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I have a choice right now to work at either Vandy or St. Thomas, St. Thomas is $4.00hr more than Vandy, but is 8hr shifts M-F 6a - 2:30p. I am very much used to three 12's and am unsure if I could deal with the 5 eight's on a long time basis, but then 10k difference in a year is kinda significant. My deal is I'm moving to Nashville area for the weather and nice roads; which I have neither of where I live now. I want the time to ride my Harley and enjoy God's gifts, but 10 grand is messing my head up.

What's nurse registry?

I hope it's not super difficult to get a position in Nashville. I don't plan on putting all my eggs in one basket and will be applying at as many different hospitals as is needed or available. Historically, I usually do well with interviews.

Gotcha. Well, I really like hearing that it wasn't because you weren't able to click with anyone. When we move we will only have each other, but I usually am gifted at attracting people in a new work environment; as is my wife. Alot of my friends have moved to other parts of the country so this move will be good. I don't have any bad vibes about making this move. The only thing I'm worried about is being able to land a job there while living in Michigan. I don't know if they'll want me to fly down for an interview or what.

Thanks for the reply. I figured it might be something like that - home and family. Surprised you didn't meet some people in Nashville to hang out with though; especially working at Vanderbilt.

What made you leave Nashville? Did you get homesick or something? Utah IS beautiful.

Don't believe it. There are TONS of nurses with BSN's that don't know what to do with a blue baby that's not breathing. The only time you need to be concerned is if you apply for a management position - which you don't want anyway. Most always you can make more money as a "worker bee". Anyway, some jobs will say BSN preferred, but that's never ever been an issue. Most ADN programs are actually more concentrated hands on and turn out better clinically prepared nurses than the more heavily academic BSN programs. When faced with a situation that requires quick critical thinking, are you going to stand there and write a paper or take action and appropriately intervene. BSN is a formality, not a requirement.

Yeah, but there's TN then there's Nashville, TN. I'm up in Detroit, but from all my research it doesn't appear the Nashville area is all that horrible for pay unless you're comparing to the Phoenix/tuscon area or maybe CA. I chatted with a nurse who's only got 2 years of experience working agency in Nashville for $41hr. Shift diffs are way more for you guys from where I'm at. Our shift diff for afternoons and midnights is only $1.85; weekends is $2.00hr more.

Sorry I'm just now seeing your reply. I took a break from obssessing about moving for awhile due to putting a tiny bit of strain on my relationship with my wife, so I left it alone for a bit and stopped looking at "Nashville stuff". Some weird stuff has happened recently to my wife in a sort of metaphysical sense (I said it was weird) and she's now completely sold on getting out of here as soon and smartly as we can. I did talk to my friend who has been a nurse in Charlotte for about 5 years now and she said she hates it, but does really like the town. After I found out NC was a right to work state and the stories she was telling me about how nurses are treated there I leaned toward my first choice, which has always been Nashville. You're right - it's freakin gorgeous in and around Nashville; from the landscape to the weather. The pay appears to be only slightly less than the Detroit area and in some cases the same or a wee bit more. We had looked pretty serious at Austin, but I'm not a fan of drought and tight water restrictions - I like to have a garden and fun landscaping. I have a good feeling about moving to Nashville, but we have a lot of work ahead of us - namely securing solid positions with comparable wages to what each of us is making now and short selling the house (her house actually - she bought it just as we started to date in early '07). Anyway, thank you for your honesty and insight into both locales. I hope you actually get this. Thanks again, Andy

Wow, has it been that long since I've been on here? Sorry I didn't see this until now and hopefully you get this reply because it was most helpful to me as well as Smokey, apparently. Everything fell into place with my wife coming around to getting out of here. The pay doesn't sound completely horrible and agency pays pretty much the same it does here. We're going to rent first for a year or three, then buy. My wife will have to short sale her/our house hear - which is going to be a royal pain, but I think once all is said and done, we will be exponentially happier in Nashville vs Detroit area. Thanks again, Andy

Wife and I are noth thinking bout relocating somewhere "better" than Metro Detroit area for many reasons - including weather. The pay is good here after researching what others make in different parts of the country. You said the pay was "good" in Austin. Any examples? I make $36.60 hr in the cath lab as per diem and my wife is making $29 hr full time in recovery. Also, I see you ride. How's the riding in Austin? I would imagine it's awesome, but that's based on nothing. Your reply would be most appreciated.

This quite possibly has been asked before, but does anyone know if the pay in Charlotte is markedly more than in Nashville on avg. My wife (who is also a nurse) and I were thinking about relocating to Nashville - actually I was completely sold on it, but my father has now moved to Rockhill, SC from Madisonville, TN (45 min south of Knoxville). Just at a glance, it appears that Charlotte is a bit more cosmopolitan than Nashville? And possibly the pay is similar to the Detroit area; opposed to Nashville, which I know pays less than Detroit area - but that wasn't going to stop me from fleeing this area . Just wondering if anyone could throw in their 2 or 3 cents on this. Thanks

I assume you are talking about the Chicago area where your friend was working in acute care. At the hopital system I work for, per diem 1 is per diem 1 wherever you go. Not everyone or every dept offers it though. In fact this job was listed as a full time staff job, but I was lucky enough to have the guts to negotiate for per diem 1 and was also lucky enough that the director was cool and liked what I had to say. It also didn't hurt that after about halfway into the interview we both started talking about our harleys and how much we like riding them. Now I just hope I like the job and make a good first impression on all my co-workers. I'm very drawn toward procedures and moderate sedation and the cath lab is ALL of that plus I will get to "play" with some high tech toys and touch some lives in a positive way everyday. I'm coming back into the clinical setting after a brief stint in emergency medicine research after working only ER 9 years before and close to 4 years after nursing school. I decided I was not going to walk back into the abusive arena of an urban ER if I returned to the clinical setting and cath lab sounds interesting and like something I can get my head into - if you know what I mean. Just want something I can geek out on. I've got to make this the last move I make for at least 2 years. I bounced a bit too much over this past year. I can do anything for three 12's a week at that rate of pay - even IF the doctors are as horrible as everyone has told me. I'm 6'1 at 250lbs, hopefully they'll just overlook me and pick on someone else.

For my experience level by the time I move (7 to 9 yrs exp), $28hr as staff with benifits. Right now with 4 yrs experience a staff nurse is making $25 to $26hr with benifits - that's not including any shift diff or attendance incentives, etc. I'm starting in the cath lab next week at a per diem 1; which means I commit to working 64 hrs per pay period (2 weeks) and will make $36.60hr, but the position does not include any benifits. I will be added to my wife's insurance instead; which is fine because she works for the same health system as an RN as well and it's the same insurance I've had for the past 6(+) years. She's been a nurse for 8 years and is nearing the top of the pay scale as staff so it makes sense for her to carry the benefits and me be per diem so it's like a one-two punch now to our bills. Sorry to ramble, but that's where I'm at when it's 4am.

If you're talking about stuff like groceries, car stuff and general living expenses I'm under the impression it's relatively close to the same. Property taxes and insurance where we are are comparable - actually taxable value has went down twice in the last few years. Home pricing has always been a little bit more in Nashville not a lot, but more. The house we live in now is in a very safe and quite town nestled between 2 Metro Detroit suburbs where a lot of attractions of South East MI are. The house (1200sq ft nice size back and front yard) was $142k in April 2007 and is probably worth $95k if we're lucky right now. Houses I've been looking at in the Nashville and surrounding area for what we want (1700sq ft detached garage and big yard) in a safe area seem to be around 160k or so. Same amenities here with updates could be obtained for around 140k so Nashville still just a bit more, but not a deal breaker by any means. Once I pay off my bike and am done with my lease on my Jeep I will have an instant pay raise of $700 monthly so a few dollars less per hour won't hurt as bad as it would if I were to try and have us move tomorrow.