Torn between travel nursing and where I'm at now

NedRN · Feb 1, 2018

CONs
- Learn new hospital policies and computer system.
Policies are similar enough between assignments not to matter. Practice, patient flow, communication will be different but usually easy for PACU.

- Pay rental while maintaining my mortgage. I don't wanna give up my house since it will be my home base when waiting for the next assignment.

That's a plus. You don't get tax free compensation without this tax home. Get a roommate to look after the place and help contribute to your mortgage.

- Possibility of getting floated to other units. I don't like being floated.

Most assignments will not float PACU nurses. Sometimes to preop depending on unit organization

Missed travel benefit that appears to be beneficial to you: no politics. If there is a personality conflict, it is only for three months! Also no committees and meetings.

Also, it is really difficult to compare staff pay to travel. There was an astonishing difference in how much I could bank when I started traveling, but that was many years ago and I had Southern US pay. It just wasn't subject to accurate financial analysis. If you live in a high pay area, then staff pay and particularly benefits may well be better. I currently live in the Midwest and make three times or so more than I could make at home.

One good way to look at it is to compare staff to per diem. More cash for per diem but no benefits. That is the same for travel. Often a good way to pay down your mortgage quicker than you can do as staff.

8-ball, BSN · Feb 2, 2018

Lack of benefits is a major expense for me. my wife and I pay almost $700/month for crappy insurance. Also not to scare you but the new tax law could dramatically effect the tax free compensation. Also having a house sit empty can cause its own headache (break-ins, repair, lawn care, what if a pipe breaks do you have someone to take care of things while your gone). We ended up selling our home after 1 year d/t a series of events which cost of a good bit. Now having said all that, I am a travel nurse and have been going on 2 years. The big issue is the money just isn't there anymore. I barely make enough to get by these days and rely heavily on OT. Right now im in CA and the staff nurses make about $70/hr with benefits while I make $35/hr taxed and my stipend is $900/wk tax free. You would think that is really good but rent here is $2200/month or more. In San Fran i turned down a job becasue I couldn't find housing under $3500/month. Im not saying don't do it but I am saying its not as great as it used to be and I am considering other options problem is at this point I have to start at the bottom againwith my seniority wherever I go.

Argo · Feb 4, 2018

You just have to be picky with your assignments, not based on location but based on money. I go where the money is because thats my driving force for travelling.

If you want the location, you take whatever they are paying.