Sick of Florida

DoeRN · Dec 8, 2012

I've noticed the same thing since moving down here! It is making me get out of direct patient care super quick. Like I'm applying for desk jobs this weekend quick. I wanted to wait until I finished up my IT degree but man it's driving me bonkers! I love Florida but from my experience direct care nursing down here sucks!!

thelema13 · Dec 8, 2012

Yeah, I transferred and tried inpatient and lasted less than 2 months. I work ED so to stabilize and transfer is not bad at all. But once their admitted and have been transferred upstairs, it's like they think they are at the Ritz.

DoeRN · Dec 8, 2012

Yeah, I transferred and tried inpatient and lasted less than 2 months. I work ED so to stabilize and transfer is not bad at all. But once their admitted and have been transferred upstairs, it's like they think they are at the Ritz.

I've never met such a demanding population of patients before! I can't even say it is only the rich ones. It's all socioeconomic groups. I'm floored. I wanted to move to a warmer climate but man I made a mistake. Plus the staffing ratios down here are ridiculous. I'm used to having 5 at the most at a top 10 hospital. And I didn't have 5 on a regular basis. I had 6 patients there twice and that was a bad day and short staffed. Down here if I have 5 that's a good day. But I felt I gave good nursing care at those ratios. Down here, I have had 7-8 patients! I manage but I don't think it is safe. And I had 6 patients on a cardiac step down with two active chest pain, blood products and titrating drips. I hardly ever get a lunch. I come home dehydrated because I don't drink enough at work because I don't have time to use the bathroom.

So instead of going to the beach this weekend I'm applying for desk jobs.

Have you looked at California or Texas?

ukjenn231 · Dec 9, 2012

I will agree that the ratios leave something to be desired, but I've been in Florida for a year and a half and I don't feel like the population is much more demanding than anywhere else. The pay is better and the weather is great! I am still loving Florida for now.

favflu · Dec 9, 2012

I will agree that the ratios leave something to be desired, but I've been in Florida for a year and a half and I don't feel like the population is much more demanding than anywhere else. The pay is better and the weather is great! I am still loving Florida for now.

The pay is what? It has the worst pay rate for hospital nursing, similar to all the deep southern states. There's no union, and about 90% of the nurses have 2yr degrees.

After relocating here from New York, I finally discovered that an advanced degree in nursing has no value in Florida. Knowing someone at the hierarchy level has more weight than your degree. Nursing students are treated like they are in the Florence Nightingale era, wearing all white uniforms and even hats depending on the instructor, 10 - 12 hours a day of training in health care facilities with half hour lunches. I think they are being used as free labor, to fill the nursing shortage. Currently, I know nurses who are making $19/hr in Florida with BSN degrees. This is called abuse and is shameful in this state. This is the main reason, these southern states do not want unions around.

DoeRN · Dec 9, 2012

After relocating here from New York, I finally discovered that an advanced degree in nursing has no value in Florida.

Where I'm originally from there was a huge push to get your BSN. I graduated with an ASN and felt like an outsider at my old job. They even had a free online BSN program that my job offered so I took advantage of it. It was a magnet hospital too but hey I couldn't turn down a free bachelors.

But since moving down here I feel like the minority. There is really no push to further your education. I am though and I'm working on another degree in IT. But since being a bedside nurse down here I've crashed and burned. I didn't feel this way where I worked before. I'm spending my weekend looking for a non patient care job. Even though I make $45 an hour I will gladly take a cut in pay to keep my sanity.

thelema13 · Dec 11, 2012

$45/hr?! Is that with benefits or flat-rate? My base is $20/hr, and I feel as though it is a slap in the face.

I accepted a travel contract in Melbourne for 13 weeks, and the agency is working on getting my license in Colorado and Washington state. I was in a BSN program but the hospital was only going to give me a dollar raise, so I stopped. Wasn't worth $3500 a semester.

RNFiona · Dec 11, 2012

Ummm you don't think they have rich entitled snobs outside of Florida? Sorry to say, they are everywhere.

AWanderingMinstral · Dec 12, 2012

Ummm you don't think they have rich entitled snobs outside of Florida? Sorry to say, they are everywhere.

Which is why I am leaving the bedside.

DoeRN · Dec 12, 2012

Ummm you don't think they have rich entitled snobs outside of Florida? Sorry to say, they are everywhere.

Of course there are people like this everywhere. But from my experience there are more down here. I've lived in 2 other states and have family members who are in healthcare in 7 other states and by far Florida is the worst.

DoeRN · Dec 12, 2012

$45/hr?! Is that with benefits or flat-rate? My base is $20/hr, and I feel as though it is a slap in the face.
I accepted a travel contract in Melbourne for 13 weeks, and the agency is working on getting my license in Colorado and Washington state. I was in a BSN program but the hospital was only going to give me a dollar raise, so I stopped. Wasn't worth $3500 a semester.

Flat rate.