Where is the money at?

You mean better options than starting out a new career at the bottom and working your way up? Absolutely yes. They are called get rich schemes and I hear that they are highly successful!

You mean better options than starting out a new career at the bottom and working your way up? Absolutely yes. They are called get rich schemes and I hear that they are highly successful!

Just did some searching and found out about the travel nursing option which is much more lucrative.

Looking for these types of insights.

I know it may not seem like enough $ - especially considering all the effort it takes to complete nursing school & pass boards.

However, I would suggest that you take a look at the starting salaries for other 'service professions' such as ministers, teachers & social workers. Nursing doesn't look so bad.

Hang in there - as you gain experience and expertise the pay will increase also.

Well, if you consider that I was making $29.50/hr as a flight nurse with 21 years of experience it kind of puts things in perspective. Unfortunately as a new grad you will likely find your pay scale on the low side and very few opportunities to get in the "higher paying" jobs. Any reputable travel agency will not hire someone fresh out of school. As disappointed as you must feel about the situation this is how employment works. The good news is that the raises come quickly.

Lol! :)

Just did some searching and found out about the travel nursing option which is much more lucrative.

Looking for these types of insights.

You might want to consider that travel nursing typically requires someone to have experience, which a new grad does not have. And agencies that are happy to hire a new grad and throw them wherever isn't really my idea of a great employer. A traveler to our facility told us not long ago that they almost never hire a new grad RN and when they do, it's because they were an LPN for a LONG time already. A new grad doesn't get a chance to learn like a new hospital hire does; they're on their own.

There's money to be made, but you also need to have something to show for it: a new license without any time on the job isn't worth a fortune--just has the potential for a nice living.

You can maximize your salary by working nights and weekends. Around here that's $4.00 more per hour for night shift and another $1.00 on weekends. Otherwise most higher paying agencies and per diem jobs go with nurses with experience.

Congratulations and good luck!

Just did some searching and found out about the travel nursing option which is much more lucrative.

Looking for these types of insights.

You need to have experience first before any travel agency will hire you.

You can maximize your salary by working nights and weekends. Around here that's $4.00 more per hour for night shift and another $1.00 on weekends.

I know the area you are talking about and I bet if you look around you can make up to double that differential. Also many DFW area hospitals have a graduated pay scale for new grads that give you a raise every 6 months that gets you to a decent rate within 2-3 years.

Even then, I believe the average RN pay in the DFW area is probably around $50-60,000, the higher end being those who work more nights and weekends and 10-15+ years of experience.

You can make more in other areas of the country but I think you will find the DFW area is a good balance between decent wage and lower housing costs.

Travel nursing is for those with experience. Even if you did get on, you don't want that. Travelers generally get 1-3 days of floor orientation and there is no room in that for teaching you new skills. If your nursing school was like mine; you didn't really learn how to be a nurse until you hired into a real job. Nursing school was more like a good base to build on. Travel nursing is great, I did it after I had been a floor nurse for 5 years.

That's pretty good, here in st.louis they start at 18.00 I think, with bonuses every quarter, which are almost impossible sometimes to get with pts complaining about everything under creation.

Well, if you consider that I was making $29.50/hr as a flight nurse with 21 years of experience it kind of puts things in perspective.

Sure does.....21 years experience and only $29.50/hr?! Sucks!

I found that the best way for me to maximize my pay was to put in a year and some then go registry/PRN (whatever your facility calls it). Make $10/hr more than I was. Still get shift differential and frequently get offered time and a half for last minute call ins which are frequent. I don't get benefits but don't need them.

Just to give you a little perspective (and a good laugh!) - when I started as a new grad in Amarillo TX in 1998 I worked for $12.50/hr. It seems pretty awesome to be starting out at over $20/hr! My base is now $30/hr after 10 years. Good luck to you!!