Ever work at one of these Fla. hospitals?

RNERHOUSESUPOR · Sep 26, 2007

I worked at two and a sister hospital to another. All in Palm Beach county. Spent last winter at JFK in the OR. Pay isn't that great for a travel assignment. Will be there after the first of the year but haven't decided which hospital to work at. Don't take all the jobs there.

Rod

bald1rn · Sep 26, 2007

No, I won't !! Will be doing ER. Any advice?

RNERHOUSESUPOR · Sep 26, 2007

I haven't worked ER for many years now. It used to be that an ER was an ER. You just had to find out where they hide the stuff and what the easiest way to chart was. Most ER's in South Florida are busy ALL THE TIME. Doesn't matter if you work nights or days. Some you are holding patients for days. Ask a lot of questions and then be happy no matter what happens. It's too hard to work if you are not happy.

Rod

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2007

I would not recommend any of them, to tell the truth. None of them have very good reps.

But a BIG warning about those in the West Palm Beach ( includes Boca Raton and Delray Beach) area....especially if they are private or ForProfit. There are a lot of very wealthy and VERY ENTITLED (they think) people in that area. And they insist that they be catered to and be kissed up to. And the hospitals expect nursing to kiss the Manolos/Guccis/Chanels/Prados. Money definitely does not instill manners.

As a native Floridian (very few WPBers are native Floridians) from "Old Florida" and having been through more than 15 hospitals, the patients/visitors/family members there were the most rude, disrespectful, arrogant, downright nasty, elitest people that I have ever dealt with in my life. My assignment there ....I was miserable the entire time, it was so wretched.

It is a bad sign when the "customer service" training exceeds the "clinical training".

Other Florida anomalies:

- There will be NO empty beds during The Season" (December through April). ER patients in the halls, hall beds at 0530 in the AM awaiting discharges when the MDs are rounding.

- Get used to SPEAKING REALLY LOUDLY AND CLEARLY - Despite HIPAA. Elderly patients rarely wear hearing aids and you will repeat questions, 2 and 3 times to get an answer.

- One or two sundowners on a floor up North,...that ain't nothing. Try having 1/3 of the unit Sundowning at the same time.

- Every one of the patients will be on 2 or more cardiac meds. Over 1/3 of floor will be on regular doses of lasix, or on fluid restrictions.

- And no matter what happens to "Mama", it is all the hospital's fault. "Because Mama (92 years old) has never been sick a day in her life".

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!

bald1rn · Sep 27, 2007

No, I won't !! Will be doing ER. Any advice?

Well, thanks for the input, especially regarding lack of beds and "sundowners" After giving this some thought maybe I'll look to northern Fla!!!! (Still warmer than Michigan!)

Alisabeth, BSN, MSN, DNP · Sep 28, 2007

I turned down an assignment in Loxahatchee at Palms West hospital. The nurse manager was really unprofessional on the phone (cursing and stuff at employees in the background). I heard JFK is a nice hospital, but I have not worked there. Expect to be very busy in the ER!! Sebring Florida, is in the middle of nowhere. If you can I would go to the west coast of Florida (Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota). I have lived on both sides, and I think the west is so much nicer. Just my thought. :) Good luck!

bald1rn · Sep 28, 2007

Thank you for the input. I will probably look at something either in the Ft Meyers to Sarasota area or north of Tampa around new Port Richey or Brooksville.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2007

I have also preferred the west coast of Florida to the east. Warmer water, fewer jellyfish, nicer people.

Be aware if you take assignments at either Naples, Ft. Myers - they require travelers pass PBDS testing. If you are unfamiliar with this testing, please use search and review the information about them.

If you are with a CCTC company, the pay rates are often better for Adventist/Florida Hospitals in the Orlando metropolitan area. There are quite a few of them but they are exclusively contracted to CCTC. They also use testing, similar to PBDS, that all travelers must pass.

Jo Dirt · Sep 29, 2007

There are a lot of very wealthy and VERY ENTITLED (they think) people in that area. And they insist that they be catered to and be kissed up to. ......the patients/visitors/family members there were the most rude, disrespectful, arrogant, downright nasty, elitest people that I have ever dealt with in my life.

I thought this was the Medicaid crowd?

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · Sep 29, 2007

I thought this was the Medicaid crowd?

Actually, it's mostly Medicare and supplementals. But Caroladybelle is right; without a doubt, the nastiest bunch of people I've ever seen... ever. Rude doesn't begin to describe the entitled gentry in Palm Beach county. I left there over two years ago, and have never looked back.

One of the MD's I worked for said it best when he told me that there was an "undercurrent of malice" in that part of the state.

He was right.

gypsytravelrn · Oct 4, 2007

I've been a travel nurse for over 13 years now. I have worked on both sides of Fl and i agree that the west coast is better then the east. I just finished a contract in Ft. Meyers and actually enjoyed it. Most hospitals though require the PBDS, and if you don't pass it you lose your assignment. My agency made me aware of this, but I found out that others in our group did not.

If you google you'll find several good sites including this one for information regarding this test.

I also did private housing in Fl, and rented my a house because of working nightshift. Good Luck in FL and I hope you enjoy your assignment.