Travel Nursing and BONUSES

[ummwhome]

Can anyone help me understand.. do travelers get sign on bonuses or completion bonuses, or both, or neither?? What should I be asking for before extending a contract?

Thanks

[Medic15251]

Travel companies basically have a pot of money available to you. There are a number of ways it can be distributed to you. You can negotiate a sign on and/or completion bonus but those dollars will ultimately come from the same pot of money (they will lower your hourly rate). Some hospitals will offer their own completion bonus outside of the package.

What should I be asking for before extending a contract?

Depends on what's important to you. You could also call other travel agencies and see what rates they offer for your area.

[ummwhome]

Thanks for the heads up Medic!!!

[ERRNTraveler, RN]

I would personally rather have a higher hourly rate than a completion bonus. I have heard of several travelers who have had their assignments cancelled near the end, so that they end up not getting the completion bonus....

[dbay]

You need to have your own standard to compare different travel companies because they never have all the same "wages". What I do when I am looking for a job is tell them I want to know what the most I can make in one month is if I were to forgo all benefits. In other words, say I were going to go on assignment and I did not need anything. No housing, no car, no insurance, no bonuses etc. What would my gross monthly income be? That way I can compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges. If they say somewhere around $8000/mo for a 48 hr/wk assignment I know it is pretty good.

[angel4gramma]

I have never received any bonus until now. I am staying at the same hospital and my recruter said I would receive a bonus. I much rather have higher wage but they always tell me this is the way the company does it.