Any LD nurses from NC, FL, AZ, ID or GA here?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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We are going to be moving to one of those states in the next few months b/c hubby is military. I am trying to figure out which I would prefer and a big issue is what the jobs are like. I would LOVE to hear thoughts from any LD nurses from any of those states. The specific areas are Raleigh, Ft Walton Beach, Tucson, Boise, or Valdosta.

The things I am curious about are:

Which are the best hospitals in the area, both in terms of best maternity centers and best benefits?

How large is the maternity center and do they do high risk ob?

What is the average pay for an experienced LD RN?

How often do you float to other units?

Is there a union?

How much sick/pto do you earn a pay period?

What are the disability/life insurance/health insurance benefits like?

What is the atmosphere in the unit like, does everyone get along, etc?

If anyone has ANY thoughts it is greatly appreciated. We have only a few days to put our preferences in!!!

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Specializes in medical surgical.

South georgia is very low pay. I say that with 3 years experience I make 18.75. If you can get past that you will be ok. We work just as hard as our northern and western nurses who earn 40 plus an hour. Just get used to bringing home enough after taxes to basically buy groceries. Use it as a second income. No one here lives on it as a first income. Our housing runs anywhere from 450 (dump) to 950 (nice 3 bedroom house in good area).

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South georgia is very low pay. I say that with 3 years experience I make 18.75. If you can get past that you will be ok. We work just as hard as our northern and western nurses who earn 40 plus an hour. Just get used to bringing home enough after taxes to basically buy groceries. Use it as a second income. No one here lives on it as a first income. Our housing runs anywhere from 450 (dump) to 950 (nice 3 bedroom house in good area).

WOW, I was expecting a pay cut but I am not sure I was expecting THAT much of a pay cut. I was keeping my fingers crossed for around $25 minimum. Which I figured with a lower cost of living, would work fine. Not making just enough to buy groceries. What about the other benefits? More then pay, I am concerned about the environment and staffing. Any thoughts on that?

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I am in GA. I am a CNM so I don't work as an RN so not sure on salary (worked PRN as an L & D nurse and made $40 an hour but that's with a master's degree and years of experience). I will tell you that moving to GA from another major city was a huge change in the way OB as practiced. There are a lot of practices at the several different facilities I have worked in in different cities in GA that haven't been done for years where I came from (such as routine enemas, documenting long and short term variability, etc). I hate practicing here because it's a daily fight to do anything "new" or introduce evidence-based practice.

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I am in GA. I am a CNM so I don't work as an RN so not sure on salary (worked PRN as an L & D nurse and made $40 an hour but that's with a master's degree and years of experience). I will tell you that moving to GA from another major city was a huge change in the way OB as practiced. There are a lot of practices at the several different facilities I have worked in in different cities in GA that haven't been done for years where I came from (such as routine enemas, documenting long and short term variability, etc). I hate practicing here because it's a daily fight to do anything "new" or introduce evidence-based practice.

Thank you for that very important info! Moving backwards is on my list of fears. I am coming from a "baby friendly" family centered facility. Many before me have worked hard to break some of those barriers and continue to fight so that we aren't doing things "just b/c it has always been done this way". I know I wouldn't be happy if I were in that situation.

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My hubby's military and we just moved to Fort Walton Beach a couple of months ago. So far no job yet....none of the hospitals in the area seem to be hiring, esp OB...but I also only have a year experience. I know a few other people in the area who also have not had any luck in many other specialties as well...though there are a few med-surg opportunities. Hope it works out better for you!

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

I worked in AZ up until about 6 months ago, but not in Tucson. I worked in central AZ, about midway between Phoenix and Flagstaff, so I don't know if my information would be helpful to you.

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I just relocated to the Ft Walton beach area at the end of July with my fiance who's military. I'm not L & D, but I will tell you that the job search was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be and that it was kind of a culture shock as well. I have my MSN and 3 years experience as a nurse and for every hospital I looked at I would be making a few dollars less an hour than I did as a new graduate nurse:eek: The only hospitals in the area are FWB medical, Twin Cities in Niceville, and Sacred Heart in Sandestin. Compared to where I came from they are all pretty small and I found the staffing ratios to be less than ideal. Sacred Heart in Pensacola is larger, but it is also an hour away. I was lucky enough to land a great job in clinical research after weeks of applying and interviewing. It pays comparative to what I was making at my previous job, the only downside is that it is basically in Pensacola (over an hour drive each way). I went to college near Raleigh, NC and while I never had to job search there, I would venture to say you would have more opportunities there because there are three major university hospitals within 30 min. of each other. Good luck!!:)

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Thanks for all the feedback, everyone!

Jules, that has been my husbands thought as well.....NC is like the medical mecca of the south east and with that many hospitals, there is bound to be SOMETHING. I talked to a friend in that area the other day and she makes what I did as a new nurse now, working in a clinic. I think I would find that acceptable.

Now, if only I had more info on what the environment is in that area for nurses. I lived there, and actually delivered my youngest there, over ten years ago. I wasn't a nurse at the time, but (to be honest) I found the conditions less then ideal as a patient (and actually was a big motivator for me to do LD nursing, lol). I have a nurse friend whose daughter just delivered there a few months ago and nurse friend was appalled at the way they did things. Granted, both of these were in small towns NOT at the bigger hospitals in Raleigh but it leaves me nervous.

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