Northeast Florida: Starting wages and position advice

Newbie39 · Oct 30, 2017

Good Morning everyone in this collective community! I am a new graduate of an Associates Degree RN program. I did very well in school (3.89) but killed myself to get there. I earned a spot in the ICU for preceptorship based on my performance and dedication. I did well thanks to an irreplaceable preceptor and a fantastic group of nurses who worked alongside her. I however have limited healthcare experience, once in admin and 8 years as a CNA.

I am a hard-worker and a perfectionist (I haven't met many nurses who aren't). Though my nursing program was stringent in comparison to many in my area, and all of us were offered jobs in our preceptorship area, I still feel like I can't live up to what I'd expect in an ICU nurse. My professors and peers have encouraged me to have the confidence in myself that they have in me but I don't think I've earned that ICU spot yet.

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If my 5 year plan involves landing an ICU position, where would you encourage someone like me to apply? I was thinking perhaps, PCU... I feel like choosing anything besides ICU will be seen as a let down to all those who support me; however, my thought is that ICU should be for those who have honed their nursing skills. I plan to do what I feel represents the safest plan for advancement.

I moved across the country. Regardless of the position I apply for, I have no idea what the average starting pay in Northwest, Florida is for my perspective title. I don't want to go in asking too high a number and seem like a jerk but I'm also a parent with bills to pay and want my wage to at least be reasonable for the area. I have researched through several websites but they don't seem too accurate for any area I've lived in before. Currently Florida seems just as expensive in comparison to Washington but wages seem uncharacteristically low from what I've read in the newspaper. Unfortunately I haven't found wages advertised for nursing positions yet. Let me know if you currently work here and have suggestions for me! Thank you so much!