Florida Nurses, I have questions

DowntheRiver · Jul 27, 2016

When I worked at a (major) hospital system in in the TB area in late 2014/early 2015 I started at $23.00/hour and I think shift diff was $3.00/hour after 4 PM until 7 AM and weekend was $1.25 I believe. This hospital had just been acquired by the large hospital system within the year so it had some catching up to do.

This was an Ortho/overflow floor and there was the opportunity to work OT once a week, 90% of the time nights.

Florida is great but from Tampa and further South you have a very high geriatric population. I took care of a lot of older adults, usually total care and not enough support from the senior nurses. I don't know if others will chime in or worked as a new grad in the same hospital system, but we were usually understaffed and I would have 6 patients while senior nurses would have 3. It's what drove me out of the hospital here.

Buyer beware, BSN · Jul 27, 2016

Oh and not sure where you are coming from but Florida has no income tax! And low sales tax on goods (none on food) --- of course I'm from NOLA so I'm used to paying upwards of 10% sales tax on everything [emoji15] I can't wait to move my happy hind end to Florida [emoji3]

OnONn2RN : you should know a few more things about Florida. It's true that the palm trees sway gently at times in the breeze. The sun does shine very often under azure skys. But the inviting white sand beaches are surrounded by shark infested waters.

Yes, as you may know this is the land of Bernard Madoff and a million other con-artist ne'er-do-wells that infest the state from coast to coast. If you look at the news the most heinous crimes always come out of Floida. Watch any crime show and the desperapos end up shacking up in--that's right--Florida. So while the weather is good (unless there's a hurricane coming) also know that the pay is low compared to many parts of the country, the schools are poor and there is a scarcity of decent affordable housing. Remember this is the land of the retired whose motto often is "I've scratched and clawed and done some of the most unconscionable things to my fellow man all too obtain this little patch of land I call paradise." So keep your eyes open and be the discerning nurse that you probably are once given the full picture. And you should also know what they don't tax with one hand they tax with the other.

But then again it may very well beat NOLA.

EllaBella1, BSN · Jul 27, 2016

OnONn2RN : you should know a few more things about Florida. It's true that the palm trees sway gently at times in the breeze. The sun does shine very often under azure skys. But the inviting white sand beaches are surrounded by shark infested waters.
Yes, as you may know this is the land of Bernard Madoff and a million other con-artist ne'er-do-wells that infest the state from coast to coast. If you look at the news the most heinous crimes always come out of Floida. Watch any crime show and the desperapos end up shacking up in--that's right--Florida. So while the weather is good (unless there's a hurricane coming) also know that the pay is low compared to many parts of the country, the schools are poor and there is a scarcity of decent affordable housing. Remember this is the land of the retired whose motto often is "I've scratched and clawed and done some of the most unconscionable things to my fellow man all too obtain this little patch of land I call paradise." So keep your eyes open and be the discerning nurse that you probably are once given the full picture. And you should also know what they don't tax with one hand they tax with the other.
But then again it may very well beat NOLA.

Ehh for what it's worth I just bought my first home, new construction, in a gated very peaceful family-oriented community for under $200k. The crime rate in my area is pretty low- crime index of 9. The town on Long Island that I grew up in has a crime index of 5. Pretty comparable. Schools are improving, with several good districts nearby as well as multiple private options. Yes, some districts are not quite there yet. Most of the population near me is young families. We do have an influx of retirees in the winter, but by no means are they the majority of the population near me. A lot of these potentially negative points change based on where you choose to settle down, same as any other state.

Buyer beware, BSN · Jul 27, 2016

Ehh for what it's worth I just bought my first home, new construction, in a gated very peaceful family-oriented community for under $200k. The crime rate in my area is pretty low- crime index of 9. The town on Long Island that I grew up in has a crime index of 5. Pretty comparable. Schools are improving, with several good districts nearby as well as multiple private options. Yes, some districts are not quite there yet. Most of the population near me is young families. We do have an influx of retirees in the winter, but by no means are they the majority of the population near me. A lot of these potentially negative points change based on where you choose to settle down, same as any other state.

Have fun in Crackerville!!! Greetings to LI by the way.

Julius Seizure · Jul 27, 2016

Ehh for what it's worth I just bought my first home, new construction, in a gated very peaceful family-oriented community for under $200k. The crime rate in my area is pretty low- crime index of 9. The town on Long Island that I grew up in has a crime index of 5. Pretty comparable. Schools are improving, with several good districts nearby as well as multiple private options. Yes, some districts are not quite there yet. Most of the population near me is young families. We do have an influx of retirees in the winter, but by no means are they the majority of the population near me. A lot of these potentially negative points change based on where you choose to settle down, same as any other state.

I agree. Florida can be a great place to live. Yes you can make more in other states....but being paid in sunshine isn't nothing. Living in Florida is something people either love or hate. I loved it.

Buyer beware, BSN · Jul 27, 2016

I agree. Florida can be a great place to live. Yes you can make more in other states....but being paid in sunshine isn't nothing. Living in Florida is something people either love or hate. I loved it.

Yes, I agree...but being paid in sunshine isn't nothing" but a hat full of rain at times. That falls under the "too much of a good thing" category I suppose.

marywhale · Jul 27, 2016

I live in Sarasota, FL. On my floor there is always overtime. I also work nights and my shift diff can be between 2-6$ depending on what time of the night and if it is a weekday or weekend. During season we offer double time or a contract that gives you time and half +6 dollars +600$ if you work 5 overtime shifts within the contract. I think the contracts were like 8 or 10 weeks

Ackeem, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Jul 28, 2016

Real estate is really cheap here, you can buy a really sweet home for less than 200k. I love it here, but pay is too low though (almost desrespectfull), after i get my first year in i will be relocating.

HoneybadgerFTW · Jul 28, 2016

Too funny I am also from Maine originally. Ok so HCA owns alot of the hospitals here (Tampa Bay Area) starting pay is 23.25/hr and the shif diff is a little odd because you get paid one amout for evening( 1800-2300) and graveyard (2300-0700) overtime is always available where I work, the downside is that even if you are hired for Med/surg where I work it is labeled as progressive care do to high acuity of pts. Good luck with your move and pm me if you have more questions!

campercass · Jul 28, 2016

Both of the hospital systems I have worked for in Florida always offered plenty of opportunity for overtime. Where I currently shift did is 2.75/HR for 3-11 and I think 5/HR for 11-7. $1/HR on weekends. We also have a bonus incentive during season of an extra $150 per extra shift worked.

JustinaHD83, ASN · Jul 28, 2016

I moved here 1 year ago from up north. It took me a total of 1 week to get a job in a hospital on a Cardiac/Tele step down unit in the Tampa Bay area. The pay I make (after shift diffs) averages out to MORE than what I make up north (due to no state income taxes here in FL). Base rate may seem a little deceiving... but do the math.. and CALCULATE the shift diffs. We get 4.50 after 11pm and then an extra 2.00 ALL shifts on the weekends.. so that's like adding 6.50 to your base rate (on weekends).

BeachsideRN, ASN · Jul 28, 2016

OnONn2RN : you should know a few more things about Florida. It's true that the palm trees sway gently at times in the breeze. The sun does shine very often under azure skys. But the inviting white sand beaches are surrounded by shark infested waters.
Yes, as you may know this is the land of Bernard Madoff and a million other con-artist ne'er-do-wells that infest the state from coast to coast. If you look at the news the most heinous crimes always come out of Floida. Watch any crime show and the desperapos end up shacking up in--that's right--Florida. So while the weather is good (unless there's a hurricane coming) also know that the pay is low compared to many parts of the country, the schools are poor and there is a scarcity of decent affordable housing. Remember this is the land of the retired whose motto often is "I've scratched and clawed and done some of the most unconscionable things to my fellow man all too obtain this little patch of land I call paradise." So keep your eyes open and be the discerning nurse that you probably are once given the full picture. And you should also know what they don't tax with one hand they tax with the other.
But then again it may very well beat NOLA.

[emoji23] I lived about 7 years in south florida previously. From the Tampa area down to coral gables and a few places in between. I have my sights set on a specific area on the space coast.

And yes, the few negatives Florida has well outweigh NOLA.