Advice for new RN graduate..

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2020

You may feel antsy now, but time goes by fast. Do yourself a favor, and stay at your first job AT LEAST for a year. Concentrate on learning that job and doing well with your BSN classes.

I wouldn't be in such a hurry to go to FL, either. They treat workers horribly there as a rule, including nurses, as the majority of hospitals are owned by for-profit, ethically-challenged corporations.

EmmaK, ADN · Jul 28, 2020

21 minutes ago, Jedrnurse said:
You may feel antsy now, but time goes by fast. Do yourself a favor, and stay at your first job AT LEAST for a year. Concentrate on learning that job and doing well with your BSN classes.
I wouldn't be in such a hurry to go to FL, either. They treat workers horribly there as a rule, including nurses, as the majority of hospitals are owned by for-profit, ethically-challenged corporations.

I appreciate your input..thank you so much for the response!

HiddencatBSN, BSN · Jul 28, 2020

Agreed to stay a year with your first job if possible. There are good reasons to leave your initial job before a year but in my humble opinion wanting to relocate 3-6 months sooner isn’t one of them. In the long run it’s not a huge time to delay a relocation (can you find roommates to live with locally to get out of your parent’s home?) but in the short run the extra months make job hunting and getting hired easier.

EmmaK, ADN · Jul 28, 2020

1 hour ago, HiddencatBSN said:
Agreed to stay a year with your first job if possible. There are good reasons to leave your initial job before a year but in my humble opinion wanting to relocate 3-6 months sooner isn’t one of them. In the long run it’s not a huge time to delay a relocation (can you find roommates to live with locally to get out of your parent’s home?) but in the short run the extra months make job hunting and getting hired easier.

Thanks for the response, that does make more sense!

Queen Tiye, RN · Jul 29, 2020

Congratulations! You’re primary reason for going to Florida is crisis pay? Will you stay on after the Covid crisis blows over? I ask because many nurses have posted about low nurse pay in Florida. In fact, it seems to be one of the lowest paying states.

allnurses Guide · Jul 29, 2020

I would not want to be a nurse in Florida, crisis pay or no crisis pay.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Jul 29, 2020

One thing I can tell you is that what is going on now is not normal. I really feel bad for new nurses right now. Starting a nursing career in the midst of a 100 year pandemic is insane. Be flexible, safe, ask a lot questions. Realize that everyone is burned out and stressed so they may have less patience than normal.

As others have said, minimum of a year at your first job.

speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jul 29, 2020

1. Apply for jobs in both places (or any state you are interested in). However, wherever you end up, stay at least a year. It costs a bundle to train a new grad nurse and it looks bad to leave early on.

2. The benefit of being invested in a hospital is that they will generally pay for your BSN....

3. In all honesty, go where the jobs are. I have no idea what Florida or New York is like in terms of jobs. I have heard nurses that are very happy and are very miserable depending on the unit, hospital, manager, etc.

Sour Lemon · Jul 29, 2020

22 hours ago, EmmaK said:
Hey everybody!
last week I took my NCLEX and passed (associates RN- currently working on my BSN online), and I am so excited! I live in New York and I really want to move Out of the parents house soon. I am thinking Florida, even though I know the state is getting slammed with covid. I feel that there are many opportunities down there for nurses during the pandemic, and in addition, the higher crisis pay rate difference at some facilities. Unfortunately, I really don't have any money saved up, and I know I have to start working. Would it be worth it to start a nursing job in New York for max 6/7 months and then leave, and try to find a job down in Florida? Or should I just wait to find a job down there.... and start applying soon? I’m confused on what I should do.. Becuase if I work at a hospital here, I don’t want to leave after only a few months because I know orientation in itself is as long as 3-6 months.
My plan (maybe): start off at a nursing home in NY, take it slow, and leave after about 6 months. Get a little bit of experience and some money in pocket while I still live at home, then move down south to FL. I’m itching to finally move out!...is this a stupid idea? I would love to hear any advice! Thank you all so much for reading and replying! ?

You have a lot to consider. Too much for me to write a coherent response in proper form, so I'm going to do it like this ?:

1. COVID is actually creating less demand for nurses in a lot of cases. I was even furloughed for a month, and I'm not alone. During a crisis time, patients don't want to go to the hospital out of fear. Nursing homes don't want to send patients out of fear, as well.

2. It may be difficult for you to get a job in either location right now, especially as a new graduate. And in an "at will" situation, you might not keep your job ...even if you manage to find one. Or if you keep it, you might get canceled constantly.

3. Consider that your first job may not work out for reasons other than demand. It happens. What sort of support system do you have in Florida? How much money do you have saved and how long can you live off that?

4. You are 100% correct about orientation being so long that your actual experience would be close to nothing after six months.

5. Consider cultural differences and how they might affect your ability to be successful. I moved from one state to another and had to relearn to do a lot of things the California way. There are differences in scope of practice, too.

I worked in my home state for two years before moving to California. I also had a solid "plan B" for supporting myself until I got licensed and found work. I recommend that you do something like that.

nursepaloma, RN · Jul 30, 2020

Do you have a desire to live in FL for other reasons? If its just for work, I would not recommend it. Cost of living is high and the pay is low, and its hard to find jobs honestly.

direw0lf, BSN · Jul 31, 2020

I moved from NJ to Florida (Orlando area) and worked as an RN. I was very surprised that COL was high and salary was low. I started out 23/h. As a nurse with less than 2 years experience at the time, I was competing with a lot of travel nursing jobs/agency nurses. From February to June, many people in Florida still lived like covid was in a far away place. That has a lot to do with the Floridian lifestyle, which is very laid back and very much into being outdoors.

I went back to NJ in the beginning of July. It’s very different here in terms of places shut down, bankrupt businesses, and political/emotional tension. In Florida, I wore a mask at busy outdoor parks even though it wasn’t required. Here in NJ I was threatened for wearing a mask outside, the man told me he’d take if off for me if I didn’t “grow up and remove it now”. A man I just passed by walking on a busy boardwalk.

If you want to live in Florida then I recommend to work a year and then live there. Being a nurse is hard work anywhere. Each state has unique challenges that are always changing. NY/NJ will likely get hit with the second covid wave around flu season, from what physicians here say. Florida is not as congested, which helps decrease the spread no matter what they’re doing “wrong”.

I learned that it’s better to do things right than rushed. And for what it’s worth, I plan to move back to Florida after I save up here! Good luck.