This will probably get lengthy so bear with me, please..... I posted this also in the LPN forum but I"m sure there are some who skip that forum, so I'm posting here as well......... forgive me if Im not supposed to do this!
I currently work in a LTC facility in a small town in Indiana; I travel about 8 miles to work. I work double shifts on weekends, (days $17/hr and eve/$17.50) and get bonus pay for working every weekend, totaling 40 hours, which works out to about $21/hr. My insurance is $200 a month, and I also pay dental. (This is as good as it gets around here, believe me). My husband owns a small computer business which is just now starting to make a little money, but he can do that anywhere. I have worked for agency in the past before I took a job at the LTC facility, making about the same per hour. My rent for a decent (not fancy, but okay) 2-story, 3-bedroom house (large!) is $600/mo, and I have 2 kids, 14 and 12.
We have decided to move to Florida this summer, (sick of cold weather and want to expose our kids to something besides cornfields and snow) probably in the Lakeland area (have friends there but they know nothing about nursing and own their own home so are not familiar with average rent). Although we're definitely open to suggestions if cost of living is cheaper somewhere else.......... we don't want to live -in- a huge city, but are comfortable with anything the size of Lakeland or maybe a bit larger, or close by in a smaller town. Basically we don't want to have to drive 30 minutes to get to a restaurant, like we do now! LOL I've been to monstermoving.com to compare the cost of living in several places in Florida, and this area seems okay.
I'm in a quandry about what to do, job-wise. Or maybe I'm just nervous about moving 1/2 way across the continent with no safety net. I've been an LPN for 10+ years, but have made LTC/Alzheimer's my specialty and from what I hear that doesn't pay well in Florida. But, I'm so "out of practice" in other areas, I'm concerned about being able to get a job in LTC that will pay comparable or close to what I make now. And if I can't do that, and need to look at other areas of specialty, will I even be able to get a job since it's been long since I've done anything else?? I'll need to get a job within a couple of weeks or so of getting down there.
Can anyone tell me the ballpark figures for LPN pay in Florida? Are there areas that pay better than others? Would I be better off to go with agencies rather than sign on with a facility? My only concern there is stability of a paycheck....... will I be able to "count on" getting an average of 4 shifts a week?
I'm sure that moving close to a more populated area would give me a better chance of getting more work if I go agency, right? Would a company that offers travel nursing be an option, since I'm moving? I'm thinking it might be easier to get an assignment through them, then I'd have a job when I get there. Can you tell I'm a nervous wreck???? LOL
My husband says this happens everytime we move, but I can't help it, it's my personality to be a worry-wart. We have it pretty good here with my pay, and I don't want to have to take a huge cut in pay and end up being poorer, and sorry we moved. ;P
Any suggestions, comments, advice, would be greatly appreciated as I'm very nervous about this!!!
