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by skuterkomputer rn

Just want to get the message out. My wife & I are both nurses. We moved to florida because my family lives here and it has been a big mistake. I am posting this on the new nurses thread to warn those of you who are considering moving down here. Before deciding where you want to work consider what the hospital is paying and what the cost of living is. In florida it sucks. Feel free to PM me and I will certanly elaborate.

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Re: Dont move to florida

I wanted to go there as a traveler on the Gulf Coast/Panhandle area so I can visit with my brother for a while. Until I saw the pay. I even called my recruiter asking her if it was a typo.

Reminds me of when I was an LPN in Tallahassee years ago. I made it to LPN II and got a raise to $5.50. Woot!

Another LPN had moved up from Miami, where she'd been making over $15/hr. With her first paycheck, she went storming back in the office hollering they'd forgotten to pay her entire check. Boy was SHE surprised.

[JR816]

Re: Dont move to florida

I am a new grad in Northeast Florida. I love my new job!!! (and I love Florida) I think the pay is very reasonable and the hospital is just awesome. I started out at 21.75 w/o shift diff. Now that I am on nights, it is up to 28.75.

[crb613]

Re: Dont move to florida

Originally Posted by JR816

I am a new grad in Northeast Florida. I love my new job!!! (and I love Florida) I think the pay is very reasonable and the hospital is just awesome. I started out at 21.75 w/o shift diff. Now that I am on nights, it is up to 28.75.

We are considering living in Florida part time at first. Do you mind naming the town/hosp where you live & work. Thanks a lot!!

[MB37]

Re: Dont move to florida

I'm a student in FL, and it's not my fault! We moved from LA after Katrina when my husband got transferred as a direct result of the storm. Barring him quitting his job and finding something new, with no degree at all and working in the internet field, we're stuck here. I don't care for the city or the state so far, although we've finally met a few people after 1.5 years, but at least I like my NS so far. It is kind of sad when you realize that Lousiana pays about $10,000 more a year, and the cost of living is about half what it is here.

[pinksky]

Re: Dont move to florida

What part of FL are you in?? I am having a horrible time trying to decide where to move. I am torn between FL (Orlando) and Texas (Dallas). I have family all over FL (that's a good AND bad thing!). I am a single mom, I don't mind being on my own (always have anyways), but I just thought moving to FL may be more fun for holidays and lots of family things to do for my little girl. However, I worry about the hurricanes (every year!) etc. In TX you can get such beautiful homes for so little! I currently live in Los Angeles (Yeah, EXPENSIVE!!!) so I am looking to start my new life after my divorce as a well paid nurse where I can become a homeowner eventually. Please give me more details about what you have had problems with in FL. I am trying to make a decision within the next month.
THANKS (and sorry for your problems)

[jessi1106]

Re: Dont move to florida

Hi, all considering FL (or other areas) based on pay, you may want to check out www.salary.com ....You just type in the zip code and profession (registered nurse, etc) and then will get percentiles of salary ranges..for example in my zip code, the low range/10th percentile is 51K/year for floor nursing...a fast and easy way to compare different cities/states.

[pagandeva2000]

Re: Dont move to florida

Originally Posted by Emmanuel Goldstein

I wanted to go there as a traveler on the Gulf Coast/Panhandle area so I can visit with my brother for a while. Until I saw the pay. I even called my recruiter asking her if it was a typo.

Reminds me of when I was an LPN in Tallahassee years ago. I made it to LPN II and got a raise to $5.50. Woot!

Another LPN had moved up from Miami, where she'd been making over $15/hr. With her first paycheck, she went storming back in the office hollering they'd forgotten to pay her entire check. Boy was SHE surprised.

Stop playing!!! She thought they forgot to pay her because the salary was that low? I am seriously laughing my buns off!!

[Tweety]

Re: Dont move to florida

Florida has had a dramatic rise in cost of living the last five years primarily driven by rising property costs, rising insurance costs of 30 to 100% per year, and increasing property taxes.

For the first time in nearly 100 years the county I live in is actually decreasing in population because the middle class has been squeezed out. They're talking closing schools due to declining enrollment. Something never heard of before.

Many retirees from the north have since moved up to cheaper places in the South. We call them half-backers. The moved to Florida from the north and now that things are bad they move where it's cheaper in North Carolina, Georgia and Tenn.

As a single homeowner with a middle class income I'm concerned that if my insurance goes up again I'm not going to be able to afford my home. But I also won't be able to afford anything else because a junky fixer upper home is still about $200,000. Home are mercifully decreasing in value this past year, but of course the city and county still want to tax you at the higher rate.

End of rant.

[dutchgirl]

Re: Dont move to florida

Oh man! Well, I have to agree with you on the pay. It used to be acceptable to have this lower scale, but the cost of living has risen dramatically, and the hospitals
for the most part are getting away with what they can. However, if you keep up your campaign, they will have to change, because even less people will come here to work as nurses! Kind of bittersweet for us, I'd say.