RN pay for Washington/relocation

Washington DC or Washington state?

Washington state :)

Washington is a big state with both big city and small town hospitals. In Seattle, the cost of living is pretty high, in Spokane not as high but the climate is different. Spokane is high desert -- hot, dry summers and snowy winters. Seattle gets pearl gray skies most of the year and drizzles some on most days. On the other hand, it rarely gets hot enough to require air conditioning or cold enough to keep snow on the ground. There are other communities as well -- Yakima, Kennewick, perhaps Bellingham, Vancouver or Olympia. There is no way to give you all the details of everything. Do some talking with your husband about what you're looking for in a community, a climate, a job and define where there are job opportunities for your husband.

Don't be too worried about magnet status. It really doesn't mean much anymore.

I would love to return to Washington state, and perhaps one day we will. I lived in Spokane in the late 80s -- the major industry at the time was health care. Sacred Heart and Deaconess were both very good employment opportunities. I lived in Seattle for 14 years -- loved it. I loved the culture, the climate, the recreational opportunities -- skiing in the morning, sailing in the evening, scuba diving all year. UWMC is a great place to work. I've heard that Swedish is as well, but I turned down their offer because they were requiring nurses to wear white. Tell us a little bit more about what you're looking for.

Once you narrow down where you would like to live, finding information about pay/benefits is pretty simple as most nurses in Washington are union represented. To get you started, here are some links to the two big union pages (WSNA and SEIU) that will show you represented hospitals and current contracts:

Your Union | Washington State Nurses Association

Chapters | SEIU Healthcare 1199NW

Relocation bonuses are pretty common for experienced nurses as well. You should have no problem finding a job as an experienced L&D nurse. As I'm in Seattle, I will second the above opinion that UWMC (University of Washington Medical Center) is a great place (with a high-risk L&D unit).