How is it with the jobs in Tampa bay?

U.S.A. Florida

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I read the thread about Orlando, where a NG cant find a job and became terrified. But yesterday in my clinicals in Tampa (UCH Fletcher) I noticed again they do not have enough nurses and there was one floating nurse from UCH Carrolwood because they do not have anough nurses!!!!!!! I spoke to my nurse about that thread and she was surprised to hear that it is hard to find a job as NG in Orlando. How is the situation in Tampa? What hospitals would you recommend for NG in Tampa bay. I live in LOL and the closest hospital for me is UCH Fletcher + new location of St. Joseph North which is under construction yet. TGH is too far+ traffic in downtown is terrible. I know it is a good place for NG and if I am in the situation of NG from Orlando, I'd prefer to go to TGH:))) What other hospitals should I consider in my area? Any advice? Thanks

Specializes in ICU, Home Health Care, End of Life, LTC.

I appreciate all the info in this thread. I am looking to move to Tampa in August/September when I graduate. I am already making contact with recruiters. I am also considering St Pete. Wish me luck!

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Specializes in Surgery, Tele, OB, Peds,ED-True Float RN.

My husband and I are moving to St. Pete's next month. We are not new grads but still found that it took a very long time to get a reply from the recruiters at most of the hospitals in Tampa. We have accepted jobs with St. Anthony's in St. Petersburg. The recruiter was prompt and very nice. The pay was good. I was expecting very low pay in Florida according to all the threads on here. Good shift diff's. Not that great of a relocation bonus but we didn't have much to move. Otherwise, really good ppl to deal with.

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Specializes in ICU/CCU, Home Health, Case Management.

Happy travels to you both. Congratulations on:yeah: your positions at St. Pete. Please let us know how you are doing.

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Specializes in ICU/CCU, Home Health, Case Management.
I appreciate all the info in this thread. I am looking to move to Tampa in August/September when I graduate. I am already making contact with recruiters. I am also considering St Pete. Wish me luck!

Good luck, MrBill. Sounds like you are getting a great headstart. Please keep us posted.

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Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Crisis Stabilization.

Here is my 2 cents:

Why don't you try working in Psych or Corrections? Think about this, Tampa turns out nearly 150 graduates of Nursing each semester, from the various colleges around. Most graduate nurses want to work in Hospitals to get the valuable skills needed to then move on into a specialty. There are so many girls and GUYs fighting each semester for only a few spots.

Think about this, its not a lot of young, hip-new nurses' dream to become a Corrections/Psych Nurse. They hear all of the gory details and watch these wicked movies. Well, honey, I am here to tell you!!! Corrections is for me!

"You lose all of your skills." Hospital Nurses say. But in all actuality, you gain valuable experience.

*When an inmate reports to sick call.......you triage them. YOU decide through your nursing judgement if he is in need of higher care, needs to be seen later or ASAP, or to be sent out.

*When you work the infirmary.......you get excellent Med/Surg skills(Especially at Lake Butler, the Big Prison Hospital). You have trachs, vents, terminal illness...you name it, you'll see it.

*Specialty......There are the Cardiac, HIV, GI, Neuro, Psych, TB clinics that you can work in to gain more specialized treatment.

*ER--LOL!! You bet your Mothers good dress that you are going to have emergencies! Stabbings, lots of broken bones, heart attacks, seizures, head injuries, fingers getting cut off in the printing presses, burns from the stoves, overdoses, Crisis Stabilization(Oh YEAH!), End of life for AIDS patients. Sometimes your patients are the officers. They get hurt too(God Bless them).

**So, if I were you, and I was looking for work, I would go to a local State Prison. Do not start at the jail. A jail is way more difficult for a newbie. Those inmates come directly off the street and can go into Detox, are drunk and will take no ill will in telling you that you are fat and should be put to death because of it. They are drunk and higher than a Mink Coat. You dont want to set yourself up for failure straight out the gate.

Go State. They are usually within 6 months of their sentence and is starting to become "institutionalized". Which is a good thing for u. They are more receptive. The pay for an LPN and RNs is a little tricky...but here it is

LPN's .....

with State Benies 15-16.50/hr (you are vested in 6 years, good medical too)

without Benies 23-25/hr (new grads welcome but you must have your license)

RN's

With State Benies 19-22/hr

Without 34-36/hr

I went from working in a Juvenile Detention Center to the Prison, then to Mental Health in the Prison, then to Crisis Stabilization and then to Death Row. I dont mean to toot my own horn, but "toot-toot", I can write my own ticket now. I just interviewed with a Behavioral Healthcare Center in Tampa and I was in a stack of about 50 LPN applications for only 2 positions. I was selected. When people hear you work in a Prison, they know you have seen it all from scratches to penatrating chest wounds. They know you know how to handle yourself in a hairy situation.

Try something not all nurses want to do such as Psych and Corrections. You have more of an opportunity to advance, better pay, and you get good training under extreme pressure too.

PS- I hear the local jails are paying LPN's 23 and RN 35.50 starting. YIKEES!!

http://www.pcsoweb.com/pages/careers/job_description.html

Good Luck to us all!!

PS- they are re-opening Tampa Bay Academy too. Its with kids, but I hear it was a difficult place to work.:twocents::twocents::twocents::twocents:

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