Looking for the best advice -live in Miami

NCH, RN · Jun 20, 2014

Well first thing, I'm still a pre-nursing student until (hopefully) this fall, but I have always heard that if you do this for the money you'll be disappointed. That isn't to say that nurses aren't paid well, but you'll never make enough to like being a nurse if you're not happy with the career. Maybe you can earn a BSN or higher and work in management.

Your chances as a male are probably the same that they are as a female. This may vary depending on your area of course, I have heard from a few people, including the nurse practitioner at my doctors office, that I will have a slight edge being hired since I am a male (we're very underrepresented here, a male nurse was hired at our hospital last year and there was a pretty big article about it in our local paper). But considering that our hospital is critical needs, and I prefer to make it based on my knowledge and skills, I'm not even considering that aspect and am going to work hard to be the best that I can be.

Angevil · Jun 21, 2014

Thank you for you input.. It was helpful. And, well... to be honest I never dreamed about being a nurse or something. Actually I wanted Psychology or Dentist but considering nursery at the end because I know a lot of NSW switch to nursery later since wages are crap.. Just saying.. but yes, thank you.

seriouslyserious, LPN · Jul 2, 2014

i come to realize (through this forum and real life) that nursing isn't about caring for people, but competent patient care.

1) you can do it... people in my cohort never gave 2 s%$ts and still graduated.

2) it isn't "hard". you need to devote time... i known people who failed because they decided $8.00/hr was more important.

3) Florida is a *^%$#... move. (i lived there)

4) there is no difference, roughly.

5) no

Angevil · Jul 2, 2014

Hey syartingovragain... Pretty straight forward. Thank you so much!

FutureRN_15 · Jul 5, 2014

Honestly, as far as getting into the program, as long as your grades are good, you would have better chances getting in because you are male. Age doesn't matter, as long as you devote the time into your studies, you won't have trouble passing your courses. Some people older do better because they are more "mature". If money drives you, then let money drive you. Majority of people don't go into nursing because they only care about people, it's a combination of that and the money comes with it. No one likes to clean up poop, you'll get over it with time. Blood is my thing and I'm in my third semester of a BSN program in north florida. I'm getting use to dealing with it. Just put the time, energy and commitment into the program while you're in it and then go enjoy making that money that you worked your butt off to get.

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · Jul 6, 2014

Ok I'm pretty blunt with my responses and I know you are just seeking information but please get some basics first. First of all no one calls this career "nursery" it's nursing. I don't know how serious you are, but being a nurse takes commitment, and if you think it will mean a boat load of cash, you are fooling yourself and planning for the wrong career. I quit my job to do this, and I won't be making much more than my previous job as a new graduate.

1) How hard would be studying for a person like me nursing considering that I am more 60% money driven 40% caring ppl?

All topics mentioned are unrelated. Studying comes from habits not from being money driven or caring. If you have focus and are self motivated then you can make it through nursing school.

2) How hard in terms of books, readings and studying in general involves the career?

Reading and assignments are the most time consuming part of being in nursing school. If you don't do it, your grades will be no good. The knowledge is generally on par, I think with medical school, but it's up to you how much you wish to learn.Some people just wish to learn the basics taught in the classroom while others go deeply into topic they like. Nursing is really about applying that knowledge...commonly called "critical thinking" and you will hear that term over and over until you get tired of it.

3) How hard is the job market in Miami? or Fort Lauderdale? ( if you know it)

I don't know that market, but being from Florida, I know it's pretty saturated.

4) How different is the job market for males?

There really is no difference. Some employers may find it good to hire males because there is so few of us. As a new grad, you are just that. Maybe your past experience in psych might be an advantage.

5) What would be the most difficult thing that one person had to deal in this career? ( in my case I couldn't stand dealing with poop or something)

If you can't stand dealing with poop, just stop right there because you will be cleaning up lots of poop especially in your first semester of nursing school, when you are required to perform all the duties of a nursing assistant during clinicals.

6) If you live in Miami, I heard Baptist Hospital pays you the entire career and you have to sign up a contract for three years.. ( I don't care as soon as a I get a job). Do you know another place of this that pays your career in Florida and offers housing?

I've never heard of such a thing. There really is no such thing as absolute job security. Nursing is what you make of it and when I become a nurse, I won't want to be tied down in such a long contract.

Overall, I understand you just wanted answers to your questions, but your introduction seems like you are uncertain of what your goals are. You mentioned your other career choices were "not profitable". If those were not, then what makes you think nursing would be any different? Yes there are nurses who make lots of money but it took them years to get there and work at it. Think about what you really want to do and what motivates you before making the mistake of jumping into nursing for money or what little they get, anyways.

Angevil · Jul 6, 2014

I have to acknowledge to you are right in certain aspects. Well, I think nursing is not my thing according with your perspective. The other guy above gave me some hopes even though.. At this point I am pretty undecided..

itsmejuli · Jul 6, 2014

If you're looking for a good paying career in which you'll always have a great paying job look at the skilled trades.

rewob716 · Jul 8, 2014

Hi there,

I saw your reply to a post and noticed you are in north Florida. I am getting ready to start pre reqs soon at FSCJ, trying for the paramedic RN bridge program. I am leaving the fire dept early to start this career. Just wondering if you have any tips? Thanks very much and best of luck to you.

Mike

AmberRaye · Sep 18, 2014

Hi everyone, I am going to Miami next week and have an interview with Baptist Health. I have almost 1 year of experience in a hospital setting and previously worked for a home health agency. I am from Chicago and plan to move if I get the job. I just wanted to know more about what I should expect in my interview and how is your overall experience working at baptist. Thank you

ChooSoul · Dec 1, 2014

heres my opinion,

Poop and baths are the biggest thing in nursing!!!

it isnt just about giving meds and doing procedures.

You work in patient care.

you are treating a patient in a wholistic manner, like you consider their physical, emotions, environment, all that stuff... you have to know and notice every little things about a patient. poop, believe it or not is at the top of the list. so is skin, hair, nails, verbal, nonverbal signs... all of that. as a nurse you are at the front line because youre with the patients the whole shift unlike the doctor who usually sees a patient for 5seconds to tell them "youre gonna get this med, or this procedure, " and use all that smart words then disappear.

I have a lot of older classmates in nursing school (its funny because for some of them, I am half their age. lol) the main reason theyre in nursing school is because of job security. a lot of them didnt see nursing as first choice at all... basically doing it for the money.

but let me tell you something, when i was in clinicals with them, they were great with their patients. they really were like nurses. so, just because youre in it for the money, there might be a little spark in you that actually has a passion for patient care which would lead you to love the job.

in miami, yeah, you can get hired quickly if you have connections. from my observations, i see a lot of desperate newly grad nurses working at little, old fashioned (crappy) hospitals - places that i wouldnt even ever recommend even a stranger to go seek health care from. there are a lot of them in miami... so if you look, they might find you... but its gonna be like a twilight zone if youre hired by them. but if you really want a job, then you can have that.

in baptist, they want all their nurses with BSN so if you have an associate, they will not look at hiring you unless you have connections. and you you do get hired as ASN, you will have to sign a contract sayng that you will get a bachelors in nursing within 3years or something - not sure. currently, they are doing the contract thing to their employee nurses who only have ASN degree. if you dont become a BSN within the time in the contract then youre fired.

(word on the street, the annual pay increase dont even reach 60 cents like 52.6 cents)

the nice thing though, is that they dont like to give you a lot of patients. like maybe 6 or 7 usually, unless its really busy. unlike the other big hospitals that usually assign at least 8 or 9 like jackson memorial hospital.

Personally, getting hired at baptist is overrated.

I'm moving out of miami when i graduate... lol