CLLRN

Well, I have been in Jax about 5 mos. now and work at Baptist South (the new hospital on the south end of town). I really like it there. It is completely computerized, no paper. I can't imagine why you were told there are no day positions when we are quite short right now and they are about to open our last (5th) floor, which is med/surg. progressive. The hospital has been at full capacity almost entirely since it opened--Feb. 16th of this year. You should look into it again. My supervisors have been going on and on about how much they are trying to recruit and hire RNs.

Well, I haven't been on this forum for a while b/c I have been in the process of moving. I recently moved to Jacksonville area (NW St. John's county) and now work for Baptist at the new Baptist South (opened Feb. '05). This facility is beautiful. I am so far very happy with my decision and am impressed with both the organization and the facility, although they are still working through alot of kinks. I have now heard lots from my co-workers, who have at one time or another worked for all the area hospitals. The concesus seems to be that Baptist is the best to work for--even though the pay there is lower than other area hospitals. The one thing that has surprised me, much to my dismay, is that Baptist does not pay Holiday Pay--no time and 1/2 for Holidays! I had never heard of this, and I have worked in several places in various cities. Let's face it, as nurses, we often HAVE to work the holidays, and to not get holiday pay seems disrespectful of us and what we do. Even fast-food workers get time and 1/2 on holidays! Anyway, work atmosphere is good--most employees very nice and helpful. Baptist really promotes respect and teamwork among its employees. Also nurse patient ratios are managable--1 to 4-5 on med/surg. progressive units. I would recommend Baptist to others.

Well, I haven't been on this forum for a while b/c I have been in the process of moving. I recently moved to Jacksonville area and now work for Baptist at the new Baptist South (opened Feb. '05). This facility is beautiful. I am so far very happy with my decision and am impressed with both the organization and the facility, although they are still working through alot of kinks. I have now heard lots from my co-workers, who have at one time or another worked for all the area hospitals. The concesus seems to be that Baptist is the best to work for--even though the pay there is lower than other area hospitals. The one thing that has surprised me, much to my dismay, is that Baptist does not pay Holiday Pay--no time and 1/2 for Holidays! I had never heard of this, and I have worked in several places in various cities. Let's face it, as nurses, we often HAVE to work the holidays, and to not get holiday pay seems disrespectful of us and what we do. Even fast-food workers get time and 1/2 on holidays! Anyway, work atmosphere is good--most employees very nice and helpful. Baptist really promotes respectful behavior among its employees. Also nurse patient ratios are managable--1 to 4-5 on med/surg. progressive units. I would recommend Baptist to others.

I also had a good experience w/ the FL Board of Nursing. I received my permanent license in about 1 month.

I would like to call them and express my interest in working there, but my home will not be completed until May next year (They are just getting started). I would like to come down sooner and start working there, but the only way I could do that is as a travel assignment, which I would like to do. I'm not sure if they will be using any travel nurses. How soon do you think is too soon to contact the nurse recruiter re: working there, given my situation?

I recieved my FL license on Aug. 25th! Less than 2 months after applying. Hope this helps others who are planning a move on how long it will take. I ended up applying way too early b/c I feared the worst--now I have to keep up CEUs several extra months (Illinois does not require CEUs), since I'm not moving until early next year. Good luck to you all. Bogeydog-- any update on when Baptist South is expected to open? Delays?

I have 7yrs experience, but I am really hoping to work for Baptist South, as it is very close to where I am building my home. I have also heard good things about Baptist. But thanks for passing the info. on. :) Cheryl

I also used Nursing Spectrum to complete my requirements (nursingspectrum.com) They offer unlimited CEUs for $25/year.

Well, you asked me to keep you updated on licensure: exactly one month to the day, I received a temporary FL license today that is good through November ( I wonder if it will take that long for my actual license) and a letter that states they are just waiting on FBI fingerprint check to come back. It has gone smoother that what everyone led me to believe--that's why I applied so early. After all, I am not moving to FL until early next year. Maybe I was just lucky??? Oh well, better to err on the side of caution.

I have also talked to the recruiter there, and was told that there is a $5/hr weekend differential. Also, Memorial Hospital Jacksonville offers a $6/hr weekend differential. Hope this helps. PS--Glad to hear that there will be AT LEAST one more pay raise by then!

Hi! I grew up in Altamonte Springs! Lived there from age 4-22. It is a nice area, my parents still live there and I visit when I can--though difficult from Chicago. I was just there in June. There are areas of it nicer than others, and it has become incredibly crowded, lots of traffic-- but it has everything, within a 10 min. drive. New Smyrna beach is the popular "locals beach", it is about a 40min. drive east on I-4. I would be moving back to that area if I could, but it was a bit too crowded for my husband, so we are moving about 1 1/2 hrs northeast, just south of Jacksonville. There are many nice communities in the northeast Orlando suburbs though. My sister lives in Winter Springs, also nearby. You can write me directly if you have any specific questions. I'd be happy to answer them. Cheryl

Former Floridian here--grew up and spent 20 years in Altamonte Springs (NE suburb of Orlando). I am very much looking forward to returning to FL. My husband and I are currently building a home in South Jacksonville area, in NW St. John's county. After living in the Chicago area now for 9 years, I have had all the cold I can possibly handle in this lifetime! I received my BSN in 1998 and have worked on post open-heart stepdown/tele, med-surg. and in an ambulatory care/physician practice setting. I have been working as a staff RN at a local community hospital in med-surg. setting for past couple years--Love the 7a-7p shift, working 3 days/week! Great to see where everyone is coming from, both literally and professionally. Looking forward to being back in the great state of FL--even if the pay does leave alot to be desired

Well, I sent out he application for FL licensure today. Waiting to see how long it takes--after all the stories here of it taking many months. I'm just one more step closer to actually moving!!

Unfortunately, I am very aware of the salary shock I can expect. Flagler is one of the hospitals I called when checking area salaries, and it was the lowest quote I got by far. It is a shame what they get away w/ paying nurses down there. The cost of living there isn't as low as used to be ( I moved up here in 1995 from Altamonte Springs-- just NE of Orlando).

Yes, we may very well be co-workers in the future. It is Baptist South that I am really hoping to work at. I am also currently building a home, in NW St. John's county--along CR 210. I just flew back from there Tues. night, as I had to go there for a plan rewiew on my house. That will be the closest hospital for me. I am hoping to come down on a travel assignment initially for the transition, until my house here is sold and we close on the new one--not expected until next May. I have never done travel nursing before, so I have to look into that a little bit. Cheryl

Does anyone know when they will be hiring for the new Baptist South hospital?? I am moving very close to that hospital early next year. Thanks

I am also very interested in this organization, as I am moving to the South Jacksonville area early next year (currently have a home being built in NW St. John's county) and they are building a new hospital near my new home. Does anyone have any experiences w/ Baptist Health of Northeast Florida that they can share, from a nursing perspective?? Thanks

For those that didn't see it before it closed, after over 60 responses, Florida came in 1st place in the "Salary Hall of Shame" thread on the general discussion board. This is really a reply to Eagleriver's suggestion in the aformentioned thread (that is now locked) about sending the compiled responses to the FL legislature. I have a better idea of where to forward the information (and outrage) from this thread--the Florida media outlets! There is so much in the media now about nursing shortages, maybe they should do a story about the real reasons why, especially in FL. Let the public know how poorly FL nurses are compensated r/t the rest of the country. Many nurses stay away from FL due to high licensure costs/requirements and the very low pay (compared to other states). I would work elsewhere too, if I didn't miss it so much and didn't still have my family there ( I grew up in and lived in FL for 21yrs, before becoming a nurse). I went to nursing school in Illinois and have worked only here (SW Chicago burbs) as a nurse, but will be moving back to FL at the end of this year. After calling a few hospitals in Jacksonville,FL today, I realized that I will have to take almost a $10/hr cut in pay to move there--much bigger difference than the 3% state income tax (80cents/hr) that I will save by moving to FL. The cost of living used to be much lower in FL than up here, I was amazed by that difference when I first moved up here (9yrs ago). It is not that way anymore. My parents still live in FL and I know what their utilities, food, etc. cost; and the housing market has increased dramatically--I was recently there home shopping. The hospitals in FL can't keep using these reasons/excuses for why they pay so little. I will make the move, but ONLY b/c being near my family again is so important to me (and the warm weather doesn't hurt). Most nurses from other areas of the country will go elsewhere, where they are paid better, unless they have a strong personal reason to move to FL. This is not good news for FL, who has a nursing shortage worse than most states. And the answer isn't recruiting nurses from other countries that are willing to work cheaply, which I have been reading more about lately. Nurses in FL deserve better. None of us (or few of us) went into nursing for the money, but why should FL nurses be treated/paid so much more poorly than those in other states? No wonder the shortage is so bad in FL. I can help people and care for the sick (why I really went into nursing) here in IL and still make a decent wage--why can't the same be said for FL? Instead my family will suffer financial hardship so I can care for the sick in FL instead. I know I have made that choice, but my point is, it shouldn't be that way.

Thanks for the info. I am moving from Chicago to Jacksonville area in Jan-Feb.2005 and plan to apply for FL license in July/Aug. to ensure enough time. Does anyone know what (if any) travel nurse companies that Jax hospitals use. Ideally, I would like to make the transition with a travel nurse assignment. All info. is appreciated. Thanks.

allgirlsmom, I know what you mean, my husband and I are also moving from the Chicago area to FL in about 1 year--although I have been looking forward to it for years already, so glad it's almost here. I have a different perspective, b/c I grew up in FL and moved up here in 1995, for my husband. I have been wanting to move back from day one. It is too damn cold up here, too expensive, and corrupt! I won't even mention all the silly little taxes we have here that I had never heard of in FL. Anyway, I grew up in NE Orlando suburbs, thought it was a very nice place to grow up--within about 30 mins. from beaches and themeparks; and am moving to Jacksonville burbs in Jan. 05--that's as far south as I could get my husband to go. The cost of living is much lower down there, not to mention taxes, but so are the salaries--I'm researching recent salary numbers now myself.

For anyone who has also relocated, how far in advance do I need to apply for FL RN license?? I keep reading that FL takes a long time to process license applications. I don't want any hold ups when we're ready to move. I can't wait to get the heck out of here and back to the sunny, WARM state of Florida! Thanks.

Hi, I am new to this board, and so very glad I found it. I am originally from FL (grew up in Orlando area), but have been in the Chicago area for the past 8 yrs. My husband and I are definately planning a move back to FL approx. Feb-Mar 2005--Jacksonville area. Just how long does it take to get RN license in FL, so I can prepare? And what are the salaries realistically?? I currently earn about $27hr w/ 5yrs experience on med/surg. floor in hospital setting here. What can I expect in Jackonville?? Hasn't the nursing shortage helped salaries there too??? Thanks in advance for the info. Cheryl