[Tanvi Tusti]

Originally Posted by madwife2002

Thanks XB9S I wasnt trying to say I didnt work hard in the UK i did of course who doesnt. I was just trying to point out it is busy here too and you work as hard just in a different way.
I try very hard to try and prepare you all for a little reality but maybe I should just keep quiet, as I end up annoying and not helping.

Trying to prepare people to the reality of life in the US is very hard when all they seem to do is badmouth their own country. Many on here seem to have a very rose tinted view of the US that will not be discouloured until they get there. Life in the US is good if you have a job, money AND good insurance, but god forbid if you haven't.
My 59 year old father in law, who has worked all his life in Portland WA, paid his insurance, done is bit and now when he needs help, its not there. He had a stroke in June last year, had 2 weeks rehab covered by his insurance, still needed it after this but insurance would not pay so he paid from his megre savings. In September he was diagnosed with bowel cancer. His insurers would not pay for all his care. Having spent his savings on the rehab the previous months, he had no option but to remortgage to free up some money from his home. Now he is in a position where he has no idea if or when he will be able to return to work, he has no income from anywhere, his money from the remortgage is dwindling and he is beside himself about how he will mangage. We seriously considered not coming out to Oz and having him come over to us in the UK, but he would hear none of it. The stories I hear from my husband about how he managed when he was unemployed through no fault of his own, sitting for hours waiting to get work just for one day so he could afford to eat, life out there can be incredibly tough so be prepared for it. There is no social support there like in the UK. However bad it might be in England, believe me, having some support is better than none at all. And for anyone considering having a baby out there, dont expect maternity pay, you just wont get a thing.

[suzanne7575]

I certainly don't see the US through rose coloured specatacles, I know it is going to be damn hard and am prepared for that. I also don't hate the Uk with a passion, yes we don't have any prospects over here an the NHS is in trouble, but it more that the states is pulling us to go there, than the UK driving us away. We have always wanted to live and work in the states and are happy to tough it out for a bit. We are not giving up a home here in the UK as we only rent, so if it doesn't work out then we can always come home again and we haven't given up our place on the property ladder. I have done as much research as i can through reading posts on here and other forums and have looked into all the aspects of taxes, insurances etc. We are prepared for hubby not getting a job straight away, we are prepared to have to manage on very little money untile he does get work, we are prepared to feel lonely and homesick and that we are going to have to get used to another culture, but it is what we want to do and i don't want to look back in 10 years and regret not doing it.

Madwife, I always read your posts with interest and think you are doing a great job, please don't stop.

[RGN1]

Originally Posted by madwife2002

Thanks XB9S I wasnt trying to say I didnt work hard in the UK i did of course who doesnt. I was just trying to point out it is busy here too and you work as hard just in a different way.
I try very hard to try and prepare you all for a little reality but maybe I should just keep quiet, as I end up annoying and not helping.

We all really appreciate your posts Madwife - your advice has always been & continues to be invaluable. Please don't stop!

It's just that the NHS you left is much changed now & life in the UK is different too - there is sooooooo much stealth tax going on it's untrue & the latest plan is for pay per mile driving - we'll all have to have black boxes in our cars & be charged per mile according to the time of day. That's on top of extortionate car tax, TV license fees, wheelie bin chips to charge us if we throw too much rubbish away, CCTV cars to snap you & fine you if you dare to park even a few minutes on a yellow line - even if you have a flat tyre (that happened to a friend!) etc etc.

I promise you I don't see the USA through rose tinted glasses - partly thanks to your info - but I just want to get out of the UK & as we have friends & property in the USA it makes sense to try there. If I really hate it I'll move on to Oz!!

[english_nurse]

all aboard the next bus to OZ
i will drive lol

[Silverdragon102]

Originally Posted by english_nurse

all aboard the next bus to OZ
i will drive lol

[arys1075]

In addition to what the members of this forum say, better you try to work there, nothing will lose but everything will gain as long as you work with contentment. There are also some differences, advantages & disadvantages & lot of things to be considered depending on your circumstances & needs.

"The joyful heart is good medicine"

Originally Posted by tipselu

I am a RN working in the US. I am just beginning to look into the comparison of pay and cost of living. If I moved to the UK, can I expect to make more or less? Can anyone give me any information on this? Also, is the shortage of nurses in the UK comparable to the shortage we have here. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[Belinda-wales]

well I know feel a little bit qualified to answer this question the cost of living from wher I lived in the UK and gilbert AZ I feel is about the same by the time everything evens out that is some things more expensive in UK than Usa and some things more expensive in the usa than UK but i think it ends up about even. Now for wages well we earn twice as much here in the us than we did i the uk and we are near the bottom of the pay scale here and planning to move up and was near or at the top of the pay scale in the uk as thay say sate side you do the math.....

[RGN1]

Originally Posted by Tanvi Tusti

I dont know why you would only be earning £7.67 per hour. Band 5 point 3 at £19166 PA is the lowest start point for an RN (as quoted by the RCN) and that works out to £9.80 an hour so even if you are newly qualified you should be earning way more tham £7.67 an hour. Wherever it was that paid you that are totally ripping you off. As for relaxing in a jacuzzi, get yourself off to BandQ, they do some great offers on whirlpools!!

I took that figure right off the last pay slip I got from my NHS trust - which I left in Jan 2006. Although I just noticed I wrote 67p instead of 76p but 9p isn't exactly much! That figure admittedly didn't include fringe benefit but that only adds a few 100 £'s annually.

Couldn't fit a whirlpool in my silly little terraced house that has a current market value that is more than it cost to build my huge 5 bed US house. Could get one in the garden but most of the year it would be too cold to use plus I'd make the neighbours ill as they would have to look at me in my swimmies - no-one close enough (bar using binoculars) to my US house to see!

[english_nurse]

aww im sure you look great in your swimmies

[english_nurse]

Originally Posted by Belinda-wales

well I know feel a little bit qualified to answer this question the cost of living from wher I lived in the UK and gilbert AZ I feel is about the same by the time everything evens out that is some things more expensive in UK than Usa and some things more expensive in the usa than UK but i think it ends up about even. Now for wages well we earn twice as much here in the us than we did i the uk and we are near the bottom of the pay scale here and planning to move up and was near or at the top of the pay scale in the uk as thay say sate side you do the math.....

Im sure you and Mr OG will not be at the bottom of the payscale for long