Michellex1013

always 4:1 in the bed area and 10:1 in the fast track area. Fast track can become a nightmare if the docs are work-up happy. We utilize ED techs (most are great at what they do), and sometimes we have a float RN. We are not a trauma hospital.

Travel nursing comes with a lot of loopholes, jargon, and eager companies wanting big profit...but it can also be rewarding for the traveler. I get tired of negociating, and feeling like I have to read between the lines, but I find it so much more rewarding then hasseling. If this blended rate isn't for CA, find another company. As far as I know CA is the only one with the blended rates because they have to pay time and 1/2 after 8. That is why the significantly cut down the base pay. If the assignment is in CA you will find the blended rate with all the companies (as far as I know). Does anyone know of a company that will do a contract with just one hourly rate? Overall If you feel the company you are talking to isn't answering your questions honestly then talk to other companies. Just ask questions, you learn so much with each assignment. My first assignment I slept on a bed hard as concrete (had to buy 200.00 worth of padding) and brought my TV 1900 miles away, because I didn't know I could say I need a soft bed and tv before I do this assignment. Good luck

If you are in CA it could mean what you would make overall for a 12 hr shift. Meaning you would make $$.00 for 8 hours and then time and 1/2 for the last 4 hours. It will blend to a rate. Also called a composite rate. I hate them. Its the worse thing about CA. If you work 8 and get sent home, you don't get the blened rate. you only get the 8 hour rate. i.e. 24 hour regular rate....36.00 for time and 1/2....8 of the first...4 for of the second....mulitple it out....divide by 12, gives you an hour rate of 28.00. If you get sick and go home, same thing...only 24.00 hr for 8 hours. Also, in CA some contracts state you have to work 40 hours of REGULAR base time before you get time and 1/2. That means you would have to work. 5 --12 hour shifts of the blended rate, before the 6th day would be all time and 1/2. not many people want to work 72/hrs a week BEFORE even beginning time and 1/2 rate for extra shift.

Go with your gut...My recruiter for my first assignment did the same thing-- "oh it will be a great first assignment" "congratulations you have a job and don't have to interview"...I know these are red flags now.....haha...lets just say I had a horrible first assignment.

make sure you get EVERYTHING in writing. If they don't mention something listed on the website, bring it up. Just make sure it is in writing.

thought of one more thing....with medical express you can "bank" extra days during the week as a safety net if you need to call out a day....they won't deduct housing costs. On your contract they list an hourly amount they will deduct if you miss a day and don't make it up during any week. Mine were $7-8/hr. Mulitple that x12 and that will show what they take out if you miss a day. RNNetwork figures out the math differently (not sure how it is done). It was about 120.00 for a day. HOWEVER WITH RN NETWORK YOU CAN'T BANK ANY EXTRA TIME. If you only work 2 days instead of 3 they will deduct no matter how many extra days you have done before. I was told different when I asked my recruiter, but then when it came down to me calling out a day, I was deducted and told there was nothing that "could" be done.

careful about what other people tell you they deduct. That won't be good enough if you get audited. My advise is to consult with a professional atleast this first year. You can only deduct on what HAS been taxed already. You cannot be on tax deferred plan, and then deduct what wasn't taxed. IE--you aren't taxed on travel reimbursment...so you can't deduct that on the end of hte year. You can't deduct food expense, if you are on a tax deferred meal allowance. You can't deduct housing if you aren't taxed on subsidy. It would be like double deducting. You also can't deduct housing if you dont have a set residence somewhere else. If you have been taxed on your paychecks you can deduct at the end of the year. This is my understand from talking to people...but again contact an accountant who specializes in travel nurses. I know several people who have done it and one who got audited because of it. Its not worth the penalties. This will be my first year to do taxes while I'm traveling....Not looking foward to it. :-( I must find someone who can help me.

I worked with medical express, and RN network. Medical express will try to pay you as little as possible. You have to stick your ground. Make sure you check out other rates for the area. Their insurance isn't good IMO. Housing was wonderful. I was paid correctly each time. RN network is a bit different. I feel like I have to pull teeth to get anything done, and make sure everything you are promised is in writing. I had a few things that were promised but I'm not getting them, because it isn't in writing. My paychecks have been wrong a few times. They blame it on human error and fix it quickly, but you have to stay on it. Medical express has more locations available because the belong to American Mobile. They also have online services that RN network doesn't have. I think RNN has better insurance than ME.

I had the goal to travel when I was in nursing school. Stick with it, learn a lot and it will happen. Yes you get to pick where you want to go. You get to pick exactly where you want to go (as long as they have needs). I recommend a book called hitting the road, a guide to travel nursing. I will give you a good overview. Other than that keep reading forums, and learn as much as you can during your first year of nursing so you will be prepared to travel. I know a bunch of travelers that travel with their family.

To answer one of your questions.... I did go up to the nearest local DMV to find out info on the subject, but they are closed for renovation. This is the same DMV location that the state DMV's 1-800 # people told me to go to. The person on the phone should have known they were closed. If I am ticketed, they better do it in person because I am leaving this current location on the 11th. It should be illigal to mail me a summons because I wouldn't get it, and then if I ever did get pulled over I would be arrested for failure to appear. I may get a CA license because I might do another assignment in a different location. If I go to court I will show that I was told to go to a particular DMV and it was closed. Why would I waste more gas driving to the next closest DMV (I think 50+ miles away). They keep messing up and I am not going to keep going out of my way to make this state happy.

I agree, I hate being lied to. My first assignment they hired me without an interview. I didn't know better. I did end up calling the nurse manager before I agreed to the contract only to be lied to. I always ask atleast the top 3 or 4 things important to me. I ask for a description on the unit and usual type of patients (cardiac, med/sug etc) Ratios (not just nurse to patient but I ask if there is help from aides) If I don't already know what the law allow CNA's to do, I ask that also. Scheduling sometimes I ask what the likely hood of re-signing the contract is. They might say they have permanant staffers going on FMLA or they might say we are really short staffed and always need travelers. Always ask open ended questions, you get more information than just simple yes or no questions. Michelle

I agree if you need the money just start on the 11th, it's better than no job at all. You also could probably pick up 3 shifts during your 13 weeks to make up for week off. If you want to prove a point you could easily get out of your contract because they have already broken the contract by changing the dates. Michelle

yeah but they are saying travel nursing is "gainful employment in CA," which is stupid because I work for a company based in Florida. If that was the case anyone that was on TDY with the govt would need to register there vehicle if they drove in, even if they were here for only a few days. Michelle

Talking to my traveler neighbors, I just found out my other neighbors (the ones who I think called) had there dog called in for barking. They probably asume it was us, but didn't bother to ask. I didn't even know they had their dog reported, nor do I find there dog a nuisance. I assumed it was them before I found out about the dog because they are long time california residence. What a pain in the butt. I'm still steaming over this and it has been several hours. Any legal advise out there? It should be illigal to pick and choose who you go after. I have only been here for 30 days. Michelle

To CA travelers-- I just got a letter in the mail saying that if I have to register my car my out of state car or I would be fined, and still be charged to register my car. Someone in my neighborhood must have reported me. They reported my boyfriends car too. He isn't a traveler, but he lives with me. I live in a medium sized town on the coast in a quiet neighborhood. In a vacation home also. When I called to question this they said because I was here over 20 days and had a job I had to register. They said it didn't matter if my company was based in Florida. They said it didn't matter if I was only here for 8 weeks. It doesn't matter if my housing is provided by my company and I'm not on the lease. Nothing I said mattered. I was told they would recheck my car and if it didn't have a license when they rechecked they would issue me a ticket. I asked what if I cancelled my contract and left tomorrow. They said, "it doesn't matter, you have already been here for 20 days and you will have to register even if you leave." Sounds like a load of crap but I really don't want a ticket, and a fine. Regeristing already cost 200. I asked what I had to do to appeal. They said I could go ahead and get a ticket "if I wanted" to and then go to court, but that would take atleast 3 months and I would have to come back to fight it. The cop even asked me if I wanted to report any other car. It is like they are looking for out of state license plates. I heard of this once before on this forum several years ago, but nothing since. My next door neighbor is brand new to the neighborhood, and she didn't get one. She had never heard of it either. I'm hoping people will consider this before they travel here, and that someone might have some advise for me. I can tell you Arnold will get a nasty letter from me tonight. I'm sick of paying stupid tax so he can smoke his cigars and drive around his hummer. Michelle