Orlando

[GN1974]

I just started as a new grad for orhs and they have a great new grad orientation program. You get 12 weeks with a preceptor, unit educators that follow you throughout the orientation, courses specific to your unit, and new grad classes that are required. So far I have been very impressed. They also have round tables offered once a month devoted to a specific topic for new grads. I do not know much about Florida hospitals training but would assume it to be good also. I was hired on a critical care unit and am taking the ecg course, acls, and then a critical care course...all paid for by the hospital. I also live in Seminole county and find the area and schools nice. Seminole county includes Altamonte Springs, casselberry, oviedo, Sanford, Lake Mary.....I also think the college park area and winter park areas in orange county are nice. There will be crime no matter where you live.

Best wishes,

Karen

[taltos]

Karen,

I agree about the crime thing... there's no way to get away from it, can't wait to go down there to visit...

About the orientation for new grads, though...

Talking to the recruiters and looking at the website information about the orientation program, specialty programs... I get the impression that we are required to work for the hospitals for a length of time in that position if we enroll in one of these preceptor-type specialty programs (CCU, OB, Surgery, etc.). Is this true? Did you have to sign a contract or anything? The main reason I ask is that I am still not sure exactly what area I will want to work...but I have leaned very much towards CCU of some sort.

Since you are a new grad, and I will be in one semester, if you do not mind, I may email you personally about how your experience is going so far, and how stressing the NCLEX was. I will be taking it down there.

Thanks for all of your help. Is is greatly appreciated.

Jenn

[duncanRN]

Hi, I am new to the Orlando area and have accepted a job at ORMC. I interviewed with FH, but I liked the atmosphere at ORMC better. Do you like your job there so far? Any suggestions?

I just started as a new grad for orhs and they have a great new grad orientation program. You get 12 weeks with a preceptor, unit educators that follow you throughout the orientation, courses specific to your unit, and new grad classes that are required. So far I have been very impressed. They also have round tables offered once a month devoted to a specific topic for new grads. I do not know much about Florida hospitals training but would assume it to be good also. I was hired on a critical care unit and am taking the ecg course, acls, and then a critical care course...all paid for by the hospital. I also live in Seminole county and find the area and schools nice. Seminole county includes Altamonte Springs, casselberry, oviedo, Sanford, Lake Mary.....I also think the college park area and winter park areas in orange county are nice. There will be crime no matter where you live.

Best wishes,

Karen

[GN1974]

Hi, I am new to the Orlando area and have accepted a job at ORMC. I interviewed with FH, but I liked the atmosphere at ORMC better. Do you like your job there so far? Any suggestions?

Yes, I really like the job so far. There is a lot of support for new grads and my preceptor has been really good. Have you started yet? Let me know how it goes. My advise is be prepared for that PBDS and a long week of general orientation :)

[duncanRN]

Yes, I really like the job so far. There is a lot of support for new grads and my preceptor has been really good. Have you started yet? Let me know how it goes. My advise is be prepared for that PBDS and a long week of general orientation :)

Thanks for your reply! I am glad to hear you like your job. I haven't started yet; I am waiting for my FL license to come in the mail (i have been working in Mississippi). I will be working on 8C. I will let you know how it goes.

[RanRoc]

I know this is a few months late, but if you read this Jenn, also check out Kissimmee (especially northwest part; ie, Celebration or Kissimmee Oaks) and the areas near and around Clermont. Florida Hospital has Celebration Health, which is a gorgeous campus, and new subdivisions are popping up in this general area as well. Good access to all the major roads from here.

-RY

[taltos]

Thanks! Actually, I still check this post every week just in case anyone adds anything else that may help...

I have seen a lot of homes (new ones even) in the Kissimmee and Clermont areas for rent lately via the internet. I had heard some bad things about Kissimmee in general and figured it couldn't all be bad, but wasn't able to physically get down there yet to check it out.

I am enrolled in the ICU internship program at FH. They told me I could pretty much pick the hospital I wanted to work at after orientation, after I had mentioned to them that I had no idea where I would be living. I am really excited.

Thanks for the advice!

Jenn

[elisabeth1350]

Hi, I moved to orlando from the outskirts of atl, I am now living in altamonte springs. I like here alot and plan to stay. I plan on going to nursing school next may at florida hospital, and I am very excited. The traffic can be kinda bad , and that is the reason I will not move out farther than longwood, which is also located in seminole county.

my sister works in the nicu at the downtown orlando florida hospital , and she loves it there.

I know this is not much, but I hope it helps!

[LNZMLY]

I travel nursed at Heart of Florida and would not go back there. They have alot of agency nurses for staff. Bad sign!

[kkettle70]

Hi Everyone,

My husband and I have been looking into moving down to Orlando when we graduate. Which is not that much longer :wink2: I have some pretty general questions about working in Orlando.

- I was wondering want the schedule would be like at FH or ORMC: Do the

nurses do 3 12's per week. At the hospital I did my clinicals, the nurses did 5

12's the first week and 2 12's the second week. 5 12's in one week is

exhausting.

- When I was looking at the job openings for ORMC it said that after

internship the nurse would enter a VFT position. I would prefere to only

work days. FH seems to have more opportunities for graduate nurses to

work only days than ORMC. My husband and I are newly weds and I would

really like to spend as much time at home with him in the nights as possible

as he only works days.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks everyone.

[Annabelle57]

hi everyone,

my husband and i have been looking into moving down to orlando when we graduate. which is not that much longer :wink2: i have some pretty general questions about working in orlando.

- i was wondering want the schedule would be like at fh or ormc: do the

nurses do 3 12's per week. at the hospital i did my clinicals, the nurses did 5

12's the first week and 2 12's the second week. 5 12's in one week is

exhausting.

- when i was looking at the job openings for ormc it said that after

internship the nurse would enter a vft position. i would prefere to only

work days. fh seems to have more opportunities for graduate nurses to

work only days than ormc. my husband and i are newly weds and i would

really like to spend as much time at home with him in the nights as possible

as he only works days.

any thoughts would be appreciated.

thanks everyone.

i hope this can help clear up the vft part for ormc - vft (variable full-time) is the term they use to mean that although you are technically working 32-36 hours per week, you are still classified as full-time and receive full-time benefits. it does not refer to whether you work days or nights or switch around, though there are rn positions that can do that. most rns at the orhs hospitals work 3-12s, though some nursing positions are in units that are not staffed 24/7 and may work 5-8s or another combination of hours. generally, on the job postings, if it says days, it's 7am to 7pm; nights, 7pm to 7am. if the hours are different from this, you'll see this in the job posting - i just saw one for the ormc ed for 11am to 11pm shifts.

though it doesn't have a flashy web page for it, orhs has a great grad nurse program, too - they're very big on making sure you feel part of a team and not just a new nurse thrown into the general mix.

if left with any doubt, call one of the recruiters - 321-841-8625. if you ask about a specific job posting, they can tell you the particulars of the job. they're always happy to talk with an rn.

hope this helps - i don't know about fh, but i work at orhs in hr and have to know all this stuff for my job. pm me if you have any other questions! :wink2:

[ann h]

This tread has been wonderful for me to read.

I am a UK RN and had a contract with FH. I am applying for a green card at the moment and hope to be working in Orlando Hopsital within the year.

The international recruiter says she should be able to get me a position in the Cardiac Cath lab at FH Orlando I am really excited and cant wait for the GC to come thought.

We have a house in Kissimmee we rent out but will have to live closer than this as too much travelling.

I will copy the areas recommeded and the next time we are over go out looking.