What to expect as a newer RN (ADN) in the Seattle area?

[yellow.poppy, ASN]

Hello everyone! I'm 6 months away from finishing up my ADN and as of right now it's looking like I'll have a job waiting for me in the surgical ICU of a level II trauma center (in Florida). My current plan is to work there for about a year and then either try to get a travel assignment in Washington to explore a little and see where I may want to actually work OR just start applying for jobs at different Seattle area hospitals while still in Florida. I'll have 1+ year of nursing experience in the ICU and will be about halfway done with my BSN at that point. 

Now, I'm wondering what to expect with that kind of background? Can anyone give me any insight into how much I might expect to make, maybe some of the best hospitals to look into, any kind of contracts that they know of. I would greatly appreciate it! Feel free to add any other random things that you think are important for new(er) nurses to know about working in Washington State!

[kubelkabondy, ADN, RN]

You should have no problem finding a position with a year of experience under your belt. Hospitals in Seattle to look into include the university affiliated hospitals which are Harborview (level I trauma center), UW Medical Center, and Northwest Hospital. Other hospitals to look at are Virginia Mason and Swedish. Outside of Seattle there is Evergreen, Overlake Medical Center and Valley Medical Center which is also affiliated with UW. Providence, CHI, and Multicare are all major healthcare organizations that have multiple locations in the greater Seattle metro area. Providence now owns Swedish and CHI owns Virginia Mason. And then of course there's Children's if peds is your thing.

Regarding what you can expect to make, all the hospitals in Seattle are unionized, so wages are negotiated by the unions and are public information. Check out WSNA and SEIU to look at contracts. For a new grad with no experience, I'd venture to guess that $35/hr is about average for most major hospitals in Seattle right now. 

Good luck.