Tucson Medical Center - New Grad Pay?

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Hi there! I just graduated here in the San Francisco Bay Area and I'm having a tough time finding work. The market is saturated with new grads and I'm picky...I want NICU or L&D...so I'm working with a head hunter. She's got me a phone interview with the recruiter from Tucson Medical Center for a new grad position in the NICU. They're offering a pretty sweet relocation package but I'm more concerned about the day in and out. New grads in my area are starting out at $45 base pay with another 15% diff! I know the cost of living would be better in AZ but I'm trying to figure out if the drop in pay would be worth it. If we move out of state my hubby would have to try and find work until he established residency before he can go back to school for his teaching credential without paying out of state fees. Any input or advice would be appreciated! I have the telephone interview this afternoon!:innerconf

Specializes in Medical-Oncology.

Wow, $24 sounds great to me! Here in Louisiana, the starting pay for new grad RNs just went up to $18.50! And cost of living is not any lower than someplace like Phoenix.

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Specializes in Cardiac.
And cost of living is not any lower than someplace like Phoenix.

:confused:

Someplace like Phoenix?

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And cost of living is not any lower than someplace like Phoenix.

Having lived in LA for a bit, this statement didn't quite seem right. So after doing a cost of living analysis, depending where in LA you live its between 12.5% (New Orleans) and 33.7% (Tallulah) cheaper.

What can I say? I'm a dork.

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Specializes in Medical-Oncology.

We have 10% sales tax on everything in the city where I live. Housing is no longer cheap. My car insurance rates doubled when I moved to Louisiana from Washington, DC. Just a few examples.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Do you think housing in cheap in Phoenix? Even with the soft market, you still pay a lot of a little teeny bit of land.

Phoenix isn't some 4 way intersection with a cactus and a tumbleweed blowing by. It's a major city.

And $24/hr isn't enough, IMO...

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Specializes in Medical-Oncology.

I didn't mean to start an argument. Of course Phoenix is not a tumbleweed in the middle of nowhere. I have been researching Phoenix a lot lately because I may be working out there this summer. I have never been, so I cannot officially give any input.

Thanks for your info though.

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Specializes in Dialysis.

It's Jan 2012.... How is TMC doing these days for quality and staffing?

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March 2012... Anyone out there? There's a hiring freeze at UMC. How is TMC these days? Please, someone, let us know?

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I'm a traveler at TMC right now and I have to say, it's been one of my least favorite assignments ever. They are understaffed, even with travelers and agency, they are very hard on their nurses, and it is dumpy. I love Tucson itself, but I would never come back to this hospital. I'm in ICU and it is barely okay, but when they float me out to the "stepdown" units or as "helping hands" to the med/surg/tele floors, it's hell. I have 8 shifts left and counting! I'm going to a Magnet status hospital after this and I just can't wait.

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Oops... want to remove comment

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Just offered an interview there. I'm a California new grad. Is it worth it to make the trip?? From this posting it sounds horrible.

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Just offered an interview there. I'm a California new grad. Is it worth it to make the trip?? From this posting it sounds horrible.

TMC is not UMC.

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