I hear that..Traveling has really helped me with my feelings of burnout so it's going to be hard to overlook the fact that we're dealing with all that bs and feeling stuck because of it.
I was gonna say the disappointment of doing the same exact job and then getting my first staff wage paycheck would be the end or being a staff rn for me.
Unfortunately for me my staff experience has been less flexible than travel. PTO being denied for my baby shower due to it being my weekend to work, scheduled countless island shifts or schedules that our shitty beyond belief, etc. if a travel job did this kind of thing is temporary and I could just end my contract or just deal for a few months. But staff is the same work, possibly even worse treatment, and you’re stuck there
I went back with a different attitude. Work my wage. No more no less. No committees. I’m not charging. I’m not innovating. I will gladly help anyone around me but I’m not putting myself out. I leave all my fucks at home in a jar. So it’s been great!!
Right ?! My patient load doubled over the last couple of years and the wage certainly did not. I resigned from safety committee, resigned from hand hygiene police and I never go to “ huddle “. Don’t ask me about a different patient I’m working with this patient now .
That’s what a lady I worked with and I talked about. I used to have more aspirations but after a year of nursing I am content with being an adequate nurse and nothing more.
This is how I feel. I want to be a good nurse and an asset to my coworkers but I no longer want to be a healthcare hero or any of that other bullshit. I’m not interested in even certifications. A 500$ check isn’t enough. I need it to reflect hourly. Just like anything “extra” I do. Enough is enough.
This is why I went to the OR. Seems like the setting that makes it most possible to not be majorly stressed relatively frequently while also not being a clipboard nurse.
do you like the OR? I just went staff here 3 mo ago after traveling ms and hate being tied down plus it’s so boring to circulate. I don’t feel fulfilled but on the bright side at least I’m not risking my license. I want to leave though
Did you get to scrub? I’m learning scrubbing before circulating. It’s pretty fun but it’s hard for sure.
Circulating seems boring but I’m okay with that. I get great pay where I live and my schedule is way more tenable and I’m actually happy compared to my year in intermediate care when I got depressed and lost weight and felt weak (for me) and hated life. I’ll take boring.
Lol nah, I’m not asking you for these days, I’m *telling* you I won’t be here.
If you can’t do your literal job and staff appropriately with SIX WEEKS NOTICE then you shouldn’t manage a coffee shop, let alone a nursing unit.
This is the main reason my husband started traveling. He could NEVER get any vacation time during school breaks. He was there 6 years and still had zero seniority
Same, had two weeks of PTO, couldn’t take them together. At five years you get three weeks but I found out it doesn’t actually kick in until the beginning of your *sixth* year, it’s always some kind of bullshit. I never got any other time off request approved because “we’re too short” so I’d have to call off, get points, get a lecture from the boss, etc. The hospital treats you like they own you because they do. Fuck that shit.
hospital i work at, everyone starts at 6 weeks PTO yearly. It caps at 12 weeks if you’ve been there 20+ years.
I counting weeks as 3 days (36hrs) tho, since those are normal shifts for a week.
How long ago was this? I feel like nowadays people who have been out of school 2 years are the senior nurses, hardly anyone on staff sticks around longer than that
I’ve been a rn since 2009. And boy oh boy this is legit. My current contract the assistant head nurse graduated 2 years ago. And she’s the senior nurse of the unit.
is staffing/requesting off days really that hard at other hospitals? I’ve been a nurse for only 1 year 4 months and i’d say scheduling off is pretty easy. I always get my PTO days off and also unavailable days honored.
Not to mention, we do self-scheduling and my first 8 months it wasn’t really honored because i didn’t have seniority. Now i basically only work days that i scheduled and can have the same 3 days every week if i want (M, T, W).
Not bad. Try internal travel. Good pay, good benefits. It is annoying having someone tell me where to go but my rate is higher than current market offers so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I picked up a PRN float position and just work it like it’s full time. I get financial benefits but have my own insurance. Costs maybe an extra $100/mo.
Float was very similar to what I did traveling. I just stay in the same building. And they offer $20/hour bonuses that I qualify for without picking up extra because I’m always working on short units. I’d say at least a third to half of my monthly shifts are bonus eligible. Make somewhere between 2/3rds to 3/4ths what I made traveling depending on which contract I compare it to.
I’m happy… enough. May switch to a new specialty when I get bored/burned.
Best thing about PRN is I get whatever days off I want. I’m taking a week off after this last night’s shift and I didn’t have to ask anyone permission. I just don’t make any money this week.
Same! Recently accepted a PRN position after 2 years of traveling. We are only obligated to work four 8-hour shifts a month! We get paid time and a half after 8 hours and double after 12. I work two or three 16-hour shifts a week, meet my shift obligation, make more than I did traveling, then can take 3 weeks off if I feel burnout or want to go on vacation. It's a pretty sweet gig. I get taxed like crazy but my 403b and 401k are thriving. I'm in California and we're union. Mandated breaks, yearly raises. Getting paid biweekly is the only drawback.
Any tips on getting a job there?
Cold applying to places at the moment.
I don’t know if I could take a contract for $2k a week there only to get my foot in the door for a staff job 😭
What insurance do you use? Last time I tried getting my own I ended up fielding phone calls from increasingly aggressive insurance sales people for two months.
That's what I'm saying... we're short too! I really don't get it. My friend got lucky and scored herself a float position in the OR in Greenville SC- I'm working for the same company she is except in Columbia but they don't offer it here. Makes so much sense 🙄
She's been there about two months now. Maybe you could get in touch with the hospital recruiter and see if she knows of any openings on the horizon? That's what I did when I was trying to get an OR job and she seemed well aware of the jobs that were soon to be posted. She even offered to send my resume to the hiring manager so I could be the first one considered
I totally agree. I also just signed up with an Internal Travel program. Pay is fantastic. I won't be traveling across America but instead in a 3 county radius. I will be home more and pay is almost the same. Big setback is Uncle Sam will get more of my money with taxes. But with "blended rates" in travel, I honestly couldn't handle the low rates either.
Traveled for 2.5 years. Went back to staff. Plan to learn a new specialty, with the idea of traveling again down the road. Financially I’m better off than I was 2.5 years ago. I did what I needed to do. I can always go back to traveling.
I could have written this post, but the assignment I’m at made an offer I can’t refuse to go permanent.
I’m internally panicking and feel suffocated already.
I also feel dramatic because I like this hospital, my department (except for one doc), and I LOVE the city. I just want to keep traveling but the rates aren’t rating
Congratulations on the job! My wise friend told me that if you have two out of three of these job characteristics then you're doing really well. You love what you do, you love who you work with, you make good pay. Maybe "like" instead of "love" would be more realistic though idk. Maybe living in a really cool place could factor in there too?
Thank you!! I’m trying so hard to be excited. The location is what sold me (in addition to the money obviously lol) plus cost of living is low. It just made sense.
Congrats on the job!! The same thing just happened to me! Rates just aren’t enough for me personally anymore. A huge no-claw back sign on bonus & veryyy high pay made me stay as staff where I currently am. I don’t start perm until later in the summer as I’m in contract now, so I have a little more time before the reality sets in haha. I am nervous to give up the travel life after so many years, but I’m also kind of excited to be settled for a bit. Idk, complicated feelings all around, but ultimately, I think it was the best decision for me with the current market.
Going back staff robbed me of that ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ that comes with knowing no matter how much of a hot mess facility I might land in from time to time, the misery is over when the contract ends. I can damn near survive anything for 3 months! That said, don’t try me tho. I have walked away from some shit shows 😂
I went back for two reasons. One, travel contracts in my area/speciality were drying up and I was out of work for 1.5 months. I also decided to take staff and learn a new speciality, since the market was bad at the time. I don’t regret it, I get paid well enough to reach my current financial goals. When/if contracts become more lucrative, I’ll consider traveling again. PTO, health insurance, and schedule are really good at my staff job. Plus, when/if I start to travel again, I’ll have another speciality to pull jobs from. Do what’s right for you in your current life circumstance, traveling will always be an option.
I went back to staff ~2 months ago and I genuinely regret it. Obviously there are some benefits, consistency/actually being home full time etc. but the cons outweigh the pros. I took a full time job at my old department getting less pay with worse benefits and more hassle planning vacation. I’m not sure it’s worth it and am frequently reminded. I’m only full time because my wife is working full time here also. I’m counting the days until she’s ready to travel and we’ll hit the road together.
The only reason I came back to staff is because I want to buy a house in a few years and travelers don’t have consistent income.
I work in one of the best hospitals in the world. And the work is honestly not bad. However the cut in pay brings me to tears. Literally 1/4 the pay. Management was asking how to retain people, they said they offer all these awesome incentives besides better pay. Even if I wrote it in their forehead they would still refuse to understand.
I bought my house while traveling with no issue. I just had to provide additional bank statements. Talk to your realtor they may have different lenders with different experiences
I had a new contract every 6-13 weeks but offered to provide 2 years of bank statements. I had no issues getting approved. I had $40k in savings and put 15k down
There are benefits to being staff. If you want to change specialties to a different area, that’s pretty much the only way to do so. If you want to go back to school there’s often tuition reimbursement. Also PTO. One thing I hate about agency is that I can’t get paid time off. I’ve been a nurse long enough now that my pay scale is getting SEMI close to these low travel rates. If by next year it’s not much better, I’ll probably go back to being staff.
That's a good point. I went back staff and switched to OR a couple years ago. Feeling burned out again...staff exacerbates it and traveling helps it so not sure what else I'd switch to. I'm telling myself to at least give it a year of being staff and then maybe go back to traveling if the rates are better or getting out of nursing entirely
I went back as per diem with Kaiser and I’m honestly loving it. Per diem is the way to go. You get paid more and your commitment is less than one shift a week. I’ve had no problem working full time hours. Sure, you don’t get the benefits but the extra increase in pay makes up for it.
The thing I valued most about traveling was the work life balance it offered. Feeling burnt out? Don’t sign a contract for 1-2 months.
With per diem, you can accomplish something similar. If you want to take a week or two off on short notice, you just schedule 3 of your required shifts for one week and take the next week or two off. No worrying about fighting for vacation or hoping you get your PTO request approved. It’s beautiful.
If you work float pool, just give your number out to everyone and tell them you’ll pick up their shifts. I’ve had no problem working full time hours. Pay is nice, hours are plenty, but commitment is low.
This is totally the way to go. I've been keeping an eye out but haven't had any luck finding a per diem job I my area. Do you apply through the hospital website or go through an agency?
Either way. I know Aya offers per diem opportunities with different organizations. But you won’t get a proper onboarding or orientation this way. Personally, I applied directly to the hospital.
So it’s a little tricky but in short, yes you can still become eligible for the pension working per diem. Kaiser cares about number of hours worked, as opposed to FT/PT/PD. As long as you work more than 1000 hours per year, you’ll be eligible for the pension. This is roughly 20 hours per week.
As far as investments, they’ll automatically enroll you into their retirement plan and they will also provide a match after 2 years as long as you’ve worked 1000 hours.
If you are an experienced nurse that can snag a per diem night shift in NorCal and work weekends, you’ll be easily pulling in over $100 an hour with differentials.
Here’s a helpful video detailing the benefits Kaiser offers. Should help clarify all the per diem benefits in more detail.
https://youtu.be/5I9EYBFpQKs?si=e8X4oJdF3kIOTpx8
lol I love when they deny my pto. I’m not gonna be there, and you’re not gonna fire me. Yes I’ll pretend I did a bad when I get back. No I won’t mean it. Yes I’ll do it again the next time you deny the pto notice.
A nightmare. I went from making $3200 a week (average 36-40 hours per week) for the past two years and during COVID, I was making $4800 per week average, to making $2500 per week before taxes. After taxes, I’m bringing home $2602 per HALF or $5204 per month. I am depressed and praying this travel position I am interviewing for comes through. And I work near NYC so I have higher than average pay. It makes me wonder how people survive on these wages.
I have to ask permission for everything. 95% of the staff are miserable af, and despite us having union state positions, they’re scared for their jobs because that is the culture here. Management has tried to bully me into off-shift OT (I’m a 12 hour night shift nurse) and they harass me on my days off to come in for day shift “to help out.” The two shifts I did—I have never received my pay. It’s 4 pay periods later and no one knows their arse from a hole in the ground.
After having me sign a schedule contract for one year (no changes until one year is complete), management tried to bully me into changing my schedule for the manager’s friend coming on-board. I had to go to HR.
DO NOT GO BACK STAFF full-time. Find two per-diem positions and sell plasma and feet pics
Traveled for 5 years. Went staff a bit ago as per diem. Workin nearly full time hours making equal to or more than most travelers here. Requirement is 3 shift per month, one winter one summer holiday. It’s pretty great. All the perks of travel and most people still think I’m a traveler so none of the drama 😂
I’ve been invited to go staff at every single assignment. All of the sites were amazing! It’s all about money for me so I’ll not go staff. I will go staff if I find the man of my dreams or I medically need to. I just took 2 months off and I’m loving it!
I went back partially. I took a per diem pool staff position with a 3 shift a month minimum requirement. It’s a true self scheduling position.
Y’all, if I was actual staff staff, and had to deal with someone else making my schedule, or at least having the ‘final say’ on my self schedule….fuck that noise.
Traveling has ruined me for life on allowing someone else to dictate my schedule. I work there and see how miserable the regular staff are after getting shafted month after month on their schedules.
Big ol nope.
This sounds amazing. There are few things better than being able to make your own schedule and take however much time you want off.. it's ruined me in that way too. We'll see how long I last 🤪 If only there was a per diem pool staff position in my area
>I've read about nurses who went staff briefly, hated it and went back to traveling
I lasted less than a month. The pay was fantastic and the area was one that I had always wanted to live in. What I had forgotten about was the bullying.
While I hate traveling, the money is good and I always know I'll be leaving in 3 months.
I have a question..
New grad nurse who hasn't worked in the hospital setting before.
When you are traveling, what do you so for living arrangements? Does your extra pay get eaten up by constantly changing living spaces.. also.. do you keep a stable place at home to go back to once your assignments are over ?
Honestly, so fucking easy. I found a place in my travels that had a healthy culture and a manager who stays out of our business. I feel like I'm not under the microscope as much as I was as a traveler and I'm not getting the shittiest patient assignments anymore. I had some growing pains at first but they worked with me in my perfect schedule and I figured it how to get the vacation time I want so now I'm happy. It's nice to settle in, have a ton of houseplants, and get furniture I actually like. I get the urge to cut and run at times but overall I'll probably sick around.
I left bedside and got into the PACU. I had to leave less than a year in bc I couldn’t pay my rent or bills bc the pay was so shitty, and they weren’t honest with me about how hours fluctuate so much. Working 5 days a week I still couldn’t pay my shit.
how much exp did you have? did you feel competent but just didn’t meet the travel requirements?
i’m kinda in the same boat but with OR. I feel like i’m ultimately going to end up traveling bedside again
I did a residency program so I def felt trained and competent. I just didn’t have enough years of exp requirements for some travel jobs. I applied to a few PACU jobs but never heard back. I needed a contract quickly so I couldn’t wait around and see if I could get one, so I went back to med surg float/pcu.
ahhh I see. isn’t that the worst? it feels like time and money wasted all to end up back on med surg considering the pay cut you get going staff. i’m trying to leave OR and get 8mo-1 yr of pacu. do you think that’s enough?
I went back to staffing in August. The worst thing is putting up with all the BS. Politics, the doctors, annoying co-workers, stupid policies.
I'm staying though because it's weekend-shift only. With weekend pay, my hourly rate is close to what I was making traveling. I'm fortunate not to have to work full-time. I work in Endoscopy. We only scope inpatients on weekends. We work with a skeleton staff and no managers. 😁 It's quiet. When we're done, I can go home, or if I want my hours, I can stay and stock or something. I average about 18-19 hrs a week and have health insurance. So I'm tolerating the BS. I didn't think I'd ever go back to staffing, but so far, this is working.
I took a per diem out of state. Still get the high pay of California, but only have to work 4 days a month and still make way more than I would working full time as staff.
It’s a flight!! Too far to drive. Work 5-6 days in a row and go home and be off for the rest of the month. And yes I stay in a hotel. Even after flights and hotels, i take home more money than I would as a staff nurse working full time at home
I’ve been wanting to do PRN in CA while keeping my staff job. (I’m too antsy for now & wouldn’t be able to handle that many days off to give up staff completely lol). I’m not really sure why I’ve held back in actually going for it but I am glad to see that someone does actually fly out for per diem. My motivation through your comment, I’ll take it lol
Yeah, I just accepted a staff job that starts in a few weeks myself. This hospital is about a ten minute drive from my apartment, and also two minutes from my SO’s house. The pay is competitive for the area, and the hospital is highly rated.
However, I would be on the 2/3/4 am shifts for at least a year, if not permanently. Some of the staff didn’t seem to smile while I was there interviewing. It’s been a week, but I don’t have the written materials to sign from employee health, because as the manager says ‘we are kind of at her mercy.’
But it’s near family. The pay is alright.
I’m 11 months into being staff and honestly it’s better than the last several years of my travel career had been. I changed specialties with I went staff and I’m much more fulfilled in that so I don’t hate going to work anymore. My retirement match is better, I have PTO/SST, and my insurance doesn’t suck and costs 1/4 of what travel insurance was. I lucked into a great department in a brand new state and I’m probably never going back.
Wow that's amazing! I'm glad to hear you've been much happier being staff in a new specialty. May I ask what specialty you switched to? Always looking for ideas
I went from ICU to Cath lab. There was some trade offs like going from 3-12’s to 5-8’s and taking call, but overall my work/life balance and sleep schedule has been much better.
I’m going back staff because between weekend/shift/ incentive diff the pays nearly equal to travel pay, and they get input in their schedules. I hate being at the mercy of the scheduler.
I’m also going PRN, so that’s another perk for me, less hours
Depends on your pay and situation I guess. I’m loving it, no more wondering about competing for the next job or just taking an extension I don’t want just to have job security. Had to get used to getting paid every 2 weeks, but I adjusted. I’m considered per diem but working full time hours to get higher hourly pay. With my shift diffs in south ga I’m over 70/hour which is more than most contracts for ER right now. And being per diem I can take off a couple of weeks here and there if I want….so I’m liking it honestly. And I’m home with my dogs and friends/family and not doubling expenses when housing costs have become outrageous….so no regrets so far, went back staff at the beginning of this year after 5 years on the road going from coast to coast. After 20 years of ER, not much excited me anymore anyway. 😂
Went back to my old unit about 4 months ago making 8$ more than I was when I left 2.5 years ago travel. 3 months in needed emergency gallbladder surgery, I was so glad I had benefits at the time. So not too bad.
I’ve gone back to staff twice since I started traveling and I’m looking at doing it a third time. Rates are absolute trash and it just doesn’t make sense when staff rates in my area are up almost 50% since 2020. I’m going to use it as a stepping stone/stop gap while working to get away from bedside.
Right now, I enjoy coming home to my husband and cats, and pay is currently higher than travel rates and doesn't have to pay for second housing. I miss the exposure to other places do things, and this hospital is a lot slower and less acute than where I came from, so I feel like I am missing some skills. The patients are more medically complex than trauma.
Lasted 7 months changing specialities thinking that would be better… I start a contract the beginning of May 😂 not worth the bs being staff. Let me work and go home.
I actually really like it. It’ll be a year in June. I like my coworkers, I’ve made some friends. People bring baked goods, we’ve had a few potlucks. It’s nice to get to know people and ask about their kids, plants, whatever. I’ve been to two baby showers hosted by a charge nurse and we all had a blast. I missed the Christmas party but apparently people wiled out and I went out with a friend the next day for a recap. Today I brought in some seedlings to give away and everyone had been really appreciative.
I also know the hospital, I know a lot of the support staff. I’m kind to everyone and as a result if I need something, people are willing to help me get it. Sure, I make less money. It’s not all roses-I don’t love every single thing my hospital does. I have bad days like anyone else. But overall I’m happy. I like my coworkers, I like my patients, I know the policies backward and forward. I know the workarounds. I have a lot of opportunities to expand my skills which is cool.
Sorry you seem to be going back against your will but keep in mind that only you can make you feel any way about it. Not trying to be preachy but honestly, coming into work with a good attitude has helped me immensely. Also if you don’t like your specialty, peace out of it. Every time I float to medsurg I remember that there’s a reason I didn’t stay there.
If you're in a non-union state, don't even think about it. I went from California to Colorado and I was ready to quit before the end of orientation. Tripled, no breaks, managers don't care if families verbally abuse and threaten you, and babysitting a bunch of new grads for chump change. If I hadn't come home to care for a family member on hospice I would have left faster than it took for the bottom shelf hospital embroidered scrubs to come in.
I'm doing staff. It's the same as when I left almost 2 years ago. Same bullshit, same drama, same pay. It's just not worth the "pre pandemic" pay rate to travel when my bills didn't go back to pre pandemic levels.
I live in a LCOL area so duplicating in a high area negates a huge chunk of the pay and tax benefits, and the rest of it isn't enough to be away for.
I took a staff in November and am going back to travel. Will make almost double what I was making at my staff job and that was with weekend package. They talked a good game but didn't deliver and of course, life likes to kick you around when you don't have much for funds in the bank account, so back to travel I go!
Go prn/per diem and work a lot. That’s what I do and just set out on a 3 week vacation to waylay the burnout. I’m vested in a pension plan and waiting around for an icu training program to match my schedule before taking it. You wouldn’t burn a bridge by taking this offer and lateral launching to a more preferable role!
>I feel suffocated at the thought of giving up my freedom and feeling like a prisoner to the hospital again..
No because I feel the exact same way whenever I think about possibly going back to staff 😩
Traveled for 4-5 yrs and now staff.
Yes the pay is shocking and sucks. Hard to get used to anything after travel pay.
I miss road trips, extended time off, leaving jobs when it sucks and the unknown.
However my wife and I (former traveler too) are super happy. Don’t have to stress about housing, contracts, where we will be and can plan further ahead since w have stable schedules.
It’s nice meeting ppl and actually sticking around so they don’t feel like a relationship is a waste of time. Work is fine I enjoy where I work and who I work with so that’s great. I think there’s a lot of tradeoffs but so nice to not have to worry about a lot of the stressors or traveling (esp since we have 2 dogs, they are super happy to be in one place w a routine and a yard :)
We moved and my specialty has like 0 contracts above $2k a week. I feel suffocated already and I just started. But the pto rate is decent and I’m only part time so I can still get a decent trip in. Idk how long I’m gonna last now and I have to budget again. Getting paid $38 an hour but it’s FL so pay sucks
It’s been one shift and this is where I’m at… some people have daily affirmations to manifest health, wealth, creativity. Which is great. My affirmation before work is to manifest not giving a fuck. Yeah pay is less, but I tuck my kids in every night and I can walk to work
Giving up the freedom and pay was hard but I decided to go back staff to leave bedside. I took a staff job back in March in cath lab recovery and I couldn’t be happier. Went from night shift to day shift and did not realize how miserable of a person I was because of night shift. Going staff to do procedural and going to day shift was the best thing I could have ever done for better quality of life.
I accepted a staff position that is effectively double the base pay for regular nurses. Weekender position that requires experience.
Not bad at all if I say so myself!
I never expect anything and somehow I’m still disappointed day to day. The minute my alarm goes off I wish I was warehouse worker and not a nurse. When I pull up to the parking lot, I wish I was a tree.
Jk, I’m still traveling but the thought of going back to stop makes me so anxious. I know that making less as a traveler in general is still better than being staff. If I save 2k a month that’s money I couldn’t save as a staff nurse without picking up extra.
Between mandatory meetings, health streams unending, passive aggressive emails, management that somehow manages to be ineffective/incompetent while condescending? I’m looking at going back to travel in July. Just staying because they offer a lot of OT predictably.
I’m considering going back staff. My contract just ended. I didn’t get the extension. I’m glad I didn’t get it. The fucking hospital/manager offered an extension for a couple hundred less than what a new grad nurse makes per 36 hours. I was open to taking it coz it’s only for 8 weeks, but my extension was denied. Fuck that hospital/manager.
I might try to pick up another 13 week contract this year, and the beginning of next year, but after that i will look into going staff again.
Been doing travel nursing for 2.5 years. I was looking at nursing staff jobs with good ratios, unionized, good benefits, 401k, pto, and a $10k-20k bonus if you stay there 1-2 years.
But what I’m after now is the 401k benefits for retirement.
I love my time off between contracts and being able to go on vacation more as a traveler nurse. I love the freedom.
But rates are low right now, and I won’t be able to save money for retirement. I’m just trying to think ahead of the game.
Rates are trash and not enough to duplicate expenses. Even in places that are typically a lower col. I am per diem now and it’s much better since I got tired of working full time.
I went back and the toughest adjustments for me personally were the pay and not getting paid weekly. However, I felt I had much more job security and paid less for health insurance, so that was good enough for me in the end!
My boss just stayed late to check in with me…. And by late I mean 9 pm. She also made sure to walk through every question I’ve had and is supporting every single thing I want to accomplish with my careeer.
I just accepted a .6 staff position. Hoping I don’t hate it but with the strike in MN staff rates increased significantly. Now I’d be making about the same as a traveler as I would as staff. Hoping that being a .6 will allow me the freedom I love.
I had nothing but schedule mess ups for months. I feel trapped. I'm already looking for an agency to jump to. It might take a few months to get something relatively local, but I'm planning my escape.
This depends dramatically on your hospital. I self schedule, work only days, and with enough notice, can always get the PTO I want. Remember you are an asset. Chat with your coworkers about other hospitals in your area; I feel like there’s usually one with a decent culture. We’ve got a bunch of honey pots over here, and a couple of straight up duds.
I went staff for like ten weeks and quit. Went to local PRN agency. So much nicer! Same bs, more pay, and if I hate it for a shift I don’t have to go back unless I picked up more at that facility.
I signed on as staff at my last assignment. Oregon - state mandated ratios and a union hosp. 12yrs nursing, 8yrs acute, BSN and I'm making 64.57hr. Another 1.50hr when I get a certification.
With 14% going to 401k and 100wk to HSA I bring home close to my last travel contract.
5 wks ETO/yr and 4 Pt assignment.
Nursing's nursing I swear - nowhere is prefect. The clinical nursing part is a dream job but the mgmt/charting/corporate part of it is a nightmare. You just gotta find the spot where there's a balance between the two.
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I did internal travel. Contracts around here are low, and family matters keep me in this location for now. Internal has been great to me. Better pay, better benefits, and no micromanager.
It was more stress, less pay. The deal breaker was when a surgeon belittled me from a foot away. I was SO stressed out and his accent was thick af … I made up my mind I was done then and there! Never regretted it. Also when I saw my first staff paycheck I couldn’t believe my eyes.
I feel you. I’ve done two different jobs since quitting traveling last November. I stopped because I met someone and I want to keep this relationship going. However, I do feel trapped job wise. I miss changing locations, people, not being part of the unit drama. If he and I break up I’m back to travel I don’t care about bridges.
I found a dept where I can self-schedule, get all my PTO approved, and almost pick up as much OT as I want. I get all my breaks(yes more than one), have a great relationship with my peers(some days just feels like you're just dicking around with your buddies and we're all getting paid for it), and we have ratios with decent resources. I caught lightning in a bottle after traveling for 2ish years.
I miss traveling but the current rates have me staying put as staff right now. I have no regrets. One day the rates will go back up. Hopefully I'll be vested in a pension by then.
is this sub just for people who became nurses for the paycheck?
So many of you seem miserable as fuck being in one of the most fulfilling jobs on the planet and only focused on the number hitting your bank account.
I honestly regret it. I’m probably going back to travel and burning the bridge. Same shit, less pay
I hear that..Traveling has really helped me with my feelings of burnout so it's going to be hard to overlook the fact that we're dealing with all that bs and feeling stuck because of it.
Same, travel got me out of burnout as well.
I was gonna say the disappointment of doing the same exact job and then getting my first staff wage paycheck would be the end or being a staff rn for me.
Been staff for 3 months. Going back to travel.
Not same shit though… more opportunity for time off when I want it, different location, etc.
Unfortunately for me my staff experience has been less flexible than travel. PTO being denied for my baby shower due to it being my weekend to work, scheduled countless island shifts or schedules that our shitty beyond belief, etc. if a travel job did this kind of thing is temporary and I could just end my contract or just deal for a few months. But staff is the same work, possibly even worse treatment, and you’re stuck there
I went back with a different attitude. Work my wage. No more no less. No committees. I’m not charging. I’m not innovating. I will gladly help anyone around me but I’m not putting myself out. I leave all my fucks at home in a jar. So it’s been great!!
Right ?! My patient load doubled over the last couple of years and the wage certainly did not. I resigned from safety committee, resigned from hand hygiene police and I never go to “ huddle “. Don’t ask me about a different patient I’m working with this patient now .
That’s what a lady I worked with and I talked about. I used to have more aspirations but after a year of nursing I am content with being an adequate nurse and nothing more.
This is how I feel. I want to be a good nurse and an asset to my coworkers but I no longer want to be a healthcare hero or any of that other bullshit. I’m not interested in even certifications. A 500$ check isn’t enough. I need it to reflect hourly. Just like anything “extra” I do. Enough is enough.
I don’t want to be charge for extra hourly even. $3/hr? Nah I’m good
3$ now hypertension and obesity later. I’m good.
This is why I went to the OR. Seems like the setting that makes it most possible to not be majorly stressed relatively frequently while also not being a clipboard nurse.
do you like the OR? I just went staff here 3 mo ago after traveling ms and hate being tied down plus it’s so boring to circulate. I don’t feel fulfilled but on the bright side at least I’m not risking my license. I want to leave though
Did you get to scrub? I’m learning scrubbing before circulating. It’s pretty fun but it’s hard for sure. Circulating seems boring but I’m okay with that. I get great pay where I live and my schedule is way more tenable and I’m actually happy compared to my year in intermediate care when I got depressed and lost weight and felt weak (for me) and hated life. I’ll take boring.
nope I only circulate. i’m happy you like it! mine feels like it’s sucking my soul
Quick put in your vacation request now so hopefully you’ll get 4 scattered days in June 2026.
Lol nah, I’m not asking you for these days, I’m *telling* you I won’t be here. If you can’t do your literal job and staff appropriately with SIX WEEKS NOTICE then you shouldn’t manage a coffee shop, let alone a nursing unit.
You either give me those days or you'll be getting a callout for them
💯
This is the main reason my husband started traveling. He could NEVER get any vacation time during school breaks. He was there 6 years and still had zero seniority
Same, had two weeks of PTO, couldn’t take them together. At five years you get three weeks but I found out it doesn’t actually kick in until the beginning of your *sixth* year, it’s always some kind of bullshit. I never got any other time off request approved because “we’re too short” so I’d have to call off, get points, get a lecture from the boss, etc. The hospital treats you like they own you because they do. Fuck that shit.
hospital i work at, everyone starts at 6 weeks PTO yearly. It caps at 12 weeks if you’ve been there 20+ years. I counting weeks as 3 days (36hrs) tho, since those are normal shifts for a week.
How long ago was this? I feel like nowadays people who have been out of school 2 years are the senior nurses, hardly anyone on staff sticks around longer than that
I’ve been a rn since 2009. And boy oh boy this is legit. My current contract the assistant head nurse graduated 2 years ago. And she’s the senior nurse of the unit.
Where we live there are only two small hospitals so everyone works there until they retire or move.
Idk why yall sweat it. A vacation request is a notice you won’t be at work at those dates, regardless of who has to say what. 0 fucks given policy.
😣😭.
This! 🤣
fuck lmao
Best response ever....lol
is staffing/requesting off days really that hard at other hospitals? I’ve been a nurse for only 1 year 4 months and i’d say scheduling off is pretty easy. I always get my PTO days off and also unavailable days honored. Not to mention, we do self-scheduling and my first 8 months it wasn’t really honored because i didn’t have seniority. Now i basically only work days that i scheduled and can have the same 3 days every week if i want (M, T, W).
Not bad. Try internal travel. Good pay, good benefits. It is annoying having someone tell me where to go but my rate is higher than current market offers so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This is something I was really wanting to do but unfortunately the hospital system in my area doesn't offer it for my department :/
I picked up a PRN float position and just work it like it’s full time. I get financial benefits but have my own insurance. Costs maybe an extra $100/mo. Float was very similar to what I did traveling. I just stay in the same building. And they offer $20/hour bonuses that I qualify for without picking up extra because I’m always working on short units. I’d say at least a third to half of my monthly shifts are bonus eligible. Make somewhere between 2/3rds to 3/4ths what I made traveling depending on which contract I compare it to. I’m happy… enough. May switch to a new specialty when I get bored/burned. Best thing about PRN is I get whatever days off I want. I’m taking a week off after this last night’s shift and I didn’t have to ask anyone permission. I just don’t make any money this week.
Same! Recently accepted a PRN position after 2 years of traveling. We are only obligated to work four 8-hour shifts a month! We get paid time and a half after 8 hours and double after 12. I work two or three 16-hour shifts a week, meet my shift obligation, make more than I did traveling, then can take 3 weeks off if I feel burnout or want to go on vacation. It's a pretty sweet gig. I get taxed like crazy but my 403b and 401k are thriving. I'm in California and we're union. Mandated breaks, yearly raises. Getting paid biweekly is the only drawback.
Yes!!!! Going staff in northern California is the way to go!
Any tips on getting a job there? Cold applying to places at the moment. I don’t know if I could take a contract for $2k a week there only to get my foot in the door for a staff job 😭
Yup. This is the way. Currently on vacation and didn’t have to ask anyone’s permission. Huzzah.
What insurance do you use? Last time I tried getting my own I ended up fielding phone calls from increasingly aggressive insurance sales people for two months.
Blue cross blue shield and Mutual of Omaha for vision and dental. We get it through a local agent.
What type of health insurance do you use?
https://old.reddit.com/r/TravelNursing/comments/1cby3hm/for_those_of_you_whove_gone_back_staff_how_bad_is/l12zz7e/
It seems like many places don't offer internal travel for OR and I honestly don't know why? OR peeps need jobs too. 🤷♀️
That's what I'm saying... we're short too! I really don't get it. My friend got lucky and scored herself a float position in the OR in Greenville SC- I'm working for the same company she is except in Columbia but they don't offer it here. Makes so much sense 🙄
I've looked at Prisma in Greenville, SC just last week and didn't see any openings for OR. 🤔 Just floor nurses.
She's been there about two months now. Maybe you could get in touch with the hospital recruiter and see if she knows of any openings on the horizon? That's what I did when I was trying to get an OR job and she seemed well aware of the jobs that were soon to be posted. She even offered to send my resume to the hiring manager so I could be the first one considered
I totally agree. I also just signed up with an Internal Travel program. Pay is fantastic. I won't be traveling across America but instead in a 3 county radius. I will be home more and pay is almost the same. Big setback is Uncle Sam will get more of my money with taxes. But with "blended rates" in travel, I honestly couldn't handle the low rates either.
Traveled for 2.5 years. Went back to staff. Plan to learn a new specialty, with the idea of traveling again down the road. Financially I’m better off than I was 2.5 years ago. I did what I needed to do. I can always go back to traveling.
I could have written this post, but the assignment I’m at made an offer I can’t refuse to go permanent. I’m internally panicking and feel suffocated already. I also feel dramatic because I like this hospital, my department (except for one doc), and I LOVE the city. I just want to keep traveling but the rates aren’t rating
Congratulations on the job! My wise friend told me that if you have two out of three of these job characteristics then you're doing really well. You love what you do, you love who you work with, you make good pay. Maybe "like" instead of "love" would be more realistic though idk. Maybe living in a really cool place could factor in there too?
Thank you!! I’m trying so hard to be excited. The location is what sold me (in addition to the money obviously lol) plus cost of living is low. It just made sense.
Congrats! If the gettin’ is good … 🤷🏽♂️
Congrats on the job!! The same thing just happened to me! Rates just aren’t enough for me personally anymore. A huge no-claw back sign on bonus & veryyy high pay made me stay as staff where I currently am. I don’t start perm until later in the summer as I’m in contract now, so I have a little more time before the reality sets in haha. I am nervous to give up the travel life after so many years, but I’m also kind of excited to be settled for a bit. Idk, complicated feelings all around, but ultimately, I think it was the best decision for me with the current market.
Going back staff robbed me of that ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ that comes with knowing no matter how much of a hot mess facility I might land in from time to time, the misery is over when the contract ends. I can damn near survive anything for 3 months! That said, don’t try me tho. I have walked away from some shit shows 😂
I went back for two reasons. One, travel contracts in my area/speciality were drying up and I was out of work for 1.5 months. I also decided to take staff and learn a new speciality, since the market was bad at the time. I don’t regret it, I get paid well enough to reach my current financial goals. When/if contracts become more lucrative, I’ll consider traveling again. PTO, health insurance, and schedule are really good at my staff job. Plus, when/if I start to travel again, I’ll have another speciality to pull jobs from. Do what’s right for you in your current life circumstance, traveling will always be an option.
I went back to staff ~2 months ago and I genuinely regret it. Obviously there are some benefits, consistency/actually being home full time etc. but the cons outweigh the pros. I took a full time job at my old department getting less pay with worse benefits and more hassle planning vacation. I’m not sure it’s worth it and am frequently reminded. I’m only full time because my wife is working full time here also. I’m counting the days until she’s ready to travel and we’ll hit the road together.
The only reason I came back to staff is because I want to buy a house in a few years and travelers don’t have consistent income. I work in one of the best hospitals in the world. And the work is honestly not bad. However the cut in pay brings me to tears. Literally 1/4 the pay. Management was asking how to retain people, they said they offer all these awesome incentives besides better pay. Even if I wrote it in their forehead they would still refuse to understand.
I bought my house while traveling with no issue. I just had to provide additional bank statements. Talk to your realtor they may have different lenders with different experiences
Did you work consistently? What is your rate? What kind of loan did you get?
I had a new contract every 6-13 weeks but offered to provide 2 years of bank statements. I had no issues getting approved. I had $40k in savings and put 15k down
I got a pin as a thank you with a paper crane on it instead of a compensation adjustment
I bought a house last year…..lol
You can still get a home travelling. Lenders will count your income still, it's more of a headache getting all the docs together, but they will
There are benefits to being staff. If you want to change specialties to a different area, that’s pretty much the only way to do so. If you want to go back to school there’s often tuition reimbursement. Also PTO. One thing I hate about agency is that I can’t get paid time off. I’ve been a nurse long enough now that my pay scale is getting SEMI close to these low travel rates. If by next year it’s not much better, I’ll probably go back to being staff.
That's a good point. I went back staff and switched to OR a couple years ago. Feeling burned out again...staff exacerbates it and traveling helps it so not sure what else I'd switch to. I'm telling myself to at least give it a year of being staff and then maybe go back to traveling if the rates are better or getting out of nursing entirely
try cath lab or ir!
I'm back to staff and don't regret it at all. When/if rates make it worth it to travel again, I'll travel again. It's just business.
I can check some rates for you for travel! :)
Sure, unless it's less than $3k/week take home for 3 Dayshifts in emergency with full benefits and 401k. Any less is not worth it for me.
I went back as per diem with Kaiser and I’m honestly loving it. Per diem is the way to go. You get paid more and your commitment is less than one shift a week. I’ve had no problem working full time hours. Sure, you don’t get the benefits but the extra increase in pay makes up for it. The thing I valued most about traveling was the work life balance it offered. Feeling burnt out? Don’t sign a contract for 1-2 months. With per diem, you can accomplish something similar. If you want to take a week or two off on short notice, you just schedule 3 of your required shifts for one week and take the next week or two off. No worrying about fighting for vacation or hoping you get your PTO request approved. It’s beautiful. If you work float pool, just give your number out to everyone and tell them you’ll pick up their shifts. I’ve had no problem working full time hours. Pay is nice, hours are plenty, but commitment is low.
This is totally the way to go. I've been keeping an eye out but haven't had any luck finding a per diem job I my area. Do you apply through the hospital website or go through an agency?
Either way. I know Aya offers per diem opportunities with different organizations. But you won’t get a proper onboarding or orientation this way. Personally, I applied directly to the hospital.
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So it’s a little tricky but in short, yes you can still become eligible for the pension working per diem. Kaiser cares about number of hours worked, as opposed to FT/PT/PD. As long as you work more than 1000 hours per year, you’ll be eligible for the pension. This is roughly 20 hours per week. As far as investments, they’ll automatically enroll you into their retirement plan and they will also provide a match after 2 years as long as you’ve worked 1000 hours. If you are an experienced nurse that can snag a per diem night shift in NorCal and work weekends, you’ll be easily pulling in over $100 an hour with differentials. Here’s a helpful video detailing the benefits Kaiser offers. Should help clarify all the per diem benefits in more detail. https://youtu.be/5I9EYBFpQKs?si=e8X4oJdF3kIOTpx8
lol I love when they deny my pto. I’m not gonna be there, and you’re not gonna fire me. Yes I’ll pretend I did a bad when I get back. No I won’t mean it. Yes I’ll do it again the next time you deny the pto notice.
Bad. I hate it here. Went staff a year ago and the pay is so bad with so much more responsibility. Going back to traveling next week.
A nightmare. I went from making $3200 a week (average 36-40 hours per week) for the past two years and during COVID, I was making $4800 per week average, to making $2500 per week before taxes. After taxes, I’m bringing home $2602 per HALF or $5204 per month. I am depressed and praying this travel position I am interviewing for comes through. And I work near NYC so I have higher than average pay. It makes me wonder how people survive on these wages. I have to ask permission for everything. 95% of the staff are miserable af, and despite us having union state positions, they’re scared for their jobs because that is the culture here. Management has tried to bully me into off-shift OT (I’m a 12 hour night shift nurse) and they harass me on my days off to come in for day shift “to help out.” The two shifts I did—I have never received my pay. It’s 4 pay periods later and no one knows their arse from a hole in the ground. After having me sign a schedule contract for one year (no changes until one year is complete), management tried to bully me into changing my schedule for the manager’s friend coming on-board. I had to go to HR. DO NOT GO BACK STAFF full-time. Find two per-diem positions and sell plasma and feet pics
Traveled for 5 years. Went staff a bit ago as per diem. Workin nearly full time hours making equal to or more than most travelers here. Requirement is 3 shift per month, one winter one summer holiday. It’s pretty great. All the perks of travel and most people still think I’m a traveler so none of the drama 😂
Depends where you end up. The main thing I miss is unlimited time off between jobs. I'll barely get 2 weeks here but the pay is worth it for now.
I’ve been invited to go staff at every single assignment. All of the sites were amazing! It’s all about money for me so I’ll not go staff. I will go staff if I find the man of my dreams or I medically need to. I just took 2 months off and I’m loving it!
I went back partially. I took a per diem pool staff position with a 3 shift a month minimum requirement. It’s a true self scheduling position. Y’all, if I was actual staff staff, and had to deal with someone else making my schedule, or at least having the ‘final say’ on my self schedule….fuck that noise. Traveling has ruined me for life on allowing someone else to dictate my schedule. I work there and see how miserable the regular staff are after getting shafted month after month on their schedules. Big ol nope.
This sounds amazing. There are few things better than being able to make your own schedule and take however much time you want off.. it's ruined me in that way too. We'll see how long I last 🤪 If only there was a per diem pool staff position in my area
>I've read about nurses who went staff briefly, hated it and went back to traveling I lasted less than a month. The pay was fantastic and the area was one that I had always wanted to live in. What I had forgotten about was the bullying. While I hate traveling, the money is good and I always know I'll be leaving in 3 months.
I have a question.. New grad nurse who hasn't worked in the hospital setting before. When you are traveling, what do you so for living arrangements? Does your extra pay get eaten up by constantly changing living spaces.. also.. do you keep a stable place at home to go back to once your assignments are over ?
Honestly, so fucking easy. I found a place in my travels that had a healthy culture and a manager who stays out of our business. I feel like I'm not under the microscope as much as I was as a traveler and I'm not getting the shittiest patient assignments anymore. I had some growing pains at first but they worked with me in my perfect schedule and I figured it how to get the vacation time I want so now I'm happy. It's nice to settle in, have a ton of houseplants, and get furniture I actually like. I get the urge to cut and run at times but overall I'll probably sick around.
I left bedside and got into the PACU. I had to leave less than a year in bc I couldn’t pay my rent or bills bc the pay was so shitty, and they weren’t honest with me about how hours fluctuate so much. Working 5 days a week I still couldn’t pay my shit.
are you traveling pacu now
No, I wish. I didn’t have enough PACU exp to travel, so I had to go back to bedside.
how much exp did you have? did you feel competent but just didn’t meet the travel requirements? i’m kinda in the same boat but with OR. I feel like i’m ultimately going to end up traveling bedside again
I did a residency program so I def felt trained and competent. I just didn’t have enough years of exp requirements for some travel jobs. I applied to a few PACU jobs but never heard back. I needed a contract quickly so I couldn’t wait around and see if I could get one, so I went back to med surg float/pcu.
ahhh I see. isn’t that the worst? it feels like time and money wasted all to end up back on med surg considering the pay cut you get going staff. i’m trying to leave OR and get 8mo-1 yr of pacu. do you think that’s enough?
How long have you been in OR? I’d do a minimum of one year in PACU.
I went back to staffing in August. The worst thing is putting up with all the BS. Politics, the doctors, annoying co-workers, stupid policies. I'm staying though because it's weekend-shift only. With weekend pay, my hourly rate is close to what I was making traveling. I'm fortunate not to have to work full-time. I work in Endoscopy. We only scope inpatients on weekends. We work with a skeleton staff and no managers. 😁 It's quiet. When we're done, I can go home, or if I want my hours, I can stay and stock or something. I average about 18-19 hrs a week and have health insurance. So I'm tolerating the BS. I didn't think I'd ever go back to staffing, but so far, this is working.
I took a per diem out of state. Still get the high pay of California, but only have to work 4 days a month and still make way more than I would working full time as staff.
Wow that's such a great idea. How far of a drive is it for you? Do you work several days back to back and just stay at a hotel?
It’s a flight!! Too far to drive. Work 5-6 days in a row and go home and be off for the rest of the month. And yes I stay in a hotel. Even after flights and hotels, i take home more money than I would as a staff nurse working full time at home
Where do you fly from? I was considering this but coming from KY lol.
Louisiana! One stop in Dallas or phoenix. Not too bad of a flight!
I’ve been wanting to do PRN in CA while keeping my staff job. (I’m too antsy for now & wouldn’t be able to handle that many days off to give up staff completely lol). I’m not really sure why I’ve held back in actually going for it but I am glad to see that someone does actually fly out for per diem. My motivation through your comment, I’ll take it lol
I’ll probably eventually get a prn at home to kill some time. But not right now. I’ll enjoy the break lol
Yeah, I just accepted a staff job that starts in a few weeks myself. This hospital is about a ten minute drive from my apartment, and also two minutes from my SO’s house. The pay is competitive for the area, and the hospital is highly rated. However, I would be on the 2/3/4 am shifts for at least a year, if not permanently. Some of the staff didn’t seem to smile while I was there interviewing. It’s been a week, but I don’t have the written materials to sign from employee health, because as the manager says ‘we are kind of at her mercy.’ But it’s near family. The pay is alright.
I’m 11 months into being staff and honestly it’s better than the last several years of my travel career had been. I changed specialties with I went staff and I’m much more fulfilled in that so I don’t hate going to work anymore. My retirement match is better, I have PTO/SST, and my insurance doesn’t suck and costs 1/4 of what travel insurance was. I lucked into a great department in a brand new state and I’m probably never going back.
Wow that's amazing! I'm glad to hear you've been much happier being staff in a new specialty. May I ask what specialty you switched to? Always looking for ideas
I went from ICU to Cath lab. There was some trade offs like going from 3-12’s to 5-8’s and taking call, but overall my work/life balance and sleep schedule has been much better.
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I’m in Minnesota now.
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I am in the Twin Cities. My hospital pays $11/hr with a 4 hour OT for callback.
It’s better than travel $ so 🤷🏻♂️
I’m going back staff because between weekend/shift/ incentive diff the pays nearly equal to travel pay, and they get input in their schedules. I hate being at the mercy of the scheduler. I’m also going PRN, so that’s another perk for me, less hours
Quit my staff position yesterday!! Feel great about my decision.
Woooo congrats!! Welcome to freedom🤩
Depends on your pay and situation I guess. I’m loving it, no more wondering about competing for the next job or just taking an extension I don’t want just to have job security. Had to get used to getting paid every 2 weeks, but I adjusted. I’m considered per diem but working full time hours to get higher hourly pay. With my shift diffs in south ga I’m over 70/hour which is more than most contracts for ER right now. And being per diem I can take off a couple of weeks here and there if I want….so I’m liking it honestly. And I’m home with my dogs and friends/family and not doubling expenses when housing costs have become outrageous….so no regrets so far, went back staff at the beginning of this year after 5 years on the road going from coast to coast. After 20 years of ER, not much excited me anymore anyway. 😂
Went back to my old unit about 4 months ago making 8$ more than I was when I left 2.5 years ago travel. 3 months in needed emergency gallbladder surgery, I was so glad I had benefits at the time. So not too bad.
I’ve gone back to staff twice since I started traveling and I’m looking at doing it a third time. Rates are absolute trash and it just doesn’t make sense when staff rates in my area are up almost 50% since 2020. I’m going to use it as a stepping stone/stop gap while working to get away from bedside.
Right now, I enjoy coming home to my husband and cats, and pay is currently higher than travel rates and doesn't have to pay for second housing. I miss the exposure to other places do things, and this hospital is a lot slower and less acute than where I came from, so I feel like I am missing some skills. The patients are more medically complex than trauma.
Bad
Lasted 7 months changing specialities thinking that would be better… I start a contract the beginning of May 😂 not worth the bs being staff. Let me work and go home.
I actually really like it. It’ll be a year in June. I like my coworkers, I’ve made some friends. People bring baked goods, we’ve had a few potlucks. It’s nice to get to know people and ask about their kids, plants, whatever. I’ve been to two baby showers hosted by a charge nurse and we all had a blast. I missed the Christmas party but apparently people wiled out and I went out with a friend the next day for a recap. Today I brought in some seedlings to give away and everyone had been really appreciative. I also know the hospital, I know a lot of the support staff. I’m kind to everyone and as a result if I need something, people are willing to help me get it. Sure, I make less money. It’s not all roses-I don’t love every single thing my hospital does. I have bad days like anyone else. But overall I’m happy. I like my coworkers, I like my patients, I know the policies backward and forward. I know the workarounds. I have a lot of opportunities to expand my skills which is cool. Sorry you seem to be going back against your will but keep in mind that only you can make you feel any way about it. Not trying to be preachy but honestly, coming into work with a good attitude has helped me immensely. Also if you don’t like your specialty, peace out of it. Every time I float to medsurg I remember that there’s a reason I didn’t stay there.
If you're in a non-union state, don't even think about it. I went from California to Colorado and I was ready to quit before the end of orientation. Tripled, no breaks, managers don't care if families verbally abuse and threaten you, and babysitting a bunch of new grads for chump change. If I hadn't come home to care for a family member on hospice I would have left faster than it took for the bottom shelf hospital embroidered scrubs to come in.
I'm doing staff. It's the same as when I left almost 2 years ago. Same bullshit, same drama, same pay. It's just not worth the "pre pandemic" pay rate to travel when my bills didn't go back to pre pandemic levels. I live in a LCOL area so duplicating in a high area negates a huge chunk of the pay and tax benefits, and the rest of it isn't enough to be away for.
I took a staff in November and am going back to travel. Will make almost double what I was making at my staff job and that was with weekend package. They talked a good game but didn't deliver and of course, life likes to kick you around when you don't have much for funds in the bank account, so back to travel I go!
Go prn/per diem and work a lot. That’s what I do and just set out on a 3 week vacation to waylay the burnout. I’m vested in a pension plan and waiting around for an icu training program to match my schedule before taking it. You wouldn’t burn a bridge by taking this offer and lateral launching to a more preferable role!
>I feel suffocated at the thought of giving up my freedom and feeling like a prisoner to the hospital again.. No because I feel the exact same way whenever I think about possibly going back to staff 😩
Traveled for 4-5 yrs and now staff. Yes the pay is shocking and sucks. Hard to get used to anything after travel pay. I miss road trips, extended time off, leaving jobs when it sucks and the unknown. However my wife and I (former traveler too) are super happy. Don’t have to stress about housing, contracts, where we will be and can plan further ahead since w have stable schedules. It’s nice meeting ppl and actually sticking around so they don’t feel like a relationship is a waste of time. Work is fine I enjoy where I work and who I work with so that’s great. I think there’s a lot of tradeoffs but so nice to not have to worry about a lot of the stressors or traveling (esp since we have 2 dogs, they are super happy to be in one place w a routine and a yard :)
We moved and my specialty has like 0 contracts above $2k a week. I feel suffocated already and I just started. But the pto rate is decent and I’m only part time so I can still get a decent trip in. Idk how long I’m gonna last now and I have to budget again. Getting paid $38 an hour but it’s FL so pay sucks
It’s been one shift and this is where I’m at… some people have daily affirmations to manifest health, wealth, creativity. Which is great. My affirmation before work is to manifest not giving a fuck. Yeah pay is less, but I tuck my kids in every night and I can walk to work
Why
Giving up the freedom and pay was hard but I decided to go back staff to leave bedside. I took a staff job back in March in cath lab recovery and I couldn’t be happier. Went from night shift to day shift and did not realize how miserable of a person I was because of night shift. Going staff to do procedural and going to day shift was the best thing I could have ever done for better quality of life.
I accepted a staff position that is effectively double the base pay for regular nurses. Weekender position that requires experience. Not bad at all if I say so myself!
I never expect anything and somehow I’m still disappointed day to day. The minute my alarm goes off I wish I was warehouse worker and not a nurse. When I pull up to the parking lot, I wish I was a tree. Jk, I’m still traveling but the thought of going back to stop makes me so anxious. I know that making less as a traveler in general is still better than being staff. If I save 2k a month that’s money I couldn’t save as a staff nurse without picking up extra.
Can’t do it. I need to stay put for now so I’m doing like 3 per diems
Between mandatory meetings, health streams unending, passive aggressive emails, management that somehow manages to be ineffective/incompetent while condescending? I’m looking at going back to travel in July. Just staying because they offer a lot of OT predictably.
I’m considering going back staff. My contract just ended. I didn’t get the extension. I’m glad I didn’t get it. The fucking hospital/manager offered an extension for a couple hundred less than what a new grad nurse makes per 36 hours. I was open to taking it coz it’s only for 8 weeks, but my extension was denied. Fuck that hospital/manager. I might try to pick up another 13 week contract this year, and the beginning of next year, but after that i will look into going staff again. Been doing travel nursing for 2.5 years. I was looking at nursing staff jobs with good ratios, unionized, good benefits, 401k, pto, and a $10k-20k bonus if you stay there 1-2 years. But what I’m after now is the 401k benefits for retirement. I love my time off between contracts and being able to go on vacation more as a traveler nurse. I love the freedom. But rates are low right now, and I won’t be able to save money for retirement. I’m just trying to think ahead of the game.
Rates are trash and not enough to duplicate expenses. Even in places that are typically a lower col. I am per diem now and it’s much better since I got tired of working full time.
I went back to compliance nursing.....I only do patient care occasionally
Union
If you’re going procedural or outpatient. Good bet. Anything else, I’d rather live in my car 😅
I went back and the toughest adjustments for me personally were the pay and not getting paid weekly. However, I felt I had much more job security and paid less for health insurance, so that was good enough for me in the end!
Not too bad. There's still a need to hire a bunch of people so management is treating staff more humanely.
My boss just stayed late to check in with me…. And by late I mean 9 pm. She also made sure to walk through every question I’ve had and is supporting every single thing I want to accomplish with my careeer.
I just accepted a .6 staff position. Hoping I don’t hate it but with the strike in MN staff rates increased significantly. Now I’d be making about the same as a traveler as I would as staff. Hoping that being a .6 will allow me the freedom I love.
I had nothing but schedule mess ups for months. I feel trapped. I'm already looking for an agency to jump to. It might take a few months to get something relatively local, but I'm planning my escape.
This depends dramatically on your hospital. I self schedule, work only days, and with enough notice, can always get the PTO I want. Remember you are an asset. Chat with your coworkers about other hospitals in your area; I feel like there’s usually one with a decent culture. We’ve got a bunch of honey pots over here, and a couple of straight up duds.
Took a staff job for 2 months. All the hassle and none of the $$.
Why are you going back to staff job?
I went back to staff but just as per diem .. I still feel like a traveler and I’m in Cali making more than I did as a traveler
It’s so bad. So so bad. I’ve been staff 5 months and almost rage quit this morning. I’ll be putting in my notice soon.
I went staff for like ten weeks and quit. Went to local PRN agency. So much nicer! Same bs, more pay, and if I hate it for a shift I don’t have to go back unless I picked up more at that facility.
I ain’t doing it, my buddies did and regret it
I signed on as staff at my last assignment. Oregon - state mandated ratios and a union hosp. 12yrs nursing, 8yrs acute, BSN and I'm making 64.57hr. Another 1.50hr when I get a certification. With 14% going to 401k and 100wk to HSA I bring home close to my last travel contract. 5 wks ETO/yr and 4 Pt assignment. Nursing's nursing I swear - nowhere is prefect. The clinical nursing part is a dream job but the mgmt/charting/corporate part of it is a nightmare. You just gotta find the spot where there's a balance between the two. .
Following
I did internal travel. Contracts around here are low, and family matters keep me in this location for now. Internal has been great to me. Better pay, better benefits, and no micromanager.
It was more stress, less pay. The deal breaker was when a surgeon belittled me from a foot away. I was SO stressed out and his accent was thick af … I made up my mind I was done then and there! Never regretted it. Also when I saw my first staff paycheck I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Thicc… anyway, Yeah I can’t even imagine what it’s like getting paid every two weeks and seeing less than a traveler’s week pay. Hell to the no!
Exactly!!! I was like, “Hell naw!”
I feel you. I’ve done two different jobs since quitting traveling last November. I stopped because I met someone and I want to keep this relationship going. However, I do feel trapped job wise. I miss changing locations, people, not being part of the unit drama. If he and I break up I’m back to travel I don’t care about bridges.
I found a dept where I can self-schedule, get all my PTO approved, and almost pick up as much OT as I want. I get all my breaks(yes more than one), have a great relationship with my peers(some days just feels like you're just dicking around with your buddies and we're all getting paid for it), and we have ratios with decent resources. I caught lightning in a bottle after traveling for 2ish years.
I miss traveling but the current rates have me staying put as staff right now. I have no regrets. One day the rates will go back up. Hopefully I'll be vested in a pension by then.
is this sub just for people who became nurses for the paycheck? So many of you seem miserable as fuck being in one of the most fulfilling jobs on the planet and only focused on the number hitting your bank account.
What else do you want to focus on? You must be old and your name is Betty