lmolvr

HI, I am an LPN that was just hired to work in the PACU at a local hospital here in the Twin Cities. I haven't started yet, but I will be transporting patients, keeping the area stocked, and helping the RN in any way that they may need. At the interview my manager showed me like a three page list of duties I could perform. I'm a little nervous, it will be fast-paced but a tremendous learning experience (I'm in school for my RN). I have been an LPN for three years...mostly in a transitional care unit in a nursing home. If your manager is encouraging you to take the position, I'd consider it. They have obviously seen something in you that makes them think you would be good at it. The biggest question is if this is something you want. If you do...I say go for it. You can always transfer out if you get there and decide you don't like it. Good luck in whatever you choose!

Hi all, I am hoping/planning on moving to Tampa this summer. I have talked to hospitals..and am disappointed with pay form LPN's (which I am). The lowest I heard was $11.62 (hospital)...and the highest $16.50 + shift differential (for a long term care facility). I make more than that here in Minnesota...but the 16.50 may be doable for me. Of course...I'd like to make there what I make here...and was curious about agency nursing. Does anyone currently work for an agency that they would recommend...or does anyone know of any good ones? Any help you can offer would be appeciated!! Thanks, Lisa

Hi all, I currently live in MN, and have been wanting to move to Tampa for years. With wait lists for RN school just as long in Minneapolis as Tampa....I'm thinking of moving to Tampa...and fulfilling my RN down there. I am currently an LPN (graduated 6 months ago) and I work on a sub-acute unit and Alzheimers unit in a LTC facility here in Minneapolis. I know hospitals are a little difficult to get into for an LPN, but can anyone tell me what LTC options may be available in Tampa? I know pay for nurses is terribly low in Florida...I make $18.20/hr up here at my facility (work 3-11). Is there any chance that I can make that kind of money anywhere (LTC/agency/hospital) in Tampa? Lastly, I would have just one class to take to fulfill pre-reqs at the two schools (SPC, HCC) I am considering (and I may just take those classes up here). Does anyone know if I could apply to school as soon as I get down there (say...fall 2006), and by the time I may be accepted (it can take up to a year, right?) would I qualify for instate tuition.....or because I applied and hadn't been a FL resident for a year when I applied would they charge me out of state? Any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated. I know I am coming to Tampa in the next few years. I'm just tired of the cold winters...and wondering if I should just come sooner...and continue my RN education down there. Lisa

I am an LPN working in a LTC facility in the Twin Cities. I started at $18.20 as a new grad (about six months ago). Base pay during the day is $15.45....there's a $2.75 shift differential for working 3-11. The RN's start at approx. $20-$21 I believe....during the day. Not to sure about hospitals...but I think they pay about the same ($14-$15 range). However, I hear it's getting increasingly difficult to have an LPN job in a hospital.

Hello, I too live in the twin cities area ( bloomington) and hate the cold weather, I moved here last april 0f 2003. I was in an RN program fall of 2003 and had to withdraw. I am a nursing assistant looking for jobs in the last 3-months , I applied every where that I can think of. I want to go back to fl, I lived there for 11 years, the school are way cheaper than here. I check the LPN school here, some of them like DCTC require a lot of General ed. Do you mind if I ask which school that you're attending. Good luck with school. You will like Fl but the only problem is the jobs don't pay much.:) Nursing homes start CNA $8-9, here in MN I was working in a nursing home getting 11.44. I am thinking if I go back now I may not be able to pay rent and go to school with $9. I used to live in the west palm beach area I'm at Hennepin Technical College right now for my LPN....it's a good school...the instructors are great! If I stay in MN to obtain my RN, I will be going to North Hennepin Technical College...I hear it's a good school as well.

Hi all, Many of you know that I am graduating from LPN school this May, and wanting to move to Tampa afterwards. I had finally made up my mind to move down there this summer. (I currently live in Minnesota and do not like it...hate the cold weather and there aren't enough "big" cities for me). After I get my LPN, I will continue to get my two year RN. Now, I am trying to figure out the best plan for me. If I stay in MN, and if I can get in to RN school w/o a wait (I have to take four pre-reqs then I can apply for the RN program..timing works out so that I could start RN classes the summer after I finish my pre-reqs...which is about a semester wait...as long as transition students aren't on a wait list...of which there is no guarantee), I can have my RN license in the spring of 2007...then I could high tail it to Florida. I've already taken some pre-reqs at the school I plan on getting my RN from....there's just no guarantee that I will be accepted....last year around 700 people applied and the school can only take 135 people...transition students included. If I move to FL this summer....I'd wait a year to get in-state tuition..then start my pre-reqs (at that time I'd likely still have four pre-req's) then I could start the RN classes....again depending on if transition students have a wait for classes as well...I may get my RN degree in spring of 2008 at the earliest. However...the RN portion of the MN program is 8 credits a semester....you have two days of clinicals....at this point I don't know what times you go..morning/night, two days of classes, one day being 10:00 to 12:00, and the other day being 12:00 to 2:00....kinda makes it hard to have a job....I'd have to work Fri, Sat, Sun...which is no prob...but I can't possibly work every weekend and go to school Mon-Thurs......I'd be burnt out very quickly. In FL, I'm looking at St. Petersburg College...there semesters of RN classes seem to be lighter credit wise..which would open up time for me to work...and still have time for myself. The pros/cons of staying in MN? Cons: I hate the cold, long winters, I've been here long enough and I'm beyond ready to move, Pros:my family is here, I could get through school faster. The pros/cons of moving to FL? Cons: it would take longer to get through school, i don't know a soul (not a huge problem for me though)Pros: it's warmer than MN...ok..hot as he**, but that doesn't bother me, oodles of things to do. I also have a marriage that is not good....my plan is to get through LPN school and then hopefully leave. I'm afraid if I don't take the opportunity to move to Fl this summer, I may not have the money to in the future. I'm trying to save as much money as I can, but if I stay in MN, a lot of the money I'm saving now will pay for classes (my prereq's are spaced out just enough to probably not get me a lot of financial aid..and my job will pay for classes, but only if I work 20 hours a week...which I can't because of my school schedule ) and cover my living expenses when I can't work a lot of hours because of my school schedule. I do plan on calling St. Petersburg College and talking to someone to get more specifics on there program so I can be more informed. what I would appreciate from people here are their perspectives. I'm so stressed out I desperately want to move to Florida NOW, but I'm not sure if the circumstances will be any different down there, then up here. In all of this the biggest factor is being able to work enough as an LPN to support myself, while I have an RN school load that is not too heavy. Any thoughts, suggestions,tips, encouragement, prayers, glasses of beer :rotfl: would be so greatly appreciated. This is an important decision for me, and I am trying to get all the facts together so i can make the best decision I can. Anyone with knowledge of SPC and their two year RN program would be of great help too. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this....I appreciate it!!! Lmo

Thank goodness!!! The VA sounds like a good opportunity....I'm glad their orientation is longer than what one person told me.

Thank goodness!!! The VA sounds like a good opportunity....I'm glad their orientation is longer than what one person told me.

I stayed in Bradenton last spring when I visited Florida to check out the Tampa area. I liked the area, but wished it were just a little closer to Tampa....it's not that far away.....but still..... I liked Sarasota.....especially by the marina where they have sculptures along the grass. I remember the big picture frame, and I stood in the middle and had my hubby take a picture....it's neat looking. Do you know much about Manatee Community College and it's LPN to RN program? Lmo

Thanks Pat, I had spoke with someone who worked in HR there a few days ago (albeit, they were not the Nurse Recruiter). They told me there training for a new grad LPN was three weeks long (on the floor was only one week). This unnerved me....I guess I'll have to call back and talk to the Nurse Recruiter. Lmo

Curious to know what you think the best hospitals in Florida are to work for? Things to take into consideration are pay :chuckle , working conditions (are shifts pretty much filled, or do you always run short, patient ratio, support if you want to continue your education...., opportunities for learning (things that would come into the hospital that you have rarely seen), etc. I have a special interest in the hospitals in the Tampa area, but all hospitals would be appreciated. Please list why you picked the hospital you did too. Thanks, Lmo

Hi, I was curious to know if anyone has works for, or know someone that works for the VA Hospital in Tampa. If so, can someone let me know what they think of the facility.....decent patient ratios, good financial assistance for furthering your education, location of the hospital....that kind of stuff Thanks, Lmo

Now that I can handle!!!! Here, snow starts in November/December and you don't seen grass again until around April!!! :angryfire

Thanks Bonnie, That really does help!! I'm glad to hear about the Wild Horse.....that's one must see on my list!!! Blecchh!!! It snows? Granted it's not as bad as MN, but I was hoping for warmer winter weather.. Glad to hear Chattanooga is so close...that was another place I was looking at. All in all I'm still undecided...even with the hurricanes hitting FL....it may be a better pick for me......we'll see after my trip to TN :chuckle Lmo

When I was 21, I tried to join the Air Force, but was turned down, due to a genetic disorder I had. The disorder (Neurofibromatosis) doesn't cause any problems for me, but they still said no. I still would like to be in the Air Force, but I am now 30. Am I past my prime? It seems that the Air Force Nurses are BSN holders. Would I need to get my BSN before going to the Air Force? Lmo

Nurses here generally find their workplace harder to take than other states (I had a bit of an adjustment coming from Mn) Good luck wherever you decide to go! :) Mattsmom What do you think makes TX such an adjustment for other nurses? I would consider Texas...pretty much anywhere where I will see next to, or no snow :chuckle. I do want a good orientation and learning process. I heard Houston is a good place for pay/living. Do you have any other cities you would recommend? Lmo

Thanks Pat, SPC sounds good to me from the little bit of information I can get on it. I'm just not sure how many St. Pete hospitals will hire a new grad LPN. LRMC will hire one...but...I'd much rather live in St. Petersburg. Here in MN, I was told I would have a better chance of getting in as a bridge student versus a regular LPN student, because of the number of applicants. Do you know if the SPC wait list is just as long for the bridge progam as it is for the regular RN student? Lmo

Hi guys, Many of you know I plan on moving to Florida this upcoming summer (that is if I can get hired :chuckle ) Anyway...the two schools that stand out for me are SPC/PCC. Can you give me the pros/cons of each school? I would be attending a LPN to RN program. I would love to live in St. Petersburg, but I'm not sure yet if any of the hosptials would hire a new grad LPN. LRMC will hire a new grad, and I could go to PCC, but I don't know too much about the area. When I visited FL last spring, we focused on St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Brandon. Someone suggested LRMC as a place to work, but we never got a chance to visit Lakeland. Any tips? Thanks Lmo

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Thanks Hair, It is hard for me to decide...I think I would love the change of seasons that TN offers...I think I may even be able to handle the winters. TN for me, brings to mind mountains, rolling hills, beautiful autumns, lots of trees, and my favorite....southern accents :kiss The only things I am concerned about is the amount of things to do. For instance...Florida has the Space Coast, the Everglades, Disney, Miami, the Keys, Tampa, etc. If I ever wanted to....there is an abundance of things to do. I'm not sure what TN has to offer, and how long you have to drive to do it. I could live in Nashville, but how long does it take to get to Chattanooga, or Memphis if I wanted to go. What other things does TN offer? I know there has to be an abundance....I'm just not sure what. Thanks everyone for all the comments.....this gal my have to go to TN instead of FL!! Lmo

You can't even have a roomate and have your half of the rent be $300 here in MN!!! I am intrigued.....TN and FL have been on my "want to move there" list for many years. Ironically, I belong to a health occupation student organization, and our national competition was in....Orlando. Guess where our 2005 national competition is.....you guessed it....Nashville!!! We didn't have much time to explore Orlando, but I have been on trips to FL before....in fact spent a week there checking out apartments this past spring. I'm debating on going to Nashville...I'm graduating in May from my LPN program (our trip is the end of June), and will be taking a Biology course over the summer as a prereq for my RN. Plus I will be taking my MN boards, hopefully become a nurse at my facility, and try to find a job in FL...just in case. I don't know if I should go to Nashville. Our hotel is the Opryland something.....it's not close to town from what I understand. Pay rates seem to be pretty similar in TN and FL...just how cold and snowy does it get in TN. I am use to about six months straight of snow....it usually snows in Nov/Dec, and doesn' t go away until sometimes April. It frequently gets below zero due to wind chill.....I don't want to experience that ever again in my life Anyway...can anyone tell me about your winters and pros/cons of Nashville? Thank you so much for your help everyone!!!! Lmolvr

I would move to any area. I like the availability of lots of things to do (dance clubs, museums, parks, but also be close enough to pretty scenery) Living in Virginia, I went down Skyline Drive once....thought it was gorgeous. I wouldn'w mind living near the mountains, but I'd like to be close to a big city.

Hi, I am a LPN student in MN. I was long considering moving to Fl, when I am done, but I am reconsidering because of low pay for nurses. I use to live in VA, and loved the scenery and think TN would be beautiful. Some questions I have: what is a typical pay rate for a new grad LPN? Can I get loan forgiveness? I plan on continuing for my RN, what are typical pay rates for new grad RN's? What are good inexpensive places to live (typical apartment rental in Minneapolis area is about $600 for a one bedroom)? Any other thoughts you all would have would be appreciated! Thanks, Lmo

Hi, I am an LPN student in Minnesota who wishes to move to Florida when I am done (in May). I have begun research, and found a possible way to pay off my RN degree when I get it, however, I have yet to find a way to have my LPN degree "forgiven". It would be a big help if I could have a hospital or such help me pay it off, and I am aware of a few programs, but will it apply since I'd be coming from out of state? Also, I have Lakeland Regional Hospital at the top of my list because of their loan forgiveness for RN (along with PCC, which I would like to attend if I choose LRMH), plus they seem to really want to assit new graduate Lpn's My biggest desire is to live in Tampa/St. Petersburg though. I visited this area this past spring and fell in love. I'm leaning toward St. Petersburg, and looking at Bayfront hospital. My overall plan is too get my MN license this summer and apply for my FL license. Then I hope to find a job in FL (anywhere will probably do, but I'd prefer Tampa...anything to get out of this frozen wasteland :chuckle I will work for a year to get state residency, then start the LPN-RN bridge somewhere (tuition is so much cheaper in FL....it's $130 a credit at the school I will go to for my RN here....only like $50-some a credit in FL!!) Ok...so...does anyone know of any loan forgiveness for someone getting their LPN in a state other than Florida, what are good hospitals to get your feet wet at...and any other tips you all can think of? Any advice would be welcomed :) Thank you, Lisa

ok....Now that I've had time to read and reflect...and sleep.....I can say a few more things. I realize we married quickly.....I guess I used my parents as an "it's ok...it can work"...they knew each other two weeks...got married...and have been together for 35 years now....and are still happy and in love. I have dated a lot...been down the marriage road once before, and I am the type of person who knows what I want...for the most part:roll . I know he's the best man I've been with....with the exception of his insecurity...it's a real drag. I have allowed myself to get so frustrated by it, that it has tainted our relationship. We both realize it's his problem that he needs to fix, and I can and should (and will) be supportive of his getting help. We don't have kids together or from our previous marriages (thank goodness!), and neither of us want any. Yes....he has admitted he's jealous of celebrities..wishes he could be them.....and I was the one to bring up Halle Berry and her beauty ...prompting him to tell me he thought I was prettier. I was attempting to get him to realize that finding other people to be attractive isn't a bad thing...and you don't neccessarily think sexually about them because you find them attractive. I think the point was lost on him I have never met someone so insecure...it's a mind-boggler.....hard to deal with..... I know I will remain with him....I do love him, and he's wonderful to me and a good person. I guess I needed to lean on someone (you guys)....I have been trying to deal with him...but not deal with how I was feeling. I truly appreciate all the advice and support all of you have been providing....it's nice to know someone cares:sniff: BTW...he has his first counseling appointment next Monday..........