Registered Nurse Pay (Seattle, Spokane, Everett: renting, how much, homes)

[leiapadme]

I'm looking into relocating to the Pacific northwest from CA. I understand the pay will be lower than I currently make as an RN. I have 5 years experience as an ER nurse. Any insight to about how much I will make per hour? Also, any particular areas or hospitals you would recommend (or not)? Thanks!

[rhiannon67]

I am trained as an ER nurse here in WA, although I've been out for a few years since my son was born. If you have agency experience or would be interested in doing agency work, you can earn about $45/hr as an ER Nurse. You have chances for both per diem and contract work.

[leiapadme]

Thanks for the response! Unfortunately, agency work is out of the equation. Benefits are a necessity since I'm the main income of our the family and have 3 kids We currently live in southern California and I make $45 an hour plus benefits. Just hoping it's somewhat feasible to get out of this heat and traffic. I know I don't need to make $45 an hour but is at least $35-$38 wishful thinking as a staff rn with 5 years experience?

[StealthRabbit]

See my comment in the OR thread. I would choose WA, or AK.

Your kids will thank you.

Good benefits at VA!!! plenty in WA.

Also consider State Veterans Homes - Long term care, Short Term Rehabilitative Therapies, Medicare, Medicaid, Inpatient
Retsil is very pretty.

Harrison Hosp in Bremerton is a great place to work! (Live in Silverdale or Poulsbo)

You may have to head north to get $40+ (Alaska).

[rhiannon67]

Originally Posted by leiapadme

Thanks for the response! Unfortunately, agency work is out of the equation. Benefits are a necessity since I'm the main income of our the family and have 3 kids We currently live in southern California and I make $45 an hour plus benefits. Just hoping it's somewhat feasible to get out of this heat and traffic. I know I don't need to make $45 an hour but is at least $35-$38 wishful thinking as a staff rn with 5 years experience?

I think you could pull that off very easily. Work in Seattle proper, the pay will be highest there.

If you're looking for excitement with unpredictability, and you've had experience working in a Level I Trauma Center, consider Harborview Medical Center. It is part of the UW system, of which I'm well familiar with from back in my medical student days lol. It is the only Level I Trauma Center for 5 states

There is an area of Seattle affectionately known as Pill Hill. Why? Many hospitals within close range of each other.

Incidentally, I so don't blame you. Originally, I grew up in Southern California myself and escaped back in my very early 20s....just couldn't handle the heat. In fact where my mother still lives, it's about 106 for the expected high today.

I will warn you though.....Puget Sound has TONS of traffic. We're really no better than LA in that area....AND the way people drive up here will likely drive you crazy given your acclimatization to SoCal driving. It still drives me nuts even.

Currently, my family and I are preparing for a move northward ourselves...to Alaska. I am working on getting my nursing license activated up there. They do pay higher than here, however if you don't deal well with cold, stick with WA. Winters are mild here.

[Blondebaerde]

Originally Posted by leiapadme

Thanks for the response! Unfortunately, agency work is out of the equation. Benefits are a necessity since I'm the main income of our the family and have 3 kids We currently live in southern California and I make $45 an hour plus benefits. Just hoping it's somewhat feasible to get out of this heat and traffic. I know I don't need to make $45 an hour but is at least $35-$38 wishful thinking as a staff rn with 5 years experience?

Actually, you do need to make $45/hour with benefits if you have three children and want to eventually make a home in the PacNW. Renting is growing more expensive all the time, per articles all over local news. Buying, eventually, and raising the brood on $94K will be a challenge, too, but isn't impossible either. Scratching the math on the back of an envelope.

I wouldn't assume Seattle will pay less than LA or wherever you are. If others say so, though, there it is.

Trying to get anywhere proximal to the city during the day is just infeasible due to traffic. I'm familiar with LA, and this place is merely another flavor of hell by-comparison. It's gotten worse, I think (subjectively) last few years, happens every time the economy booms. Booming it is, downtown and eastside, due to technology and other industries. "Never" is a big word, but I have "no intention of ever" going into Seattle-proper during the day again, absent mass transit. Can't park, can't get there, and it's 2x as bad when it rains.

US BLS has all sort of salary data for that profession, and hundreds of others, by-region. Including Alaska, where half the respondents seem to be aiming you. If living in that freezing hell is appealing, which it is to some for-sure. To someone in SoCal, Seattle (farthest north major metro area in the CONUS) is a wet hell, too, so depends what you like. The relatively long summer days, and short nights, in the summer are spectacular here. As are the short days and long nights other half the year, in the opposite sense. I couldn't be dragged away, mostly for economic and quality of life reasons: I will not, God willing, ever again live in a cultural ghetto away from centers of learning, educated populace, etc.

Which is probably why, in-part, you're trying to migrate here.

[lady fern]

All of the hospitals in the Puget Sound corridor compete with each other for staff. Olympia has a slightly watered down pay grade than that of Seattle. I would anticipate somewhere around $35-37/hr with 5 full years of experience in Olympia. Nearly all of the hospitals in the area are union. You might be able to find some of their hospital contracts online with pay scales. I worked for the Providence system for about 7 years and found them to be a good employer and hospital system. You can find one in Everett, Olympia, Spokane, as well as Portland.

[elkotronics]

lady fern, what have you heard about the Providence in Walla Walla, WA? If you've heard anything at all. Rural spot, Walla Walla.

[leiapadme]

Thanks for your responses everyone. Currently, looking into Walla Walla and Tri-cities. Making a trip up there next month