Originally Posted by BubsRNhawaii
Hello all,
I am a RN working in Washington State with ICU and ER experience. I am looking for a change of climate and very interested in the island of Oahu.
How are the Hospitals there? Does anyone have information on hospitals they can recommend to work at or advise to stay away from? I am also interested in the salary range for the area. Does the pay range adjust for the high cost of living? I am tired of the cold and drizzle. Any info to help get me started would be great.
Thanks,
Lisa
There is a lot of information already posted on this forum that will help answer some of your questions.
People coming here never quite believe you when you tell them that the salaries do not compensate for the high cost of living. Salaries in areas with similar COL's are often much higher. I was in California recently (a bit south of the Bay Area) where the COL is about the same as Hawaii.
Pay for RN's is at least 25% higher there than what I am making as an experienced nurse. Benefits are better(vacation, holidays, etc). The RN I was talking to said that her hospital is one of the lower-paying hospitals in the area, too.
If you're just "looking for a change of climate" our nice weather is not going to compensate for some of the negatives of working here.
Tired of the "cold and drizzle"? Try the San Jose area of California. Very nice.
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