Travel vs Full Time in NYC/Bronx/Queens

NedRN · Apr 5, 2016

Mostly NYC travel is about the experience, not the money. I get that you probably will get free lodging from your family, but I think the benefits from a staff job will more than make some for that and you likely need good family health insurance. Also, a good bit of the financial benefits of being a traveler will not apply to you. If you only make money in NYC, that is your tax home, not PA. As a result, that big housing stipend is subject to normal income tax and is not so big anymore.

RoXy16 · Apr 5, 2016

Thank you for the immediate response Ned. Other than money I was hoping to work in NY in order to see my family more as well. I don't know much about travel nursing and the benefits so I have lots of researching to do. Thanks for the info!

It would be ideal to stay local and work in PA in and around Philadelphia. Does anyone have any ballpark idea of how much the hourly pay is in that area? I've seen some numbers online but would love to hear from you guys. Thanks in advance.

Roxy

NedRN · Apr 5, 2016

Without any first hand knowledge, I would expect pay in Philadelphia to be good based on what I know about union traditions in the area. The reality may be different in healthcare of course, and there could be a disconnect between pay and the cost of housing. I don't think I have ever met a traveler from PA so that might speak well of the pay as most travelers originate from lower paid areas.

There is a hospital in Philly I considered going to as a traveler with high completion bonuses and advertisements for $20,000 sign on bonuses as staff. I visited once and the area surrounding it looked like the '70s riots had happened yesterday! That wouldn't have deterred me but for whatever reason, I never took an assignment there.

A better bet than the travel forum for staff pay is going to be the PA forum. A query about recommended hospitals in the Philly/Delaware area might have more responses than here too.

https://allnurses.com/pennsylvania-nursing/

RoXy16 · Apr 5, 2016

Thanks for the link Ned!

If I'm going to live in PA I would be working there full time instead of as a travel nurse. You have helped me so much. Thank you for everything!

Roxy

NedRN · Apr 5, 2016

The working conditions should (should) be a step up from Florida as should the pay. Family of course is the primary motivator here, but you may or may not miss Florida's climate.

By the way, traffic here is tremendous despite the low number of posts per day. 176 views on this thread already! Kind of boggles the mind that that many people are interested and open every thread in this forum.

RoXy16 · Apr 5, 2016

It's gonna be a step up for sure. And about the climate, I can always visit FL again.

I am not having any luck getting any responses on my post in the PA-nursing thread.

Anyway, see you around! Thanks again for the responses.

Roxy

NedRN · Apr 6, 2016

Give them some more time to respond.

One other reason to do staff versus travel. Start interviewing hospitals now. You will get a free trip to visit, and a healthy relocation stipend or sign-on bonus. You won't do as well if you wait until you are local.

Wolf at the Door, BSN · Apr 7, 2016

Hi all,
I am a nurse with 3+ years experience of MedSurg Tele and ICU currently (total 4 years+ experience). I live in Florida and was looking into living closer to family. My family is in Bronx/Queens NY and my husband's family in Doylestown PA. In order to compromise for my husband (who cannot stand NY), I was wondering if it would make sense to do travel nursing in NY but live in PA. Or would it make sense to just work full time in PA if the pay is comparable? Either way the move would be better for me financially because the pay in the area I work in now is on the lower end. Please advise and let me know your thoughts. Thanks in advance!
Roxy

The pay in PA and NY would be better than Florida, LOL. I would not want to pay all those taxes in NY. Federal, State and City tax blah....New Jersey would be a better compromise. Princeton, NJ would be 51 miles to Manhattan which would give you tax free money. Doylestown is 30 miles away. Hour train ride to NYC. NJ license is a little harder to get than PA and NY but if you can catch US Nursing free license program it makes things easier. I got a free NY license last year in less than two weeks. Just sent my paperwork into the company. Didn't do the strike because it never proceeds during the time they want you to be available. They even were giving away free California licenses last year which was a first time I ever seen that. NY, NJ, PA, WA and MA license programs pop up at least once a year. Currently they are not offering any free nursing licenses.

NedRN · Apr 7, 2016

51 miles to Prnceton? That is not a magic number. If you are commuting from home, you have to pay taxes on all your compensation.

Wolf at the Door, BSN · Apr 8, 2016

51 miles to Prnceton? That is not a magic number. If you are commuting from home, you have to pay taxes on all your compensation.

Who is telling the agency they are communting from home??? ummm no one. 51 miles qualifies the nurse for tax free money. At least the option is there. I would take the tax free money, do three in a row if you can handle it, get a three day hotel and go back home at the end of the third shift. No agency has ever asked to see my rent bill a month.

NedRN · Apr 8, 2016

The agency is not going to appear at your audit, only you. There is no IRS fifty mile rule. You are recommending cheating the IRS.