New Travelers Get Taken Advantage Of...

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CAN ANYONE PLEASE TELL ME WHY NEW TRAVELERS GET SO TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY THESE COMPANIES?

A NURSE WHO I USED TO WORK WITH IN VIRGINIA IS INTERESTED IN TRAVELING TO CALIFORNIA. ONE COMPANY OFFERED HER $23/HR FOR SAN DIEGO W/BENE'S, AND HOUSING.

THAT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT. I TOLD HER SHE SHOULD BE GETTING NOTHING LESS THAN $30/HR. I'LL GIVE HER THIS WEBSITE AND OTHERS TO GET MORE ADVICE ABOUT TRAVELING.

Specializes in MS Home Health.

I did traveling home health for agency and made $33 per hour......

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

greatnurse

I always ask for more money. at the staff position I am taking in columbus at OSU my base rate is almost 26 without weekend or shift diff which is 3.00 per hour after 3p and an additional 3.00 per hour on weekends. an agency would have to pay me more than that.

renerian

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Specializes in CVOR,CNOR,NEURO,TRAUMA,TRANSPLANTS.

Someone didnt research where they were going and apparently didnt find a nurse that worked in that area.

That does sound about right for that area if its Kiaser, they are the lowest paid there, even thru all cali...

The best advice to give her is to search out that area before she accepts the job and possibly come to here and see if there is a Nurse working in that hospital... to compare.

Yes the company will get thier best deal , thier best deal consists of what you will work for and what they will keep they are a business... You are also a business so negotiate your butt off , and stand firm on what you will take and what you wont.

I am currently working with other travelers that have to pay for thier own housing which I find stupid as all get out... Then we talk and they find out that Im getting corporate housing and I pay for nothing ...And thier experienced travelers.... I negotiate down to the nitty gritty and I dont settle for anything less, If that company wants to have me as a traveler then they will deal with me , if not there are many more that pull my referrence daily ...

that will cover my wishes and smile about it..

They make thier money off of me and I will get what I ask for nothing more nothing less....

Zoe

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Specializes in telemetry, med/surg.

Hi all

I just signed on my first travel contract and I negotiated a bit for my package my recruiter was really starting to lose her patience with me ha ha! So does this sound right 2200/month for housing, $34.84/hr with overtime and holiday pay at $52.26/hr. total of 1600/week take home after taxes. This is in Manteca, Cali. I was initially offered $23/hr with this ridiculous car stipend of 1600/mo since transportation is very difficult to deduct I just had her roll it into hourly. And I supply my own insurance. does this sound typical? or did I get had as a novice traveler?

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Specializes in telemetry, med/surg.

oh I figured Id go with the higher hourly also because I will be working all the holidays lucky me:D and this way I wont be kicking myself for working on christmas for $34 dollars an hour....

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Specializes in Pediatric.

Freeasabird,

I want you to negotiate my contract!!!!:clown: How has your assignment been?

Looking forward to my first assignment in March, hope I make out like your deal!

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Specializes in telemetry, med/surg.

Well I think anyone can get a good contract if they go with a company thats fair and if they realize how much the agency really gets paid for the traveler. I hear of seasoned travelers getting more than I did but I figure it was my first assignment. I found my agency on highway hypodermics and even though they were the a good one they still tried to take advantage of me when my contract was canceled early d/t low census by trying to keep my housing stipend from my one week severance that the hospital paid me. They wrote me an email and I called them back. I didnt say much but the fact that I didnt just accept what they offered made them give it to me. Unfortunately we have to be like business men and women not just nurses. I read a couple books on the art of negotiating and it really helped. I would recommend anyone traveling treat it like a small business because it kinda is. I am looking for a permanent position now because I wanted to move to Cali so my traveling days are done....for now anyway:)

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I recently did a travel contract in San Diego. Most of the regular staff nurses were paid in the $40./ per hr and up range.

$23./ hr is not an acceptable wage to travel anywhere, imo.

Unless I was in severe financial straights, I would never consider accepting such a wage.

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Specializes in Pediatric.

Please help me figure this out, I don't understand the calculations very well with the stipend business. When you say $34/hr, is that your hourly taxable rate showing on your check? and the rest of the stipend money would be a non taxable line item? A recruiter gave me an example, $17-19/hr taxable, with stipends counted in, would total anywhere between $35-50/hr dependant on the location. Is this a total rip off?

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Pay is low these days. I just came from San Diego and I made $31/hour. Every traveler I spoke to at the hospital---probably 10-15 different people, made about the same.

The economy is horrendous right now. I'm thankful I still get to go to new areas to explore, make a good living, don't have to pay for housing...and most of all to just have a job. It's more than a whole lot of others have right now.

It's not really a great time to travel if your only incentive is money. It's still better than most staff, but not by much. At my current assignment, I make less than alot of the staff, but they're making high $50's-70/hr---most of the staff have been with the hospital for years. I'm in NoCal. Higher wages.

I still love traveling and hope I can continue to get the assignments I want for another year!! The experience is priceless.

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Where in Florida? I was getting $35 an hour plus stipend in South Florida for ER

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