Questions for San Francisco-area Nurses!

[Pharaiah]

I am a 26 year old male and a new grad RN (BSN) currently living in Ohio - just landed a position in a Neuroscience ICU that also happens to be a level 1 Trauma/Stroke Center. My plan right now is to work for 1 to 2 years and then move to SF. I used to live in California when I was younger and as you can imagine, I miss the ocean. I have been scouring the internet lately as to how to make this dream come true of moving to SF but I'm the kind of person that needs to do their homework and figure out the logistics before acting on it. With that being said, I have some questions that you folks might be able to help me with! Any answer will greatly be appreciated! (I apologize in advance for the barrage of questions)

How is the current job market for nurses in the area? Will I be competitive enough?

Can you recommend any specific hospitals? Which ones have great pay/benefits?

How much should my base annual income be to be able to afford approx. $2000/mo rent?

Can you recommend a decent/safe neighborhood in the area? Which ones to skip over?

Would living in Oakland be a viable option for me given the distance/traffic?

How much do your paychecks get taxed?

Should I join a union or no? And why? (I'm clueless, no unions here in Ohio...)

Do you think it's feasible for a nurse with 1-2 years of ICU experience to be able afford this move? Any general advice for a soon-to-be Bay area newbie?

Thank you very much!

[Pharaiah]

As a traveler, a big portion of your pay is not

taxed. You are paid with housing, and salary. Or, you can take a stipend instead of the housing and your housing equivalent will be paid.

Last year as an experienced nurse, I was paid roughly $74 per hour, as I found my own housing. Also, since a lot of positions are 8 hr shifts, but as a traveler you will work 12 hr sifts, you get paid time and a half for the last 4 hours of each shift.

You need to crunch the numbers depending on the offers you receive. Some companies offer better pay or "extras". The longer you work with a particular company, the more they kick

in as bennefits and incentives for you. Upgraded furniture, not having to share a place, car rental stipend, bonus money, higher per diam rates etc...There are a variety of contract agreements. A good recruiter will explain this for you in an easy to understand manner. There are differences between the companies in terms of what is offered or not and all this can be translated into dollars. If an "extra" is offered that you don't need, sometimes you can bargain for cash equivalent instead.

This is very informative! Thank you. If you don't mind me asking, which travel agencies would you recommend for a first timer?

[BeenThere2012, ASN, RN]

This is very informative! Thank you. If you don't mind me asking, which travel agencies would you recommend for a first timer?

That would Depend on where you want to go and who has contracts where...Ive worked for Nurses RX, and Integrated Healthcare Solutions. Also, American Mobile is a big company and has contracts all over. There are smaller companies that are under the American Mobile umbrella. And they are the only company that contracts with Kaiser, which may include the ones under the umbrella. Since you are specifically wanting S.F., you might try contacting the HR departments in the major hospitals in the area to find out which companies they contract with. There are many, many companies that recruit for travel positions.

As a new traveler, you want to get the best recruiter you can find. Possibly more important than the company. Someone who will explain how everything works, easy to contact and be supportive to you. They are not all equal. Talk to several and see how you feel about them. That is how I made my decision. When you talk to other travel nurses, you will find differences in your contracts. Sometimes it is related to how long you've been with the recruiter and how "hot" a particular specialty may be in some areas. They can add all kinds of bonus perks depending on how long you have worked for them, how badly they want you, and to some degree, their company policies. Often, for each contract you complete with them, they up the bounty to keep you.

Hopefully other nurses here can chime in. Those who refer you get bonus money also. Usually $500 once that person successfully completes their contract.

Start calling around now. Maybe you can find the perfect one and they can be on the lookout for you when you are ready to go.

[Hmeli]

Interesting question about San Fran. I am a new grad interested in living in SF too. I'm interested in what you ended up deciding on ..

thanks!