Winter time is a great time to get away.  If you are in a inclement area; sometimes traveling is the best option.  Or maybe you are just looking to change up the scenery with a little bit more cash flow.  Here are some of the top destinations and why.

TOP STATES TRAVELED

• Florida
• Arizona
• Texas
• California
• Colorado
• Oregon
• New Jersey
• New York
• Connecticut
• Massachusets

Where to Travel & Why.

Warm Year round Climate

Near Major Hospital Systems

Exciting Downtown Night Life

Busch Gardens, closet to Disney, Universal, and other theme parks 

Arts & Many Craft Breweries 

Warm Weather during the day & Cooler at night

Canyons & Hikers dream

Many Hospital Systems including Mayo Clinic & Children’s Hospitals

Sports Teams & exciting events

Close to other Southern states

Warm Weather Most of the year

Close to Lake Tahoe

Close to San Francisco 

Great Night Life

Great Pay scale

Hiking & Biking

Beautiful scenery

Skiing dream

Outdoors dream

Many Mountains to explore

Great Hospital systems

Laid back atmosphere

Many Art Festivals year round

Sports Team Power House

Great Bay side views

Great Night life

Major Hospital systems

Water views are amazing

Close By NJ and NYC

One of the most common questions we are asked is how much money can I make being a New Nurse?

• Currently, Indeed.com states $32 hr is the average for the USA (unknown experience level on this amount)
• South Florida $24-$28 hr 
• Typical yearly  $50k – $65k is a fair estimate for a New Grad RN

The Next question is, do Nurses make more money depending on the department they work in?

• The answer is Yes and No.  In some states, Nurses are paid more due to the acuity.  Currently in South Florida Nurses are paid the same rate regardless, especially as a new nurse.
• Now some hospitals will pay more for a BSN or other high levels of education as a Tier system.  Although most hospitals do not pay more as a base only as an incentive program you have to apply for and do more at the hospital.
• The Majority of pay is based on years of experience, past specialty knowledge, and or education.

Highest Paid Nursing Positions

#1 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Making between $105K and $130K annually, these nurses work in both inpatient, outpatient, and emergency facilities alongside dentists, anesthesiologists, and surgeons. It is the nurse who typically prepares the patient and mixes and administers anesthesia. You would be well advised to seek a degree program that offers job-placement, as this market is among the more competitive.

#2 Nurse Researcher

A research nurse can expect to earn a salary between $75,000 and $95,000 per year. Nurse researchers work in universities, medical labs, or any number of industries and nonprofits concerned with healthcare. Strong writing skills are a must in this profession, which requires grant proposals, medical journal contributions, and presentations.

#3 Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

In this field, you will work closely with the patients and their families and caretakers. You may find employment at a mental health facility, a correctional center, or you can launch an independent practice. With an average salary ranging between $70,000 and $90,000, work experience as an RN will increase your earnings potential. There are dozens of specializations, should you feel compelled to work exclusively with substance abuse patients, young people, or the elderly.

Sponsored School

Featured Programs:

Capella University – RN-to-BSN Completion and RN-to-BSN/MSN Combined Option, Post Master’s DNP and BSN-to-DNP

#4 Certified Nurse Midwife

Paying a median salary of $75,000, this field was one exclusive to women. However, more male nurses are exploring careers in midwifery. Midwives work alongside OB/GYN physicians, assisting with the full range of women’s health services, and advising under unusual circumstances, such as irregular pregnancy and illness. Suggestion: Try the online Georgetown University Master of Science in Nursing – Nurse-Midwifery/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner(Online).

#5 Pediatric Nurse

Working with children is a rewarding profession, and pediatric nurses can expect to earn a salary near $67,000. Pediatric nurses may find employment at a variety of facilities, from the ICU to the school system to small practices. Those who work with young patients need to be excellent at communicating with patients as well as their caregivers. 

#6 Orthopedic Nurse

An orthopedic nurse can expect to provide care for a broad swath of patients facing mobility issues due to disease, disorder, or injury. Duties include assisting with surgery, physical therapy, and rehabilitation, and creating a prevention and wellness regimen. Orthopedic nurses generally work in hospital wards, emergency rooms, or outpatient clinics, although there are career opportunities in specialized offices as well. Experienced staff nurses with critical care training can earn up to $120,000 per year. 

#7 Nurse Practitioner

A general nurse practitioner is a terrific entry-level position, with a starting salary of around $78K. NPS has nearly endless options regarding the place of employment and are particularly in demand in critical care and mid-sized family practices. A nurse practitioner will need to interact closely with patients, analyzing medical history, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.

#8 Clinical Nurse Specialist

To become a CSN, you will need at least a master’s degree in a specialized field of nursing, whether that’s by patient age or gender, disease, or type of care. This field requires a heavy load of researching. Demand is high for CSNs across disciplines, and you can expect to earn a salary as high as $104,000. 

#9 Geriatric Nurse

Nurses who work in gerontology tend to earn about $75,000 a year, but NP certification and skills like being multilingual can bump your earnings potential into six figures. With the aging population in the U.S., geriatric nurses are in high demand and have a range of responsibilities, including monitoring mental health, medication, and preventative care. Geriatric nurses will also need to be skilled in communicating with the families and caretakers of elderly patients. Suggestion: Try the online Georgetown University  Master of Science in Nursing – Adult-Gerontology ACNP/ CNS (Online).

#10 Neonatal Nurse

A very rewarding field of nursing that is highly in demand, this newer specialization consists of caring for newborn babies up to 28 days old. Nurseries for healthy babies seem to be getting phased out, but emergency care for premature babies and newborns with minor illnesses are growing. Neonatal nurses will administer oxygen, medication, and some more basic procedures. Working in the NICU will require extensive knowledge in critical infant care.

Working Over Time!

Do you work 4 days every week or 5 days for one week & 3 days the next?

Working 4 days; you get 3 days regular time up to 40 hrs plus 8 hrs overtime. Over a month’s time, you will have 32 hrs of overtime.  This also makes you feel like you are at work every day each week VS having some days off.  It eventually drags the week out.

Working 5 days you get 20 hrs of overtime. Then the next week you rest and then repeat.  This would yield 40 hours of overtime a month.   This makes you hustle one week and rest the other.  Overall I felt as if it was more relaxing on the off weeks and my pockets were heavier.

Pro-Tip

As a New Grad work at a place that is willing to train you for around two years; especially critical care.  Then jump ship; unless you are able to advance within the facility along with pay.  Most hospitals will put you on yearly raises, but at entering the marketplace at the bottom it will take you FOREVER to get to the market value.  If you leave you now have experience and can negotiate at a high rate.  This typically is $5 more an hour with other sign-on bonuses.  

Also after two years of experience, you may be able to work per diem somewhere else for $30-40 hr and or Agency/ in a pool of nurses for $40-50 hr.