[smbrn]

Hi everyone. My husband and I are thinking of moving from the New Haven area of Connecticut to the Wilmington, North Carolina area in about two years time. I'm trying to find out some information about RN salaries in that area. I have 24 years acute care experience, mostly in med/surg but am chemo certified and have done inpatient medical oncology as a specialty. I don't particularly care to go back to that though I would if I had to. For the past year and a half I have been working as an RN Supervisor at a 132 bed long term care and rehab facility. Last year I earned $72,000.00 working two twelve hour weekend shifts and one eight hour shift during the week. I'm sure I won't make anywhere near that down there for working only 32 hours per week but I really need to know what base salaries are like, benefit packages which are typical, areas of practice, etc. If anyone has any advice as to whether I should get out of long term care and go back to the hospital setting so as to have more recent experience when we move, I'd like to hear that, too. I hate to do that. I love my job and I earn good money without killing myself. Still, North Carolina has such a wonderful state university system and I'll have two in college by then. We could save a lot of money by living in state and my husband and I don't plan on staying here after the kids are gone anyways. I do have a 10 year old who would be going into 7th grade by then and any info about the quality of the public school systems down there would also be appreciated. Mostly I look forward to no more snow. I don't have a BSN, just a Diploma and many years experience. I'm thinking of doing some certifications, ie would care cert and things like that to add to my resume. Any advice, info, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!