Moving to Pensacola

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Specializes in ER.

Hello Everyone:)

Moving to Pensacola Fl next January.

I'll be graduating in an Lpn-Rn bridge program here in Ohio in December this year and I will apply for license in Fl. I've been an LPN since 2005. Graduated and worked in Florida until 2009.

Just curious about how is the life of an RN in Pensacola these days. What is the pay, job options, work environment like staffing, work politics etc.

Thank you in advance

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Specializes in ER.

Anyone from Pensacola?

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I am moving to Pensacola in January, as well. Too bad you haven't had any responses from any nurses in the area, yet, because I am curious about all of the same questions you have.

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What are your back grounds? Are you both brand new?

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Specializes in ER.

I'll be graduating in December in LPN to RN Access here in Ohio.

I've been an LPN since 2005.

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Pay- $27 on up.... usually (HCA pays less.... $22-23) go from there

Hospitals- VA, Navy, Sacred Heart, West Florida, Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa further out you have North Okaloosa and Fort Walton beach. (Really depends on where you want to live)

Staffing- depends, but Sacred and Gulf Breeze are almost always hiring

I recommend starting applications the second you think about leaving. Some places (HCA- West Florida) take forever to process a new nurse (2-6 months) and get them hired and into the system. Also, with some HCA and other hospital facilities, you may have to do a Star RN program when you get down here... granted it gives you a automatic in at the hospital and you start work right away, you have a 2 year contract to fulfill and if you don't you are responsible for the payment of monies back to the Star RN program (haven't done the program but heard the stories of 15-20k, you work off the loan as you work for the hospital, if you decide on somewhere else to go work, quit or get fired.... that's money you need to repay.)

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Specializes in ER.

Thank you so much for your input.

I'm thinking in Sacred Heart, I would love to work in their new children's hospital.

I'm also planning to start working in staffing agencies until I get the job I'd like.

27? wow I expected a bit more.. but oh well it's the same up here in OHIO except we pay a bunch of taxes like state and city.. so that's a raise.. lol

Do you know about nurse-pt ratios?

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I will be right at a year working on a PCU unit at a level 1 trauma center. I hope to make a change in area, though. Thinking ED.

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I've been in Pensacola since 2005, and this is the only place I've been a nurse. Your main three hospitals are Baptist, Sacred Heart, and West Florida. There are also smaller hospitals, but depending on what you want to do, they don't have all the services the main three have. There is no pediatrics at Baptist.

Don't expect to make $27/hr, at least not at Baptist. Starting pay is closer to $23/hr. As a new grad, you have to sign a contract at W Florida and Baptist.

I only know staffing ratios for Baptist.. 1:4 in the ER (unless you have the trauma rooms or Behavioral Med area) and 1:6 on the floor. I've worked inpatient psych, med-surge, and now ER.

You'll love pensacola!!

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Specializes in ER.

Wow $23? 1:6 on the floor? doesn't sound to promising...I lived and worked in Tampa Bay-Sarasota area before our Ohio adventures. The money and the ratio was much better there... I guess I will have to do a year medsurg then go back to do agency job... I currently make 23-24 as an agency LPN here. I'm a bit scared...

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Wow $23? 1:6 on the floor? doesn't sound to promising...I lived and worked in Tampa Bay-Sarasota area before our Ohio adventures. The money and the ratio was much better there... I guess I will have to do a year medsurg then go back to do agency job... I currently make 23-24 as an agency LPN here. I'm a bit scared...

I've heard from many that try and go further south (in Florida) that you really need your BSN under your belt to get in the door. Of course, any certs really help anytime to be fair.

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Specializes in ER.

Yeah, it's similar here in Ohio except they have these new grad programs where they hire new grads for pennies, placing them to the worst floors where nobody wants to work then force them to get their BSN for a dollar raise...

I'm hoping that my long experience (12 years as LPN and 3 as a PCA) could count. My dream is to be a pediatric nurse. I'm 49 years old so if my dreams couldn't come through I wouldn't mind to work in a hospice company or doing agency as well. We'll see what life brings meí ½í¸Š

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