Relocating to NC looking for info

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I'm a registered nurse with 3 years of experience and I want to relocate to NC at the end of next summer. I currently live in Pittsburgh pa and make $21.35 an hour. I've been hearing the cost of living in NC is pretty high but the pay is low. Will I be taking much of a pay cut?

I've been seeing that its hard to get a job in NC (from posts in this forum). Is this still true? I also read that lots of nurses are relocating to NC. Is there a particular reason why?

I am not sure what area I'd like to live in. I've heard good things about Charlotte, and also went to a NC State football game in Raleigh NC and I liked that area as well. I'd like to live somewhat close to the beach (2-3 hour drive).

How is the weather? Does it get very cold? Does it snow? Im trying to get as much info as possible so I can make an educated decision about where to live.

I'd like to hear everyones info on NC .. PMs are welcome too :yeah:

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People of all occupations relocate to NC, not just nurses :) -- apparently, people find it a v. desirable place to live. Some of the Triangle area suburbs are reportedly the fastest growing communities in the entire nation. As you noted, nursing pay is not particularly high here, compared to what people on the west coast and northeast cities are used to (we're a non-union state, unfortunately, like most of the South), but the cost of living is not necessarily comparably lower than these other areas, depending on where in the state you live.

North Carolina did not have a nursing shortage before the economy tanked (a result of planning by NC nursing leaders + all the nurses who move here from other places), and we've experienced the same phenomena since then that other states have -- nurses not retiring, coming back into the workforce, etc.

Except for the mountains, NC definitely has four distinct seasons, but the winters are not severe (the entire city of Charlotte is paralyzed by the occasional light dusting of snow :)) In general, the farther east you go, the milder the winters.

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Specializes in One day CCU maybe!.

I'm in Charlotte. My guess is you would be making a bit more than $21.35. New Grad pay is $19.68 or something close to it. I'm guessing with 3 years you can get mid-twenties or more? I know at CHS (CMC hospital) the weekend differential is about $4 and nights are $3 (or vice versa). So if you worked both you could potentially make $7 more per hour than your base.

Cost of living is higher than Pittsburgh I believe but you can find reasonable areas to commute from that are safe.

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I'm a registered nurse with 3 years of experience and I want to relocate to NC at the end of next summer. I currently live in Pittsburgh pa and make $21.35 an hour. I've been hearing the cost of living in NC is pretty high but the pay is low. Will I be taking much of a pay cut?

I've been seeing that its hard to get a job in NC (from posts in this forum). Is this still true? I also read that lots of nurses are relocating to NC. Is there a particular reason why?

As for pay, you would make at the most $25/hour plus diff. The real problem is getting a job.

I have said it in many other forums. There are thousands of people just like you that are trying to move to this area, and there aren't many jobs. There are some nursing jobs but there are a lot of highly experienced nurses from all over the country trying to get them. Three years of experience is a lot better than being a new grad, but it may not be enough. My friend recently got hired at CMC and the other new nurses at orientation all had 8+ years of experience.

Good Luck!

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Specializes in Chiropractic assistant, CNA in LTC, RN.

NC still has jobs for experienced nurses. New grads, like me, are finding it tough. www.wfubmc.edu is Baptist Hospital in Winston. www.novanthealth.org is Forsyth Medical Center in Winston. They both start new grads at $21.05 an hour so with three years experience you'd be making a few dollars an hour more. They both pay $4 an hour shift differential. Several home health agencies regularly post ads as well. Bayada has tons of openings for nurses with at least a year's experience, especially in the Charlotte and Raleigh area.

The cost of living in NC isn't that much lower than in FL, where I am originally from, when it comes to food, gas, utilities etc. It is, however, significantly cheaper on housing. I didn't pay property taxes or state taxes in FL though and I do here.

NC has also been EXTREMELY hard hit by the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs. Unemployment is very, very high here.

All that being said, I love this state. I am near Winston and its only a 5 hour drive to the coast and a 2 hour drive to the mountains. I am in the foothills and we have fairly mild winters, although this one is starting out quite cold. We had 10 inches of snow the Friday before Christmas. People are friendly here and we have four distinct seasons. Its really a great state to live in.

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I live in the eastern coastal region. The temps are pretty mild,even during the winter months. As far as employment goes, there is definitely not a nursing shortage in this area. I have been trying for months with no success. I pray one day it will happen. I wish you luck :)

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

Call recruiters and start applying before you get down. I work at Wake med in Raleigh and pretty sure they would start you out with $23-25 an hour. The shift diff is $4 3-11pm and $6 11-7 pm and add about $10 to that on the weekends. It cost about $700-900 to rent apartments in Raleigh. Live on the outskirts like l do. I live in Clayton which is a 20-30min drive to raleigh.

I think you could get a job in this area because you have experience.But you would have to find a way to bug recruiters. Wakemed recieves about 2000-3000 applications a week and usually have 45-50 jobs posted. It definetely helps to know people because those are the ones that usually get the job.

Oh, and we are 2 hours from the beach, 3 hours to the mountains. Its a beautiful state. I love it here.

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Thanks for all of the helpful info everyone!!

The only problem I have is that I want to move the beg of September. I don't want to apply for a North Carolina RN license until 2-3 months before then. I'm pretty sure I won't even get considered for any job until I have a NC nursing license.

Then I think I can use a temporary NC license (endorsement) for a year before applying for a real one. Is this correct? I will also be renewing my PA license in September as well.

Stupid question... but when I'm endorsing my license I won['t have to worry about the continuing education requirements for NC will I?

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Then I think I can use a temporary NC license (endorsement) for a year before applying for a real one. Is this correct? I?

I'm not sure what you mean by this statement. NC will issue you a temporary permit when you submit your application for (permanent) licensure by endorsement, but it's only intended to allow you to start practicing while the application is being processed and until your permanent license is issued (a max of six months -- less if your license gets issued before then).

http://www.ncbon.org/content.aspx?id=366

You don't have to worry about the professional development requirements until after you're licensed in NC.

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the only problem i have is that i want to move the beg of september. i don't want to apply for a north carolina rn license until 2-3 months before then. i'm pretty sure i won't even get considered for any job until i have a nc nursing license.

i would suggest that you start applying now, but if you can't move till sept then i guess you could hold off till the summer. your real problem is going to be finding a job, the licensing issues are minor in comparison.

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Which are the best teaching hospitals in the Raleigh area?

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