Moving to Clearwater/Tampa Area

[ZombieORnurse]

Hi, there! I'm looking for advice about the Clearwater area. My family and I are planning to move in the fall. I'm a CVICU RN with 3.5 years experience at a Level 1 trauma center. I want to stay at a high acuity hospital so I was thinking that Tampa General would be my best choice. If there are any other suggestions, I'm open to them!

Does anyone have info on what hourly pay to expect? I'm coming from Chicagoland and my base hourly is about $30/hr.

Also, I'm not sure what the best area for schools for the kiddos would be. I have two that will be in elementary school - one with special needs, so finding a great school district is important.

Thanks!

[_zoubisoubisou_]

IDK w/ experience, but TGH starts new BSN grads at LESS than $24/hr.. Much lower than I was expecting, but I don't have a lot of negotiation power being a newbie. Excellent benefits. I love working there. It's a great teaching hospital. I wanted to be in a high acuity, level 1, teaching hospital, preferably magnet status...and TGH had all of those. I'm very happy here.

The commute to TGH from Clearwater would be pure hell (seriously) and if the zombie apocalypse were to happen, you would likely be eaten by walkers just trying to make that trek to Tampa General for work.

Can't help with the schools. Try city-data.com and search Tampa. There is a lot of talk about school districts on that forum.

[veriteblesse]

I'd avoid HCA, but Baycare is a good hospital system. The only trauma hospital in the system is in Tampa, St. Joe's, and it's only level 2. You'd be closer to Morton Plant, which is high acuity but no trauma. I make almost 30 an hour with only 3 years experience, so you could probably expect a bit more. If you go mobile pool, where you travel to multiple hospitals within Baycare, you can make $45 an hour (but no benefits). Can't help you on the school thing, I don't have kids. Good luck!