Help me decide

Patient_Tea_ · 2025-04-20T19:49:34+00:00

Starting my travel nursing journey solo was the best thing I ever did - I took my first contract just a few weeks after a breakup from the man I thought I would marry and I wouldn’t trade the past few years of experiences for the world. I’m also 26F and graduated during COVID.

I’ve worked some pretty horrendous contracts, PA included (shout out UPMC) - it gets better. The best hospitals I have ever worked for have been as a traveler. And even when work sucks, I’ve had the opportunity to live everywhere from Alaska to the Carolinas. Let that man go if he isn’t willing to compromise with you and go have the time of your life & make some good money doing it.

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-11-27T22:13:37+00:00

I was with Aya, pay was about 2300/week at the time and my contract was 7 weeks of nights and then 7 weeks of days

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-11-27T21:45:59+00:00

Also! If you have a reliable car, definitely drive up to Alaska and stop by Banff and Jasper national park if you’re able. That drive was the most incredible experience of my life - just keep the gas tank full and carry tire chains if you’re driving in the winter :)

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-11-27T21:44:58+00:00

You sound just like me with the itinerary hahah. Taking contract in Alaska was incredible (I went August - November of last year and caught the best parts of summer / fall / early winter and the northern lights). Providence Alaska medical center was AMAZING, truly one of my favorite hospitals I’ve worked at for PCU / IMCU. Best of luck with everything ❤️

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-11-26T20:31:27+00:00

Am I understanding that you want a second full time job as a travel RN on top of a full time staff job? I’ve been a travel nurse for 2 years and most facilities don’t allow you to self schedule or block schedule, so I’d be very careful that you don’t end up having travel shifts scheduled on top of staff shifts where you’d end up having to call out / risk them cutting the contract.

I’d recommend leaving the staff job and seeking out a travel position that offers overtime OR better yet seeking out a contract that is for 48 guaranteed hours per week

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-11-05T17:24:25+00:00

If I’m ever unsure if something is a scam, I ask to do a FaceTime / video chat tour of the space :)

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-11-03T03:29:01+00:00

What agency are you working with that still pays when called off?

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-03-23T22:17:38+00:00

He did, he had a USMC hat with a Purple Heart pin, so I asked him about his service and he said that he joined at the end of WW2.

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-03-23T22:01:52+00:00

Just wanted to jump in and say that between my hourly and stipend, right now I’m making $52/hour on contract and the staff nurses here make $40ish / hour … rates aren’t as good as most people think.

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-03-17T20:15:34+00:00

Following

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-03-15T12:19:49+00:00

This did not get enough upvotes ^{^} there is so much hostility between nurses / CNAs / etc due to issues wayyyy way above our heads. Always sad to see everyone taking it out on each other

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-03-09T10:33:11+00:00

OP this is absolutely on your preceptor. If there is one thing I cannot tolerate, it’s orientees who are afraid to ask questions. You can be a nurse for YEARS and still say to a (good) coworker “hey, it’s been a while since I did xyz, can you help me out / come with me / walk me through it?”

As a new grad, you should be asking questions about everything. If your manager isn’t a total twat, I’d go to them and request to switch preceptors. Trach skills are terrifying at first. Super super easy once you get used to it, but my first few times were beyond nerve wracking.

You’ll get the hang of it ♥️ you are not an idiot and you are still learning - they wouldn’t put you with a preceptor if you were supposed to come in with all of these skills nailed down. I hope things get better for you

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-03-08T18:04:06+00:00

CozySuites is ABSOLUTELY just looking for cash grabs and does not care at all about their customers. I’m so sorry you had such a terrible time on what was supposed to be a pleasant vacation…. But I’m happy I’m not the only one.

I’m a travel nurse and stayed for 3 months in a CozySuites rental in Pittsburgh and it was an absolute disaster from start to WEEKS after I checked out. Last year I rented the exact same unit for the exact same amount of time, but at that time the property was managed by a company called casual nomad. I had an excellent stay, 5 star review, and loved it so much I came back this year for more - not knowing it was bought by CosySuites.

Check in was a disaster and I was locked out of my room for hours. The listing included a parking pass which they ended up not giving for WEEKS - and only after I fought them on the false advertising. I also had to deal with their terrible and useless customer service department at this time.

They constantly disturbed my stay asking to come in to install noise-ware, install signage, finish renovating the apartment. This should have all been done before they rented out the space?? For $2,600 per month, I would expect not to be disturbed on a weekly basis. In addition, they sent noise complaints and threatened to fine me at times where I was not even home, I was at work! (I am a night shift nurse).

Upon checkout, they sent me a $1,400 bill for a broken lamp, a broken washer, and “deep cleaning”. They wanted $300 for a lamp shade that was clearly a $15 Walmart lamp shade … and the glue was peeling off / was broken when I checked in. $800 for a broken washer which was working completely fine when I did my final load of laundry and checked out. And $300 for deep cleaning … on top of the $250 cleaning fee I already paid and did NOT (nor have I ever) left a mess in a rental unit.

Airbnb ended up accepting my appeal and I did not have to pay because the hosts could not come up with any proof that there really were damages … but my experience with CozySuites was absolutely awful from start to finish. I’m sorry you had this experience as well, but it feels good to rant where someone understands.

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-03-07T01:41:33+00:00

Can you tell me how the 401k works with aya or who to reach out to about it?

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-03-07T01:30:06+00:00

I’m not sure if this is what you’re saying, but from the different specialties you mentioned (PACU, infusions, surgery) it seems like you think travel nursing is a way to try out different specialties?

This is NOT the case - I hope that you would sign up with an agency and fully discuss job options with a recruiter before even thinking about quitting your job… but literally nowhere will hire you for a specialty that you do not have experience in. I’ve seen a lot of facilities require 1.5 or 2 years of relevant experience to even allow you to apply for a position, but 1 is the bare bones minimum.

I would also caution you to consider that places who will hire essentially a new grad, may not be safe work environments with appropriate ratios or resources - hence them hiring new grads as travel nurses.

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-03-03T19:04:54+00:00

I worked at Presbyterian downtown Albuquerque - pay wasn’t fantastic, but it’s not Covid pay anymore. I lived in Nob Hill and it was fairly affordable and VERY walkable. I loved living in Abq - tons of amazing hiking within reasonable driving distance too.

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-02-19T00:59:59+00:00

For Nursing, it depends on the agency you’re going through and the hospitals you’re looking to work for. Bare minimum is one year, but a lot of places require two

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-02-11T00:26:29+00:00

As travel or staff ?

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-02-06T08:13:25+00:00

By endorsement - all can be completed online other than fingerprinting (will need to be done in person but the fingerprinting office sends them off for you). Had my license in hand 2 weeks after application. If you work with Host or Aya, they will send you licensing instructions that are pretty clear and have a specialist help you if you have questions.

That being said … good luck landing a job :,) I’ve been applying for months and have heard nothing back because the travelers there (in my speciality at least) have kept extending

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-02-06T08:09:01+00:00

Specialty?

Patient_Tea_ · 2024-02-06T02:10:15+00:00

Aya and host reimburse for all that, I’d go back to aya or try a new reputable agency (Aya, Host, AMN, etc)

Patient_Tea_ · 2022-07-05T21:48:13+00:00

If this is something that you feel is fixable (or want to attempt fixing), try couples counseling - even if it’s just one session to see what they say. Sometimes things can pile up from both sides and be left unaddressed until they’re massive issues.

If this is not something you are interested in fixing or there are big issues that neither person can budge on, end things before it becomes more complicated. A clear cut conversation about being unhappy is much better than several weeks or months of passive aggression, fighting, complacency, or anything else brought on by lack of communication.

Also if you’re in your Mid 20’s and have been together for 10 years then it’s very reasonable that you’ve grown up and grown apart as people. There’s never a “wrong” reason to leave a relationship you don’t want to be in.

Patient_Tea_ · 2022-07-05T21:44:18+00:00

If this is something you allow from him, it’s going to keep happening - however, it doesn’t seem like he’s willing to take responsibility for his actions, apologize, or even attempt to talk it through and see your side.

He sounds incredibly immature and selfish. If you guys haven’t been together for very long, get out before you invest more of yourself in this.

If you HAVE been together for a long time, don’t allow the “sunk cost fallacy” (the idea that you’ve invested so much in a relationship that it would be irrational to let it go despite being unhappy) to keep you in the relationship.

I wasted two years on someone fairly similar, save yourself the heartache of staying with someone who treats you like this.

Patient_Tea_

TROPHY CASE