Making the move to the USA

We have already helped many nurses to find work in various areas of the USA; Florida, California, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Georgia and Ohio.

Many nurses have commented that you do not necessarily earn more money but your quality of life goes up by at least 33% and the child friendly facilities are great for families. Houses tend to be larger, food bills are lower and restaurants cost around 50% less in the USA. On days off you and your family can enjoy a bar-be-cue all year round which would not be possible in the UK – again this contributes towards a nicer and cheaper lifestyle.

North American schools are more proactive and involved than most UK schools. My nephews lived in Florida and they received more one on one attention. There are also very good support mechanisms in place for those with learning needs e.g. speech therapy etc. Educational resources are of much higher quality, and readily available to all pupils. Most books in UK schools do not allow you to write in text books as they need to be used by other pupils. In the USA, this is not the case. Most schools also have an extensive sports programme, that encourages children to work as a part of a team, and keep physically fit from an early age. Such methods of education mean that USA schools have a strict level of discipline, and even things such as lateness and absence are highly disapproved of.

These are the average schooling ages in the US, though this will vary from state to state.

Elementary School: 5 - 11

Middle School: 11 - 14

High School: 14 - 18

Schooling is now free of charge in most states, being funded by either federal, state or local government. All of the states which we currently work with have free education for all those of schooling age. School leaving age varies between 16 and 18, with the majority of states requiring compulsory education until the age of 18.

In the majority of North American states you must pay a sales tax on most purchases. This amount can vary from around 6%, up to about 15%. As an example, UK sales tax or better known as VAT is 15%. There is often also an additional local sales tax, imposed by the local governments similar to council tax in the UK. A few states have no sales tax e.g. Texas or Florida, but might have a higher local tax, or an excise tax. Some states will have a tax exemption on clothing and food enabling groceries to be purchased at around 50% less than in the UK.

The current exchange rate from GBP -> USD is very much in the pounds favour. £1.00 is currently approximately equal in value to $1.69 (5 August 2009). To check the up-to-date exchange rates go to www.x-rates.com

Fuel prices in the US are less than half the price of UK fuels. The approximate conversion to gallons is 1 gallon = 4.5 litres. Currently a US Gallon of Unleaded costs around £1.43. The main reason for this difference is the way tax is calculated for fuel in the two countries. In the US, around 8% of the fuel cost is made up of tax, while in the UK around 65% of fuel cost is tax. This means an average sized car will cost only £18 to fill, compared to approximately £60 in the UK.

You and your family will receive extremely low priced medical and dental insurance from your employer hospital. With our hospital contracts you and your family are insured from the first day of work.

Shopping in the USA is similar to the UK, but noticeably cheaper. A North American shopping mall will contain a large selection of shops and facilities for both your entertainment and essential needs.

Beauticians are relatively commonplace in the USA, offering a wide range of beauty treatments such as manicures, pedicures and facials. In some parts of Florida, beauticians will have a different charge rate for it's local regular customers, and those who are just visiting as a tourist. If you enjoy some pampering it is a good idea to find a nice beautician you can stay with. In many cosmetic companies, they often offer a buy-one-get-one-free deal.

One of the most important things to remember when shopping in the US is; Walmart sells everything!. From nurse uniforms, shoes, makeup, perfume, and swim wear to pots, pans, mops, medicines, books, and a whole lot more. Walmart is a great shopping experience because everything is so cheap!

Important!: When purchasing items, the price will usually state the price without including sales tax. For example, with a 6% sales tax, an item priced at $10, will end up costing $10.60 when you are asked for the money at the till.

Yes. Your NCLEX exam is required and you need to have approved paperwork before you can take it. The NCLEX exam can be taken in London, New South Wales in Australia, Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia in Canada, Frankfurt in Germany, Hong Kong, Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, Madrid in Spain, Thomas in the Virgin Islands among other locations. We can issue you with details once you have submitted your registration details.

Never ever sell until you are at the final stages of the process. You should at least wait until you are NVC approved before putting your house on the market.