ORMC vs. FH Orlando

FL_Nurse92 · Sep 15, 2015

I know at FL Hospital you have to take part in the new grad residency program in order to be hired. I had an interview at ORMC on a general med surge floor as a new graduate and liked what I saw. Just decided to go to tampa instead.

blue1015 · Sep 16, 2015

Do you have your BSN? I was going to apply for the graduate program at Orlando Health but they only take BSN now. Some of the units require a GPA requirement. I believe the Winnie Palmer hospital and Arnold Palmer both have GPA requirements but Winnie Palmer is maternity so that's probably not where you wanna go.

FL_Nurse92 · Sep 16, 2015

Yes I have a BSN. Fl hospital does not require a BSN though. I'm not sure about the others.

poolrn14 · Sep 19, 2015

I have coworkers who work at FL Hospital who hate it compared to Orlando Health but I think it's a matter of what you are use to. As a new grad, you don't have anything to compare to so either could work.

Why, you may ask...? From what I've heard, there are very few techs at FL Hospital so it's more of a primary care thing with nurses. You do the vitals and perhaps something else I don't recall that typically a tech would do. However, keep in mind that if you work on a more critical step-down unit (trauma, neuro, ICC), you will be doing vitals yourself as well at OH. The difference may be that things are more accessible to do them at OH with the new tower. Perhaps someone else can tell you if you have to walk around with a dynamap (sp?) or not at FL Hospital. I also hear that FL Hospital is more strict.

At OH, if you're working on Step-down units, the ratio varies depending on which one, of course. If it's a regular PCU, ratio is usually 4:1. If it's more critical like Trauma SD, Neuro SD, and ICC, the ratio is 3:1.

The morale is improving at OH and my management team is great. Can't speak for FL Hospital but they are always offering sign-on bonuses so I imagine OT is available. Not much if any OT available currently at OH. Seems currently a slow season.

Self-scheduling is easy and done online at OH but depending on mgmt and needs of the unit, your schedule could be flipped some. So no, it's not complete self-scheduling as the needs of the unit come first. I mostly got the days I wanted working full-time. You are also usually required to work every other weekend or schedule a certain amount of weekend days. Each unit makes it's own rules.

Hope that was helpful.

paramedic90 · Sep 24, 2015

I am about to start nursing school, but I do work as a PCT at Orlando Health. I can say that from what I have heard, it is easier to get a job at Orlando Health because they do not rely heavily on your GPA from nursing school, where at FH they do. At OH there is at least one tech per 8 patients, and we are supposed to do all of the EKGs, blood draws, changing, bathing, etc for the patient where at FH that is the nurses job without any tech help. But I do know a lot of graduates with their ASN go to FH with no problem, where at OH a lot of the hospitals you know need your BSN (like Winnie and Arnold). Personally, I love OH and plan on staying for the long haul!

FL_Nurse92 · Sep 24, 2015

I work at FH and we have 1 tech per 7-8 patients. Never once did they ask for or look at my GPA. Our techs also do everything you just listed. I had interviews at both Orlando Regional and FH and chose FH. To each is own but please do your research before commenting on a hospital you are not employed at!

pugmom79 · Dec 25, 2015

Worked at both. Looooooove ormc so much more.