Cali vs. SoFlo (Nursing & Lifestyle)

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  1. If you've lived & worked in both South Florida and California, which did you find better?

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      South Florida
    • 1
      California

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Specializes in Medsurg, Oncology, Hospice, Bariatric Sx.

Hello everyone! Looking for some advice. I'm thinking about making a big move and wanted to get some first-hand experience from California RNs.

Background: I am a new grad RN (exactly 1 year of experience) in South Florida on a busy medsurg/oncology/bariatric/occasional hospice-contract floor. I can have anywhere from 5-7 patients on any given day. I am part of a new grad nurse residency where we receive additional training through monthly seminars at my hospital. This has helped TREMENDOUSLY in the transition from student to RN; however, no facility is perfect. Whenever we get maxed out at 7 patients it just feels plain UNSAFE. Plus, the pay leaves much to be desired... I'm getting 22.50/hour as a BSN, RN.

This is the main reason why I'm considering a move to another state for nursing. California seems to have a better job market (once you have experience), greater pay, and laws in place that protect us from burnout. I understand there are negatives (high cost of living, traffic, etc.) so that's why I'd like your input. SoFlo's negatives are starting to outweigh positives for me: low pay, high cost of living, high nurse-patient ratios. I'm particularly drawn to the Bay Area and Northern Cali (Oakland).

There are other reasons that factor as well but they aren't very nursing-related. It feels silly posting this here... but I'm looking to settle down and, as a 20-something girl in South Florida, the dating culture here isn't very conducive to that. Plus, the South Florida mentality can be a bit materialistic and high-strung (we have awesome beaches though :up:). I'm at the point in my life where I'm trying to surround myself with people of a different mindset. I'm sure you guys have complaints about Cali and I'm open to hearing them.

Looking for a positive change all in all. This would be my first time moving out on my own as I'm currently saving money living with my family. I'm under a 2-year contract with my hospital and would have to wait until August of 2017 to leave without paying a fee; I was planning on using this year to really think about my options as a nurse (move, NP school, certifications...)

What are your experiences/suggestions? I'd especially love advice from people who have lived and worked in both California and South Florida for comparison.

Thank you

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