If you could live/work anywhere

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When I was looking for my first NP job, my #1 priority was finding a FQHC so that I could apply for loan repayment. I ended up moving 17 hours from home to work in a very small, very rural critical access hospital. Now, I'm looking to move on and am having trouble narrowing down a location I'd enjoy. I've never traveled, and have only lived in 2 places - where I grew up and where I'm living now for work. My priorities have shifted to looking for work in an urgent care, possibly an ER, and in a place that is neither a huge city, nor so rural. I'm 3 hours from a Target, Starbucks, etc. and I'm over that. But, I don't know where to start my search. I'd obviously like to go somewhere that pays well and has a reasonable cost of living. And, better weather (I'm in the US right on the Canadian border) would be nice, but is not a requirement. I thought I'd take some time this summer to visit some potential locations I'd be interested in living prior to looking for work, but, as I've never really been anywhere else, I'm not sure where to start. Can anyone steer me in the right direction for starting the search? I work in a FPA state and am not sure how big of a deal that would be to me in looking for a new place since I don't know any different. Help!

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If you work in a full practice authority state, I am pretty sure you'll want to stay away from the BS that goes with supervision.

When people think of NY, they invariably think of NYC, and very high cost of living, but Upstate NY has a lot of medium size cities with reasonable cost of living.

It is FPA after you have 3000 hours of experience.

There is a ton of history close by, and the Adirondacks.

I loved what our Governor said, when rescinding the MD collaboration requirements a few years ago. "This is a financial arrangement, not a clinical arrangement".

So true.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

My dream job would be on the Big Island of Hawaii, a full practice authority state. Perfect weather, nice lifestyle, plenty of fresh water, wonderful local produce, and it is actually cheaper to live there than in California. I'm mixed blood, so Hawaiians think I'm Hawaiian.

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Specializes in Internal Medicine.

I work in both a free practice state (New Mexico) and a pretty restrictive state (Texas), and even though I enjoy free practice more, I've been blessed by having great physicians to work with, so the difference between the two doesn't mean that much to me. When you first start, it's sometimes nice having a physician looking over you if they're good at teaching and friendly to be around. I had a great physician mentor in my first job, and he's one of the reasons I feel so comfortable practicing independently now.

That said, to answer the title of this thread, if I had no attachments, was just starting out, and could pick up and go anywhere, it would be Austin or San Diego.

Specific to your needs, you don't want big city or rural, and prefer ER or urgent care. I live in El Paso and we have some of the highest paying ER positions ($90/hr), and urgent cares pay very well too. Same goes for Southern New Mexico where I work. It's not rural, but it's not super huge either.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
I work in both a free practice state (New Mexico) and a pretty restrictive state (Texas), and even though I enjoy free practice more, I've been blessed by having great physicians to work with, so the difference between the two doesn't mean that much to me. When you first start, it's sometimes nice having a physician looking over you if they're good at teaching and friendly to be around. I had a great physician mentor in my first job, and he's one of the reasons I feel so comfortable practicing independently now.

That said, to answer the title of this thread, if I had no attachments, was just starting out, and could pick up and go anywhere, it would be Austin or San Diego.

Specific to your needs, you don't want big city or rural, and prefer ER or urgent care. I live in El Paso and we have some of the highest paying ER positions ($90/hr), and urgent cares pay very well too. Same goes for Southern New Mexico where I work. It's not rural, but it's not super huge either.

My permanent residence is the San Diego area! Great place to live. :) However, as a new grad NP, I had to work in an underserved area and took a job in far NE California.

New Mexico is also on my list of states I'd like to live in.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I live and work in IL - we are striving for FPA. However, guess where the AMA is located? Chicago!!!

Yikes!

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Specializes in NICU.

I have travelled a lot but I can not help you I dont know what your abbreviations mean?

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.
I have travelled a lot but I can not help you I dont know what your abbreviations mean?

Unsure who you are addressing:

FPA - full practice act

AMA - American Medical Association

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Thank you for this thread. I am actually wondering about the same thing. I am not a new NP. I workes in NYC and currently in Dallas, Texas. I love my job NYC but me and my family had to relocate due to high cost of living. That's where Texas came in. We thought that since Texas doesn't have state income tax, you get more out of your salary. This is true but there are some draw backs.

I love NYC because people are straightforward. You have the changing seasons and work place laws protect the workers. Downside is the high cost of rent/housing. Salary is not the greatest especially when I compared it to how much I was making as an RN.

In Texas, people are polite, not necessarily nice. Weather is horrible unless u like the heat. If you have seasonal allergies, forget about it. Salary is much better. But if you have a lot of medical issues or if you happen to get sick, you pay a lot of out pocket.

We are planning to move by next year and I am also wondering is someone can recommend places to moce to. Any thoughts on Philadelphia?

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Maine, Vermont or Colorado.....I prefer small town with less traffic and four seasons.....

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