5 patients, but usually only 2-3 with a tech also. I lucked out here and extended my contract. I'm not so worried about looking for a contract next.

I went ahead and declined it. I was just feeling a little pressured to take it since I had told them to submit me there. Did just interview for a job on the coast in Cali so hopefully I'll hear some good news on Monday and the license process won't take too long.

Bout to finish my first contract and looking for my next. My main focus was for the Austin or San Antonio areas.... I know I need to be a little more broad than that when looking, so I decided to look in Texas and Arizona. When I was thinking TX, I was thinking larger cities. I think I've been submitted to 6 hospitals between the 3 agencies. I finally got an interview from a hospital yesterday. It sounds ok, but the area doesn't thrill me. It's Lufkin, TX. I was really hoping to go somewhere that I was excited about with the second contract instead I just feel like I'm taking what I can get. The manager is calling me back this evening after giving me a day to think to see if I'd like to go there. I'm kinda hoping another hospital will call in the meantime in a more exciting area.

I think new grad positions are harder to come by. When I worked at Saint Lukes East Lee's Summit, I was called for an interview within days (but I wasn't applying as a new grad). A lot of times with those specialty units, you need to get your foot in the door at the hospital first, then transfer to your preferred unit when something opens.

My first contract will be up at the end of March. I'm hoping *crosses fingers* to go to Texas next. I'd like to focus in on the Austin and San Antonio areas, but I'd go to Houston or Dallas if need be. (I'm tele or med/surg) 1) Anyone travel to these areas before? Where were you? What was your experience? What companies have more texas contracts? 2) Will anyone be traveling to Texas in April? It would nice to find a buddy in the area.

Yea that's what I hear. That's why the agency is trying to get us out before January. We basically are both med surg but I have Tele experience too . We're going to give it this week to see if anything pops up. If not we're going to take whatever....ugh....even Minot, ND.

We are signed up with several agencies already. I've been trying to find agencies based in Texas or that staff a lot in Texas but having no luck yet.

So my sister and I are planning to travel together come January. We want to go south and work nights. One company is really on the ball...in constant contact trying to get us an assignment...just not where we want (Someone called us about Minot, ND Eeww). We're getting to this limbo stage that is scary!!! We need to give 2 weeks notice at our current employment, but don't know when to do it because we don't know when we'll be leaving. I really don't want to give my notice without having something lined up. We figure we'll give it another couple weeks to see if anything shows up where we want to go (Hoping for Texas, Arizona or anywhere around there). Basically anything south of Missouri that's night shiftwe'll be happy with.

I'm looking for my first contract and wanting to go to Texas, as well. If you hear of any companies that have alot of opportunities there, let me know. Thanks and good luck!

My bills already go to my parents house and they will continue to go there while I'm traveling.

Hmm...confusing. I was reading the tax link from above and says if you don't have a regular place of business then your tax home can be the place you regularly live. If I regularly live with my parents, why doesn't that count? I could pay them a little money if that would make it count. I've lived with my parents for years and never paid anything before. I realize I wasn't traveling then, but I don't see why that should make a difference if that's what I've always done. And it's definitely the place I'll be going back to.

So what if I take the housing that they provide instead of the stipend. Will I get taxed for that down the road, too, if I don't have a tax home?

I guess I'll need to talk to a tax professional, but reading posts has me a bit scared as far as the housing stipend goes.... I was always under the impression that there was more money in traveling. It's not the only reason but I have a lot of student loans I don't want to drown in forever. Tax home...that's the issue. If I'm living with my parents for free I'm guessing that doesn't count. (Unfortunately I am still paying my half of rent on an apt my ex and I shared till August. I'd claim that as my residence, but its a different state and would void my compact license.) The hourly rates the recruiter went over aren't much more than I make now...like maybe a dollar. So will I just be screwed next year when taxes come around?? Does everyone really keep a house while traveling?? Doesn't that kind of void out all the extra money when you take the housing stipend? What am I missing here? I've heard there are completion bonuses but how often do those actually happen?

We're both med-surg. I'm med-surg with emphasis on the medical. And I've been med tele the last 6 months. She's med-surg with emphasis on the surgical. Arizona is actually one if the places we're wanting to go, but as long as we get contracts we'll be happy.