Miami New Nurse Job Advice

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Hi all,

I graduated recently, and wish to know a couple of things..

1) Will it be good to begin with med-surg and then go to ICU, or are the experiences totally different, and doesn't matter where I start? I ultimately want to be working in an ICU unit. I loved working in the ICU when I was a student....

2) Which Miami hospital pays a good/fair starting salary? I am a new mom and would really need the extra cash!!!

3) Which Miami hospital has a daycare available? Not necessary though, as I did look up one close to home...but daycare within the facility would be a plus....

I would really really appreciate detailed information as I will start applying in exactly 2 months.

Thanks in advance. :X and hugs...:redpinkhe

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Specializes in Cardiac/Med Surg.

hi

i am a new nurse (almost at the 1 yr mark) and work in broward at memorial regional. i love it and started on a cardiac floor that was IMCU, really had a lot of med-surg patients more so than cardiac so wss grest experience for me. Everyone has to go to a ekg class and a phlebotomy class then on my floor you go to a critical care class for 1 month..I get to start on monday and its at BCC i am very excited. If you are not to far from hollywood they have day care 6am-11pm and its a terrific place to work (been there med tech since 81') I would do med surg first and then go for critical care..i am so glad i got a variety of patients..but as an imcu its a 1:3 ratio which is nice but some patients are not imcu just telemetry so those were mine when i started and usually you had 4 sometimes 5 never more than that. i work midnights and love it, i actually oriented on midnights so that was wonderful.

If you want to consider memorial, PM me and i will answer questions. I know they have 7 openings now in the IMCU floor and there is a $5000 signon bonus. Might be worth the drive..

Robin

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Thanks for the information. Seems like a nice place to begin. Would you know what is their typical pay scale?

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Specializes in Cardiac/Med Surg.

i think $22. remember the signon....its great and a great place to work, anywhere any dept..there are 6 hospitals in the system..

good luck

Private message me if i can help out

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I think all nurses should get some basic Med-Surg under their belt before they go to ICU etc. But then again if ICU makes you happy then go for it. I work for Baptist. I truly believe we have the greatest nurses out there. And as far as I know they pay new grads well. I know you would get alot of support, Baptist is great to their new grads. And there is a sign on bonus.

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Does Baptist hire LPNs?

thanks.

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No Baptist does not hire LPNs. Which in my opinion is really stupid. I've seen some great LPN's out there. We have a few but that is only because they have been there for years. They won't even hire there own nurse's aides who become LPN's

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Thanks AlexisRN46.

Sometimes I feel like I am wasting my time getting this LPN license. I want to try and avoid working in a nursing home at all cost. However, I am finding out that it may not be possible.

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You are not wasting your time. However I would continue on to my RN if I were you, when you get the chance. I know it's getting harder to get jobs as an LPN + you work just as hard as an RN you might as well get paid for it. Try an outpatient endoscopy or surgery center. You should start a thread on this site asking other LPN's where they are working these days. But don't give up, you can always do a years transition to an RN:nuke:

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Thanks again, AlexisRn46.

I did start a thread on what's the best place for a new LPN to work in SE Florida but no one responded. However, I will keep on trying. Also, I like your suggestions and will certainly give them a try once a get my license, of course.

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Specializes in Peds; Peds Oncology.

I work at Memorial (Joe D) and do agree that I like working there. There are always lots of opportunities.

As far as LPN's...when I worked at Palmetto (almost 10 years ago), they did hire LPN's. I don't if it changed. I used to work with awesome LPN's.

Good Luck to all of you!!

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