Shift diff.

NedRN · Apr 1, 2016

Nope, one flat bill rate no matter when the hours were worked. No extra money that the agency can bill, thus no differential for travelers.

This does cause a distortion in the market, in that day shifts are generally sought after by staff (never as many day shifts as there are staff nurses who want them), thus a plurality (or perhaps even most) of bread and butter sort of travel jobs will be nights or midshift (common in the ED). Depending, you can be a day shift only traveler, but it is harder to pull off than for those travelers who don't care or only are willing to work nights. Easier if you are exceptionally qualified.

It is because more nurses (and other occupations in many industries) want to work days that employers have to offer incentives to staff to even things out. The Law of Supply and Demand makes it work out OK for travel nurses generally. Remember that this is a fringe vocation, only around 30,000 of us compared to 3.6 million nurses. We are self-selected and wouldn't do it if the money wasn't right. For example, let's say a night position for a traveler is unfilled. Ultimately the hospital will have to raise the bill rate or offer a bonus to fill their need, or accept poor quality travelers. It the Law. Free enterprise has some checks and balances. If travelers are unhappy with compensation, they will go back to staff. I don't know if they will then "enjoy" their differentials is the way to say it, but yup, they will then enjoy them.

Same stuff can surprise students and staff who think extra pay can be had for extra credentials as is common at hospitals. Not for travelers. Flat bill rate. But extra training and credentials still works out for travelers too, as they are more competitive than other travelers, they have better access to gravy jobs (perhaps Hawaii) or the better paying assignments. So there are similar benefits for travelers but it is less obvious and governed more directly by the Law rather than a hospital that can distort the law because local workers are pinned to the area. That is actually part of the Law, but again perhaps somewhat hidden from the uniformed who haven't had economics 101.