Florida is nice (I'm there right now) if you don't mind the yearly (and sometimes monthly) hurricane evacuations. Seriously though, it is a great place and there are many opportunities, even for a new nurse. Northwest Florida is a great place for teenagers. I don't think that travel nursing in Florida pays as much as some other states for the simple fact that they don't really have to entice people to come here. Everybody wants to go to Florida. It's that whole supply and demand thing. But I love it. Even with all the tropical storms/hurricanes I wouldn't leave. In fact I want to be closer to the beach. The Pensacola area has 3 major hospitals in a city that could make it with 2. So there are plenty of jobs, in whatever field you want. They should pay me for this. Anyway, that's my view on Florida. At least come an visit and see what you think of it. Just be sure to check the weather before you come! :wink:

In my opinion, you need to seriously talk to your husband. What does he want to do with his future? Is there a future for him in FL? As a nurse, there is for you, but what can he realistically do?

I advise against travel nursing. You have too much baggage. I have opted for travel nursing, but I'm going through a nasty divorce, with one 14 year old girl, not an entire family. My marriage has been over for years. Are you sure you want to risk your family? Think about the reality of travel nursing.

Your husband needs to feel like a contributing family member. Florida isn't the grandest place for income opportunity, unless you are a nurse. What will he do, if you get this move? What will it do to your family when your husband can't get a decent job there?

I advise strongly against travel nursing. I suggest that you and your husband agree, not make compromises that you will later resent. The direction you and your husband wish to take has to be mutual. Take a local job. Spend time with your family. In time, you and your husband may want to live in FL, but he needs to find work there before moving.

Work as a family....

Thanks for your honesty and advice....I now realize travel nursing isn't in my near future especially since people here have said most of the assignments are at least 3-6 months....that will have to be an option for later when the kids are gone.....as for moving to FL....well, my husband really doesn't have much to offer in terms of employment since he's worked in factories our whole marriage, but his goal is to go to ITT once I graduate to give him better employment opportunities. He's willing to move, the kids are willing to move, but if the job market in FL is horrible, I don't want to take 10 steps backward for the sake of atmosphere/ warm weather. That's why I wanted to find out a ballpark range of what FL nurses make to see if it was even worth pursuing.....and if worse comes to worse, we wait another couple of years for him to finish school, the kids will be out of college and we can both have decent jobs in FL.

I work as an RN in florida. I have been out of nursing school now for a little over a year. GN's at the hospital I worked at (which is one of the major hospitals in the state, and especially in the Orlando area) made $18/hr. I don't know if in other cities across florida it is better. I just know what I was being paid. I have gotten a raise since I have been an RN and working full time, plus I work the 12 hr night shift so I also receive differentials which also help. The job market for your husband may not be the greatest. Do a search online for possible jobs for him and see what you dig up. Maybe that would give you more insight if moving to Florida would be worth your time. Hope this helps!!

Thanks !!! Actually, the starting pay is about $1 more per hour for GN's in FL than most hospitals here in St. Louis.....and you're not the first person to say the job market isn't the greatest there.....so we plan on looking into it and doing some serious research.....Thanks everyone for your replies !!