Help? Wanting to move from uk to USA

LondonFog, BSN · Sep 3, 2016

Hi Scar72. I will let you know now - I can't offer much advice on nursing, but I can certainly offer you some advice on Florida and UK vs US. I, like you am a dual national currently moving back to Fl (long story!). I am not a nurse yet, but have completed my prerequisites in Broward and hope to attend Broward College in 2017. I know people in Illinois, but have never visited so I can't say about Chicago. Florida is affordable and definitely doable as an RN. You will get better weather and lots more Brits in FL. The school system is decent and there are LOTS of great children's activities. Rental housing in Pembroke Pines, FL is about $1200-2000 for a two bedroom apt. Home ownership is really affordable. My mother's townhouse in Pembroke Pines is 3 beds with community pool, tennis, beach park, etc. for approx. $120K. Apts. are much cheaper. The Gulf Coast of FL is cheaper. Fl still seems to have a lot of healthcare opportunities and many Brits like you have made the same move. I made the reverse move (from FL to London-I'm born British, bred American) over 10 years ago. Now I'm headed back to base.

As I said, I don't know much about Chicago or Illinois, but I know the winters are bad. Worse than the UK (unless you're North Scotland). You should research the salaries in both states and look into the Board of Nursing (BON) compact states if that makes a difference to you. I know that FL is not a compact state. FL does offer a little bit of everything - family and nightlife, shopping, culture, entertainment, Orlando, etc. Look at the crime rates for the areas you are interested in. Email some hospitals in the respective cities and cite your CV and see what advice they offer. FL offers lots of outdoor activities, beaches, parks, canoeing, snorkeling, paddle board, etc., It boasts some really nice and fairly cheap housing options for your girls to have room to grow into. Pembroke Pines is a fantastic area, as is Davie and most of Broward. I don't know too much about WPB, but Miami is fantastic also! Look into some hospital job boards and see who's hiring the most and their respective salaries - maybe that will make your mind up. It would be wise to speak to the BON of both states to discuss your qualifications as I have heard and read that UK nurses are not qualified in the US until they take some classes; after which you will be able to apply for the NCLEX. Look into everything before you make the move with you children. In FL you will find lots of Brits and even Brit food and pub, some of the grocery stores have bits of the stuff we love. Anesthetic nursing is usually a very lucrative field in the US - make sure you get thorough, effective and reliable advice. I hope that helps you a bit and Best of luck!! :)

Scar72 · Sep 8, 2016

Hi Londonfog thank you so much for replying, I will definitely take your advice on board. I appreciate any advice. I was wondering if I could ask you one other question? You mentioned that the schools in Florida are ok, are they just ok or would you say good? I've been researching education in Florida and get mixed reviews. Some say good and some say poor due to lack of government funding. What would you say? Thanks for your time!

LondonFog, BSN · Oct 8, 2016

Sorry for the delay in replying. Florida public schools are a bit of hit or miss. South Florida (specifically Broward County) are all A+ schools which is great for funding, however my personal experience has not been that fantastic. Coming from England I was very disappointed in the level of education offered at high school. My daughter's education suffered whilst transitioning her to US life. So much so, that we decided to withdraw her and finish up her GCSEs. She will now be enrolling into college prior to transferring into Uni. Having said that, the school my daughter went to is EXCELLENT!! :) I would highly recommend it; the reason it did not work out for us is a combination of factors - my daughter was 15 and all of her education was UK based; adjusting culturally and academically was too challenging for her. Tests/quizzes every week did not help the pressure of adjustment. If your children are in US schools, they should be able to adjust and find MANY options/electives. I would recommend West Broward High School (Broward County) to anyone. It's got a fantastic group of teachers, clubs, electives. They are brilliant with the community and the local area is really nice, welcoming and friendly. I must clarify that my personal experience was not due to the school, but only due to our own circumstances. The school is fabulous. I can offer more suggestions for Broward County if you want, but please check out West Broward's website. Elementary and Middle schools are all A+ also. There are many private schools within the area that are exceptional, but very pricey. Weston is a great area for good schools and work/play. I live in Pembroke Pines which is just perfect. Getting very busy now due to higher population, but excellent location for anything you want and surprisingly walkable. You will notice the weather in FL is so hot, you will not be able to walk around much here. It's still about 90degrees right now! How old/what grades are your children in now? When my daughter was in the UK, she was taking 12 lessons. When we moved to the US, she was only taking 6 lessons with the same schedule everyday!! It depends on what your used to and what you prefer. My daughter likes to learn. Most UK schools teach you to learn; most US schools teach you to pass the test, and not much of the lesson I retained passed the test date. It's just a different way of learning. Having said that, the relaxed uniforms might be welcomed by your children. I currently tutor school aged children here in Broward, so if you have any questions - please let me know. What I notice is the children here are very misbehaved and the constant electronic/gaming is always in your face. Children in South Florida all have mobiles, game stations and most older kids will be wired into music and social media constantly! Of course this is all up to the family/parents and child. There are some really fantastic opportunities for children here if they chose to take them. Some really great Unis also!

They have brilliant programs for all your child's interests whether academic or vocational. Also, Florida high schools offer dual enrollment. This means that during the child's 11th & 12th grades they are able to enroll into the local college for an Associates degree (free). This is a phenomenal idea and seems to be working brilliantly for local students. The child gets to complete their high school and first two years of college at the same time!! Saving money and time! :) The associates degree is fully transferable within Florida into a University system. I know your children are younger, but this is a very good idea as they get older. Again, I don't know about IL, maybe they offer the same.

The local hospitals are always hiring - good local hospitals to look into are Memorial Healthcare Systems and Cleveland Clinic. Again, I won't be able to offer too much RN advise, but can you share the information you receive please as once I complete my BSN I would like to work sometime in the UK :) From what I have heard, UK nurses have to take a few classes to complete the RN requirements here. UK RN are specifically trained for adult, peds, or mental. US RN are more general and can specialize later. This is the reason a lot of UK RN need to top up their education in relation to specific modules, thereafter taking the NCLEX. Get in touch with the Board of Nursing for both states and see what works for you. As I stated previously, FL is very Brit friendly and for the lifestyle it offers - very affordable. An example - paying $1500/month rent for a 2-3 bedroom townhouse with community featuring swimming pool, tennis, playground, etc. That is not a lifestyle I can image Chicago offering due to the weather. Many young families enjoy life on and off the beach, horse riding, biking, snorkeling, MANY. MANY more activities. With your experience and education I can't imagine you having a problem getting hired anywhere! Once you're qualified you will certainly be a hot commodity with anaesthetic skills!! Check out the information with the BON for the states and get accurate information. When are you looking to move?

With regards to funding in FL schools - it is a bit shady. The charter school system which is run by the city is always struggling for funding, but have some really great programs in place! Look into the Charter Schools of Pembroke Pines. There is a waiting list and the system runs from elementary through High school. My daughter did not get into this, but I wish she had! They are exceptional at the kinds of programs they offer - Cambridge A levels, AICE diploma, etc. I would strongly suggest getting your children on this register. The funding for them has been challenging in the last few years, but they are still standing and actually thriving with the quality of academic programs they offer. Public Schools in south FL are doing fine and average when compared to other public schools. It's very common here for teachers to purchase their own supplies for the classroom and the students are provided with a supply list the first day of school. This is very normal in the US regardless of state I think (Educational funding is a big issue anywhere). Some really good areas within Broward County are Weston, Pembroke Pines, Davie, Plantation and Sunrise. Coral Springs have a charter school system also which has a waiting list. Look into these and let me know if you need anymore advice. I will be quicker in my response next time - sorry again, as I have just relocated back within the last few weeks, so there is a lot keeping me busy.

I have applied to the RN program at Broward College for January 2017 and am awaiting to hear from them. I already have a BSC from FAU and currently tutor life sciences online and school children in their home. Sorry it's so long, but I do tend to ramble. Take Care and let me know if you need more info on SoFla :)

LondonFog, BSN · Oct 8, 2016

Sorry for the delay in replying. Florida public schools are a bit of hit or miss. South Florida (specifically Broward County) are all A+ schools which is great for funding, however my personal experience has not been that fantastic. Coming from England I was very disappointed in the level of education offered at high school. My daughter's education suffered whilst transitioning her to US life. So much so, that we decided to withdraw her and finish up her GCSEs. She will now be enrolling into college prior to transferring into Uni. Having said that, the school my daughter went to is EXCELLENT!! :) I would highly recommend it; the reason it did not work out for us is a combination of factors - my daughter was 15 and all of her education was UK based; adjusting culturally and academically was too challenging for her. Tests/quizzes every week did not help the pressure of adjustment. If your children are in US schools, they should be able to adjust and find MANY options/electives. I would recommend West Broward High School (Broward County) to anyone. It's got a fantastic group of teachers, clubs, electives. They are brilliant with the community and the local area is really nice, welcoming and friendly. I must clarify that my personal experience was not due to the school, but only due to our own circumstances. The school is fabulous. I can offer more suggestions for Broward County if you want, but please check out West Broward's website. Elementary and Middle schools are all A+ also. There are many private schools within the area that are exceptional, but very pricey. Weston is a great area for good schools and work/play. I live in Pembroke Pines which is just perfect. Getting very busy now due to higher population, but excellent location for anything you want and surprisingly walkable. You will notice the weather in FL is so hot, you will not be able to walk around much here. It's still about 90degrees right now! How old/what grades are your children in now? When my daughter was in the UK, she was taking 12 lessons. When we moved to the US, she was only taking 6 lessons with the same schedule everyday!! It depends on what your used to and what you prefer. My daughter likes to learn. Most UK schools teach you to learn; most US schools teach you to pass the test, and not much of the lesson I retained passed the test date. It's just a different way of learning. Having said that, the relaxed uniforms might be welcomed by your children. I currently tutor school aged children here in Broward, so if you have any questions - please let me know. What I notice is the children here are very misbehaved and the constant electronic/gaming is always in your face. Children in South Florida all have mobiles, game stations and most older kids will be wired into music and social media constantly! Of course this is all up to the family/parents and child. There are some really fantastic opportunities for children here if they chose to take them. Some really great Unis also!

They have brilliant programs for all your child's interests whether academic or vocational. Also, Florida high schools offer dual enrollment. This means that during the child's 11th & 12th grades they are able to enroll into the local college for an Associates degree (free). This is a phenomenal idea and seems to be working brilliantly for local students. The child gets to complete their high school and first two years of college at the same time!! Saving money and time! :) The associates degree is fully transferable within Florida into a University system. I know your children are younger, but this is a very good idea as they get older. Again, I don't know about IL, maybe they offer the same.

The local hospitals are always hiring - good local hospitals to look into are Memorial Healthcare Systems and Cleveland Clinic. Again, I won't be able to offer too much RN advise, but can you share the information you receive please as once I complete my BSN I would like to work sometime in the UK :) From what I have heard, UK nurses have to take a few classes to complete the RN requirements here. UK RN are specifically trained for adult, peds, or mental. US RN are more general and can specialize later. This is the reason a lot of UK RN need to top up their education in relation to specific modules, thereafter taking the NCLEX. Get in touch with the Board of Nursing for both states and see what works for you. As I stated previously, FL is very Brit friendly and for the lifestyle it offers - very affordable. An example - paying $1500/month rent for a 2-3 bedroom townhouse with community featuring swimming pool, tennis, playground, etc. That is not a lifestyle I can image Chicago offering due to the weather. Many young families enjoy life on and off the beach, horse riding, biking, snorkeling, MANY. MANY more activities. With your experience and education I can't imagine you having a problem getting hired anywhere! Once you're qualified you will certainly be a hot commodity with anaesthetic skills!! Check out the information with the BON for the states and get accurate information. When are you looking to move?

With regards to funding in FL schools - it is a bit shady. The charter school system which is run by the city is always struggling for funding, but have some really great programs in place! Look into the Charter Schools of Pembroke Pines. There is a waiting list and the system runs from elementary through High school. My daughter did not get into this, but I wish she had! They are exceptional at the kinds of programs they offer - Cambridge A levels, AICE diploma, etc. I would strongly suggest getting your children on this register. The funding for them has been challenging in the last few years, but they are still standing and actually thriving with the quality of academic programs they offer. Public Schools in south FL are doing fine and average when compared to other public schools. It's very common here for teachers to purchase their own supplies for the classroom and the students are provided with a supply list the first day of school. This is very normal in the US regardless of state I think (Educational funding is a big issue anywhere). Some really good areas within Broward County are Weston, Pembroke Pines, Davie, Plantation and Sunrise. Coral Springs have a charter school system also which has a waiting list. Look into these and let me know if you need anymore advice. I will be quicker in my response next time - sorry again, as I have just relocated back within the last few weeks, so there is a lot keeping me busy.

I have applied to the RN program at Broward College for January 2017 and am awaiting to hear from them. I already have a BSC from FAU and currently tutor life sciences online and school children in their home. Sorry it's so long, but I do tend to ramble. Take Care and let me know if you need more info on SoFla :)

PS- the BLS lists the salary for RN in both Chicago and Miami as $63K , but Florida has no state tax so your take home would be higher!