USFguy

Thanks so much for all the helpful info. I think your right about it not being worth it. I might as well take upon two jobs over in BC then take the time to work in washington. I don't like the prospect of picking up extra hours because it is risky if you want a reliable amount of income every month, which two regular jobs would give you. I am big on security... Thanks.

Well, according to salary.com the pay for a staff RN in Bellingham, WA is between $ 55, 475 to $ 66, 089 USD. That would come out to $ 63, 757 to $ 75, 965 CAD. That would be alot more money compared to the pay for a general duty registered nurse in British Columbia, according to the CFNU Collective Bargaining Agreement of 2006 which lists salary at $ 47,900 to $ 62,878 CAD, which is $ 41, 672 to $ 54, 716 USD. It would seem working in the US would be advantagous if you weren't required to pay double taxes. The exchange rate helps alot. Am I wrong? Also, I wanted to know if you are allowed to work at more than one hospital at a time in Canada? I know it sounds like a dumb question, but I figure they may have restrictions due to their rationed healthcare system dollars. Like i in the US, I could work 36 hours at one place and 24 to 36 hours at another, which I have done. ??? Thanks.

If you are US citizen and live in Canada as a Canadian Permanent Resident, but work across the border in the US, do you pay taxes on your US income to the US and Canada? I pose the question because it may be a possibility for me in the near future. My partner is foreign and I cannot sponsor him here in the US, so I may be applying to immigrate to Canada for permanent residence as an RN (I have my BSN) and sponsoring my partner in Canada as my spouse, where we can legally marry. I would work in Canada, of course, for a while, but I would certainly miss the higher US salaries. If there any way to maintain employment in the US and still live in Canada without getting hit up twice for taxes (because if I pay double, there is no benefit). The scenario would be me living in say abbotsford, BC and working in bellingham, WA or something like that. I would be an American citizen so there would be no problem with crossing the border everyday or getting a social security number, etc. I just wonder about taxes. Any takers? Thanks.

Well, thanks for being real. I guess all the people I've been talking to have been straight so I am glad to hear the perspective of a gay texan. Looks like I get the best "bang for my buck" as a nurse in Houston. Again, thanks for the insight.

That's sad to hear. I have live in America's gay capital and I still get looks and stares if I show public affection for my partner. Granted I might not be as likley to be beaten for it (although San Francisco bay area has had several such incidents....GWEN ARRAJO for example) as I might in Houston or Dallas. My partner and I aren't very showy and don't ususally hold hands anyway unless we were on some romantic vacation or something. I too don't give a flying crap what people think or believe as long as they don't bother me. I think if I did care so much than we would really limit where we could live in this country because the truth is most people don't like us and our so-called "lifestyle." I grew up in a upper middleclass/affluent suburb about 45 min. outside of los angeles and gay people were invisible there. So were black people and any hispanics you saw were maids and or janitors. I guess that is just typical of any American suburb anywhere. I don't expect houston to be any different. Unless you stay in the inner city, there aren't too many havens for gays and minorities. I am looking at austin too and heard nice things. I hear the pay is lower however and the housing pricier--the opposite of houston?

I love USF. I did my pre-reqs at Laney college. I went here because I didn't have any degree and wanted a university experience and to get a BSN and MSN. The MEO program does not grant you a BSN, only the MSN in Healthcare Systems Leadership or any of the combined degrees (MSN/MBA, MSN/MSIS, MSN/MPA in Healthcare Administration). It is a non-advanced practice degree so you won't be an NP, CRNA, CNM, CNS. You would be fit for unit management, infection control, case management, informatics, patient education with the MEO degree. You would be an RN, MSN. That is what I want as I am not really too interested in becoming an advanced practitioner. Your focus really changes when your an NP, CRNA, CNM, CNS. You aren't a normal nurse anymore but more like a doctor. Now, if you want your BSN before you get your MSN (alot of people have expressed concern with not having a BSN before their MSN as employers in some states look down on it---I disagree, but whatever) I would choose the Accelerated BSN program at Samuel Merritt and then going on to USF for the traditonal MSN or UCSF/Samuel Merritt if you decide you want to be a NP, CRNA, CNM, CNS. If you don't care about the BSN and just want your RN, MSN and don't want to be an advanced practice nurse, then USF is the place. The MSN in healthcare systems leadership is unique and I haven't seen any other programs in the area that compare, even at UCSF. Oh, by the way, our MSN program ranked 50 in the nation. UCSF is, of course, near the very top. I don't know about Samuel Merritt but I do know their CRNA program is highly ranked. You can email for more info: [email protected] Thanks for the info on texas y'all. :) I look forward to visiting the state and checking it all out for myself.

All true. Thanks everyone for weighing in. I really do have to think this thing through more. Maybe Texas is not the best thing to jump into. Perhaps I'd be better off in a semi-rural area like you. My mother has suggested that too since the home prices will almost certainly rise higher here in CA than TX. But TX is not my only option. I could stay here in CA like you suggest and live out in a semi-rural area or I could also look at other states. Ohio has come to interest and so has Florida and Arizona. But all of those places don't have as much job cushioning as CA. Maybe I am struggling with the "grass is greener on the other side" syndrome. I don't know. I guess I need to keep researching. You brought up some really important factors to consider. Thanks. :uhoh21:

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely visit a few times before I decide on the move to houston. I am also considering other locales such as ohio, florida, arizona, and oregon. Houston is coming out winner in terms of affordability, but like you said, it's a loser in other areas, such as nursing practice laws when compared to places like "california." I do read the texas nurses board and see their complaints. I correspond with a couple of RNs from houston aswell. There are bad work environments in texas as there are good. That's why we have "Magnet-certified" healthcare institutions so us nurses can find nurse-friendly medical facilities (there are more than a few in houston, tx). Either way, it is really a trade off that I am ready to endure if it means securing a nice retirement and home for my family down the line. I love california as I was born and raised here. It is beautiful in many respects and the "let-live" attitude is hard to match anywhere else, but it no longer offers me the opportunities I hoped it would. Good luck to you on your move.

Thanks for the info. I am really scared of moving but at the same time excited about living somewhere new. The housing there seems incredible. I was looking at some homes online and I can't believe what you get for the prices. You could literally buy a 3500 sq. ft. home for $200,000 to $250,000! I can't even find condos going for that here in the bay area. I love CA but I need to be able to purchase something now while I am young to build some equity and save for retirement and college for kids. I will email you with some additional questions. Thanks.

I will graduating soon from USF (University of San Francisco) and I am really considering relocating to Houston mainly out of affordability. Plus I here Houston is pretty liberal (not as much as San Francisco, but reasonably) and has all the major amenities of any major metropolitan city, plus affordable homes and sustainable wages. I don't think I will ever be able to afford a home in california, even with supplemental income from my partner. I was thinking of working 2 years after graduation first to save for a nice down payment, then make the plunge. We are a gay couple (together for 7 years now--since highschool) and see children down the line. Do you think Houston is friendly to people like us?

Supply and demand? Yeah, that's part of it, but so is inflation and speculation. Just because something is priced high doesn't mean you are getting high quality. I'm sure the dress at Ross is just as good as the one in the department store, but it is the brand that people get sucked into. I'm no longer getting sucked into the "california" brand. Flourish mentally? You should no as a research coordinator that the schools here are ranked 48 in the nation. They won't have to play football or be a cheerleader to benefit from the school's budget because the school's have no money. And talk about close-minded people...you will encounter huge amounts of radical liberals here that believe all republicans are fascists and that support tax-funded sex change operations (LA and SF both do this) and S&M parades in the city of San Francisco (Folsom Sreet Fair). I am liberal, but to a point of sanity. And, oh yes, you have your christian right-wingers too in orange county and beyond that think we should live in a theocracy and elect Pat Robertson as president. I wish I had, but my partner was in school at the time. Now I can and I will. Most of this affordability stuff doesn't even apply to you anyhow since your hubby's a Doctor. I have lived here my whole life and I know what I giving up, nothing more than what you are in texas.

My point exactly.

I here ya. I really am fed up with CA. It's the fakeness and sugar-coating (no one is for real--more so in LA), the constant rat-race, the traffic, and most, the enormous cost of living. I guess I might stay if I was a doctor or someone who made alot more money, but I just can't cut it here as a nurse. Many people are leaving the state, but it seems (you as an example) are coming in to fill the empty spots. Many of my family have moved out of the state to places like New Mexico, Arizona, and Florida. They got tired of the never ending struggle to save and live comfortably at the same time. You will have fun here as you are young right now and probably detached. But as you get older, your priorities will shift and you will see how important it is to be able to save for retirement, buy a home, and send your kids to college and private schools (without doing OT--that also counts toward quality of life). Maybe I think a little to highly of houston, but believe me, CA is no better. Like you said, nowhere is perfect. I guess you just choose your battles. You can have my 2 bedroom 2nd floor Edwardian flat in the nice Grand Lake neighborhood of Oakland, which is 12 miles from San Francisco, but takes an hour to get to every morning because of traffic. Oh, by the way, the rent is $1275 a month with street parking that you must fight for daily. I'm taking my $1275 and I'm going to put it towards a house.

You may not have to do OT to pay your RENT(notice you say rent and not mortgage) but I wonder how much you actually have left over every month to put away for retirement and a home. Unless you are single, with no children and don't mind being a lifetime renter, then california isn't for you. I'm telling you, it is a hard state to live in for families.

Talk about pollution--have you ever visited L.A.! The smog is horrible. The roads are cracked and filled with potholes in both SF and LA because no state money goes in to infrastructure. The public schools here are the worst in the nation!! Yes, living comfortably isn't just about material items, but I need to support a family and plan for retirement. Weather and open-minded people are all fine, but who cares about that when you can't afford to send your children to college, save for retirement, take vacations, etc. I was just making the point that for $260,000, you get a hell of a lot more in houston then SF or LA. You can go ahead and think that all the nice things about california will satisfy you, but in the end it comes down to being able to buy descent home for your family to live in and sending your kids to descent public schools. That's where my priorities lie. I'd like to welcome you to California. Hope your coming with some money to put down on your $600,000 2 bedroom cottage in Van Nuys or Oakland. I'm sure you'll have fun in the slopes up in Big Bear when your off (oh no, you have to do OT to pay mortgage this month or rent--if you didn't come with your down payment). Maybe you could go to the beach instead and enjoy the 40 degree polluted water. Or you can go hiking in Yosemite and pay $20 bucks to get in--there goes lunch! It is too freakin expensive here!! It's not worth it!!