I am a nursing student currently living in Minnesota. after graduation....about a year and a half....my husband and I would like to move to Florida. My heart has always been set on Tampa....big, but not too big....low cost of living....right by the water...and of course....hot as he** (which is sooo much better than freezing my buns off for six months of the year)
This spring, he and I will be visiting his grandmother in Sarasota to check out the area, and look into things.
Can anyone tell me about some of the cities...Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Pensacola, etc......the good, the bad....good hospitals, etc. Any information and bragging would be greatly appreciated.:kiss
I would also be interested in making pen pals, and maybe meet some of you when I come out in the spring.
Although I am currently a traveler, my permanent home is in southeast FL and I can't honestly say that anywhere in that area deserves to be on a best-of-anything list. My family moved here in the 80s when I was still very young, but since then southeast Florida has changed dramatically. There are a lot more people living here now and the place is becoming more and more congested. The cost of living has gone through the roof but pay is comparatively low, no matter what industry you're working in. It used to be that you could come here and take a big pay cut and still make out ok because everything was cheap. Those days are long gone.
I am a native Floridian, raised and educated in the state.
I have worked in 15 facilities in 7 different states. I have worked an inner city hospital in Philly, where there were metal detectors and people got mugged going for lunch. And I have worked Johns Hopkins.
I have MDs that teach in the Ivy League that give me kudos on my patient care, not to mention appreciative patients.
AND FLORIDA STILL RANKS AS HAVING THE LOWEST PAY, RUDEST MDS, LOUSIEST RATIOS, WORST CONDITIONS overall of anywhere that I have been.
(I would rather work in inner city Philly, starting IVs on heroin addicts while it snows outside....than work the season in Florida. Unfortunately my mother insists on living here, and my presence is required occasionally..but I keep trying to get her to move).
Southernnurse, it is not just one facility in Florida. I can name at least 4 out 6 that are poor. And unfortunately one of the good ones closed.
southernnurse, it is not just one facility in florida. i can name at least 4 out 6 that are poor. and unfortunately one of the good ones closed.
hey ladybelle! i had to laugh because the hospital i was singing the praises of was sold! it hasn't been open for 2 years! it might have been the only one! i guess our area was nice, because we had pretty few major complaints. the biggest uproar was when they moved the butt hut off the campus. ahhh those were the days! i am curious to know of all those places you worked, which was the best for staff? which had the best patient care? that was quite a spectrum! johns hopkins-wow! i tried to start a patient ratio thread to see if the numbers came down...we had 7, or worst case scenario, 9 patients on our med-surg floor....that was nuts!!! i hope you don't turn in your scrubs, though, but i understand your frustration!
have a happy,
southernurse
p.s. now that i am in tennessee, it is night and day! i only have 6 at the most, but usually 4 or 5 on a regular night!
Hi. I am originally from upstate ny but have lived in Miami for 10 years and now am in Tallahassee for a long time (I dont want to date myself lol). Tallahassee was a great place to raise my kids. Fairly safe (of course crime and drugs are everywhere) public schools ok if you know which ones to avoid. There is some stuff to do here. Traffic is not to bad. people are friendly and it is much more of a southern city than most of the cities further south. there are alot of activities surrounding the universities. As far as health care, not the best or the worst. Pay is, to my understanding, lower than many places. There are two major hospitals here. I work in a private practice. There are 3 schools here that offer a BSN, one an AAS in nursing and one LPN school. There are many RNs coming out of the schools here, which could account for the lower pay.
It is a growing community. Are there many other places that you can still get a townhouse in the 100,000 range? and not in areas where you do not want to live? the closest beach is 45 minutes away, as is Georgia. It is not as horrible here as many on this board seem to say it is.
We have a wide range of winter temperatures in Florida. Miami is all palms and lush while northern Florida has brown lawns and frost all the time. For me Tampa is perfect. Cool enough for a fireplace, but you can get along without a coat all winter. We treasure sweater weather, and sometimes have alot, some winters, not. It is very family oriented as well, and friendly, compared to Miami/Ft. Laud and WPB. Stay away from West Palm Beach unless you like yappy New Yorkers all day.
I moved to Jacksonville 12/05 from Michigan. Although I liked the weather, the city not so much. Big city lots of crime but there are a lot of people who live it there. We moved South to St. Augustine absolutly love it. I live on Anastasia Island, I can walk across the bridge and I'm downtown. It;s great! I'm stll working in Jacksonville about an hour drive I do like my job but would like to find something closer. One hospital in town when I called their jb line no nursing jobs listed. There are some home carre agencies and LTC that I have seen advertised so for now I'll keep driving
I moved to Jacksonville 12/05 from Michigan. Although I liked the weather, the city not so much. Big city lots of crime but there are a lot of people who live it there. We moved South to St. Augustine absolutly love it. I live on Anastasia Island, I can walk across the bridge and I'm downtown. It;s great! I'm stll working in Jacksonville about an hour drive I do like my job but would like to find something closer. One hospital in town when I called their jb line no nursing jobs listed. There are some home carre agencies and LTC that I have seen advertised so for now I'll keep driving
Gainesville is my number 1 Florida city. Shands Hospital is huge, lots of jobs, though the pay isn't as great as other cities. Home of the Florida Gators Number 1 in Football and Basketball this past year! The city is 1/2 college students, 1/2 other. Lots of trees-we don't believe in bulldozing all of the trees like Orlando. It's a town that is just the right size,small enough that you may run into someone you know at the mall or grocery, big enough that people don't know your business. Only 1 hour from the beach, 1 hour from Jacksonville and Orlando. Great awesome town, although I am a little biased!
I'm from Nebraska & lived in Tampa for 2 yrs. I am graduating Nursing School in Nebraska and will move back to Tampa in Dec with my husband and daughter. We spend 3 weeks every summer in the Tampa Bay area. It is wonderful. If you want a $3 on a plate of Cuban food or a $100 on a fancy steak dinner --it's all there. The beaches are fabulous. The people are all friendly (and most are not originally from there) which makes them welcome new comers with open arms. I was use to snow on Christmas. Decorating the palm trees and deep frying a turkey on the lanai (patio) during the holidays was a new and fabulous experience. There are lots of strip clubs (like the famous Mons Venus). But, it is only a few blocks from Without Walls International Church. A phenomenal church! It is culturally diverse and "all" are welcomed. You may sit next to a homeless man, an ex-con, a pro athelete or a wealthy grandma with a fancy hat....either way, you'll most likely hold hands with or high five that person sometime during the service. Tampa is great! Everyone is welcome.
What do you all think about St.Augustine (near Jacksonville) or Naplles?
I was thinking to settle down there...but...no info on job's posibilities and salaries.
I'm from Naples. Absolutely love it; however, there's not much night life or any entertainment. But, I'm a beach bum and so were my kids, so we enjoyed many hot days at the beach! Very beautiful, but very pricey. Traffic is horrific Nov-April as no one can drive over 10 mph!
Specializes in Hospice, OR, Home Health, Orthopedics.
Sunrise or Sunset? Gulf side is beautiful for it's sunsets, water is more friendly and TONS of intercoastal waterways, islands, beaches, friendly people and lots of culture in the Tampa and St. Pete area. Coming from Minnesota you may get sticker shock in the housing market though. We just bout a house built in 1971 for just shy of $400,000 in St. Pete. It was just remodeled though, on a golf course facing west with a pool (can't wait to move in...). Definately Tampa and St. Pete area - include Sarasota in that as well. Orlando is nice, tourist driven, and not really near the big beaches. Atlantic side is not as user friendly either. Good luck and welcome to paradise, the red tide, hurricanes, alligators and sharks ( no swimming in fresh water here - 'gators have that area) quite unlike the land of lakes in Minnisota (or Michigan where I was from). All in all though, it sure is nice (except July and August....)/ Welcome.
Greetings!
My husband, who is from St Pete, really wants to move home. I've had him landlocked here in Georgia for nigh onto 5 years now, and he's a scuba diver. I've been reviewing posts and can't find anything that speaks specifically to what I want to know...where is the best place to live (up and down 19 that is...) New Port Richey? Port Richey? Holiday? Any places that are have great things going for them (or...things to avoid?)
Also would like some information about Hospices in the area. Good salaries? Case loads for Case Managers? any information would be appreciated! Thanks!
(which is sooo much better than freezing my buns off for six months of the year)
NurseguyFL
309 Posts
Although I am currently a traveler, my permanent home is in southeast FL and I can't honestly say that anywhere in that area deserves to be on a best-of-anything list. My family moved here in the 80s when I was still very young, but since then southeast Florida has changed dramatically. There are a lot more people living here now and the place is becoming more and more congested. The cost of living has gone through the roof but pay is comparatively low, no matter what industry you're working in. It used to be that you could come here and take a big pay cut and still make out ok because everything was cheap. Those days are long gone.