New Grad considering moving to Tampa

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Hi Everyone,

I've been considering moving to Florida from Cleve (OH) after I graduate in December. So far, Tampa has been the location that has caught my eye. Can anyone recommend some areas and hospitals that are good locations for new grads? Does anyone know how much they offer to pay off your student loans...and what's the average starting pay for new grads (in the ICU)?

I would like as much info as possible about Tampa (and the job market) before I make my final decision. I'm a little nervous about moving, but excited at the same time. Please point me in the right direction, and thanx so much for your help :D.

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Hi Everyone,

I've been considering moving to Florida from Cleve (OH) after I graduate in December. So far, Tampa has been the location that has caught my eye. Can anyone recommend some areas and hospitals that are good locations for new grads? Does anyone know how much they offer to pay off your student loans...and what's the average starting pay for new grads (in the ICU)?

I would like as much info as possible about Tampa (and the job market) before I make my final decision. I'm a little nervous about moving, but excited at the same time. Please point me in the right direction, and thanx so much for your help :D.

I live in Tampa. Far as hospitals there are tons. Tampa General Hospital has magnet status as does the James A. Haley VA hospital. They are both teaching hospitals. Their patient volume is HUGE though. Haley gets all the vets (old and new alike including vets who suffered from an IED hit and were stabilized at Ramstein in Germany) Tampa General (known as TGH) around here is a level one trauma and a state of the art NICU. Anything dramatic and critical ends up there. They also have an indigent care program.

Far as the starting pay for a new grad that depends on what you negotiate with these hospitals. There is also St. Josephs (catholic run) and UCH-Fletcher, UCH Carrollwood, Moffit Cancer Center and Brandon Regional to name just a few on the Tampa side. Across the bridge in Pinellas there's All Children's, Bayfront and Baypines VA.

It's all negotiable not all new grads are clocking the same even at the same hospitals.

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FYI - I graduate in August, and I've had a hard time so far finding an ICU job as a new grad so far. TGH is currently in a hiring freeze, and their next scheduled class for new grads into the units doesn't start until October. The hospitals I've talked to around here seem to prefer new grads with tech experience, so if you have that you may have a better shot than I do. The base pay that I've been quoted so far ranges from $20.49 to $22, but of course it may be negotiable. Differentials vary by hospital, I've heard $3 to $5/hour for nights, only a dollar or two for weekends. Bayfront has a new grad ICU program, and St. Joe's does as well - not sure about the rest. Good luck!

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Specializes in Mother Baby & pre-hospital EMS.

Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater is also a good hospital - it's roughly 50 minutes away from Tampa. It is a magnet hospital, too! I do not know anything about the new grad pay, however.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I'm near Granville OH, planning to move to Tampa in OCT.

I have plans to go to USF for the RN-MSN program, and "hopefully" land a job at TGH. Still trying to get everything figured out.....

Let me know how your doing! PM me.

- Misty

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Specializes in ICU.
Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater is also a good hospital - it's roughly 50 minutes away from Tampa. It is a magnet hospital, too! I do not know anything about the new grad pay, however.

A new grad with a bachelors is 22.25 with differentials.

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The VA is a great choice new grad I guess Nurse 1 around $50,000 year plus extras night differential I get$400+ bi-weekly, weekends $$$, ect I dont think they pay extra for ICU area. Houses are very cheap now New Tampa is a great area, great schools maybe 30min from Hosp

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I actually just interviewed @ St. Joseph's and I as a new grad I was offered:

$26.95/hr = $21.95 base & $5.00 nights

Good Luck!

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Thanks Everyone...

I appreciate the feedback

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I thought Tampa would be an expensive place to live- was I wrong?

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Hey All!!

:yeah:WU :yeah:HU!!!! I will be in my new Condo at Channelside by this time next week!!! I can't believe that it's finally happened! A move from Ohio - FL is not reccommended lol - especially as a New Grad, trying to get my ATT in another state, applying for jobs, and applying to go back to school already!!

So ladies, my goal in life-------has been to work at TGH in Critical Care, and thank the good Lord I GOT AN INTERVIEW---WU HU HU lol!

I REALLY need some advice from anyone whom has interviewed or works at TGH Please!! I am telling you, I went to school in Ohio, and after a short vacation to Tampa in my second semester, I knew that TGH was where I wanted to work.

I am interviewing with Caryl - has anyone interviewed with her before?

I'm so serious, I'll buy you a pair of scrubs is you can help me lol!!! Ones with smileys on them ha ha!

Please Help!

All Best,

Misty

PS: Mytphyne - Did you decide to move yet? If so maybe this time nextwe can remminnis about the beautiful Ohio Foiliage! Oh while we're in the pool lol.

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Hey Tampa nurses!

I live in Lithia, FL (aka FishHawk Ranch) in Hillsborough County here in the Tampa Bay area.

I've lived here with my family since May 2004, been an RN for 4 years now.

I noticed on this thread several of you are mentioning "negotiating" your salary offers? I'm confused. How can you negotiate a nursing salary when you've just interviewed for an RN job and the hospital gives you a job offer and tells you how much money you'll be making?? I thought RN jobs in a hospital are non-negotiable when it comes to salary? Most hospitals seem to have a standard hourly range for new grads and then have a calculation they follow for how much extra an experienced nurse will make based on number of years of experience. At least, this has been my impression. Am I mistaken? Are hospital staff nurses getting a job offer for a new job actually able to negotiate a higher salary than the initial offer from human resources??

Anyone here who has experience negotiating their salary for a new nursing job, please let me know. I had no idea RNs are allowed to do this.

I guess the way I've seen it these past 4 years as an RN, I'm to feel thankful and grateful whenever a hospital or healthcare organization is offering me a new job and I'm supposed to just accept whatever I'm offered and make do with it. Is this the wrong way to think? I have worked 3 different jobs as an RN; I've worked at St. Joseph's Hospital, I've worked at an outpatient same day surgery center, and I've worked as a home hospice nurse. When human resources for these organizations made me job offers, I just accepted whatever salary they told me I'd have. I've never tried to negotiate a salary. I don't know how!

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