NurseN26

Hi my fellow nurses! So, lets jump right to it! I am a new travel nurse, looking to take an assignment down south. I started working with AMN sister company Onward, but I have been having such a struggle with pay rates! Every hospital is paying so low for nurses its pretty terrible. I've come to realize that the hospitals aren't really paying low, its the nurse who is getting the pay cut. I feel as though one the agency takes their huge cut, the nurse is left with peanuts! So, I have done my research. I have notice MANY MANY MANY hospitals having their own SEASONAL traveling contracts directly through their hospital. Many of them are paying between $50-60/hr with a housing stipend of an additional $1,000-1300. That is good money for the south. I feel if I go directly through the hospital, I will be treated better, have a better orientation, and not have to go through the 'middle-man" which is so frustrating. The only PRO with working with an agency is travel and licensure reimbursement, but to me that is not enough because plane tickets are so low depending when you purchase it, and spending $150-200 out of pocket for your RN license is not bad since you will have it for life (good investment). Everytime I speak to my recruiter she just talks so fast, and sounds like a used car salesman, and the money is so low. I'm talking $30-40 emergency room nurse speciality low. What do you guys think? Has anybody gone through a traveling contract directly with a hospital, or do you prefer using an agency?