Florida Travel~Need Help!

NedRN · Oct 13, 2014

Most travel contracts place restrictions on going perm for 6 or 12 months after your assignment is done. Yes it is possible if the hospital is willing to pay a large placement fee. But you are likely better served by going perm immediately - you will probably get a sign on bonus and a moving allowance and higher hourly pay. As a traveler intending to move to California and probably giving up your prior residence, you are not eligible for special tax treatment, further reducing the benefit to starting as a traveler.

Azariahjoe · Oct 21, 2014

Sounds good, Florida is undoubtedly a fabulous place to be visited and i must say its so worth it. The important thing for me is to take care of everything which has an impact i mean planning things well that can stay memorable.

Sankofa84 · Nov 5, 2014

Funny...ppl are trying to move to Fl...im trying to leave. Stay out of Miami...lol. Only drive down to visit then leave.

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Nov 6, 2014

Lived in FL for several years before moving back north. It was nice for a little while but then I was over it. I would not even take a travel assignment there, done with that state

icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2014

I am considering going South for the Winter and I would love to find an ICU or CCU travel contract in Florida.

Everything I read online about about Florida Hospitals is so negative. So many accounts of low wages, poor ratios, and Studer scripting.

My question is, are there any hospitals who treat travel nurses well and pay decently? Thanks for your time, Maggie

SoaringOwl · Nov 11, 2014

Pensacola, and the panhandle in general, is like Alabama or Georgia. Southern accents, very conservative, religious. When on a road trip, I can't wait to get out of there! Ft Myers, and pretty much the rest of FL south of Orlando, is made up of northerners who fled, so you don't have the accent or southern mentality. FL is very racially and economically segregated. You have pockets of filthy rich, dirt poor, and not much of a middle class in between. It is a culture shock for a lot people who are used to diversity.

Hospitals are drastically different even in the same towns, some awesome and some horrific. Private hospitals seem to offer the worst pay and benefits (hmmmm, I can't imagine why! :sarcastic: ). My old hospital was public, then was sold to evil HCA, and cut pay, benefits, and increased nurse ratios. They hemorrhaged staff, but didn't replace them, they hired lots of travelers instead. I only applied to public hospitals because of what I saw at the HCA hospital. I tell everyone I know to avoid those corporate hospitals like the plague, whether to work there or be treated there.

Lapa · Jun 18, 2017

Hi, SoaringOwl!

You are so right about panhandle hospitals and mentality! I reside in Miami area, and I am originally Eastern European. I made a mistake taking a contract in Tallahassee, thinking Florida is Florida, right? Oh, my God. I was hated there from the day one. I felt like I am an exotic animal, put me in a cage and charge money, cause i had an accent. I am not talking about just friendly curiosity, like "where are u from" questions. There were NO questions, just very suspicious attitude from patients, no matter how hard I try, no matter what I did to please. I used to work in a large trauma Level I hospital for years, high acuity level. My attitude is direct approach, fast thinking, little small talk. Didn't work there. I ended up being terminated for really No significant reason, nothing went on my file, just not a "good fit". Never again i will pick assignment in North FL. I recently obtained NC and VA licenses - I love to hike - but apparently NC is out of question now, for the same reason - southern mentality. Unless, anyone give advice if bigger cities in NC are different. VA would be better fit, I think.