PhantomDelight25

Flybritt58, I be in the UCF Summer 2012 entering class and graduating in August 2013. I was wondering, now that it is Nov. 2011, have you been accepted to anywhere yet? Got a job? How long did it take to get a job? What is your starting salary? I want to prepare myself for what to expect when I graduate.

To all those who commented and implied that I was changing careers just for the money...you are all wrong. Originally, when getting my first Bachelor degree, I was pre-med. I wanted to 'take care of sick people' and work in the medical field. Then, I got a Master's degree, specifically in a field designed to help people--psychology. Then, I lost my way for a while. Now, that fate is forcing a career change on me, I am going back to my roots, so to speak. I can't go to medical school, because I am already servicing over $100K in student loan debt and would never be able to afford it. But, that doesn't mean that I gave up on working in the medical field.

I am beginning to hear rumors of nurses being laid off in Florida and/or nurses having difficulty getting jobs. I am in the process of changing careers from my current one to go back to school for nursing. My current profession has a complete saturation of the job market and virtually no available jobs. I don't want to jump from one sinking ship to another. Anyone know what the employment market is like? Do the nurses out there have jobs? I would be going for a BSN at UCF, through their Accelerated program, and then sitting for the RN shortly thereafter. The UCF advisors tell me that all their graduates have jobs lined up before graduating. What is average starting salary for Central FL RN's with a BSN? Do the salaries go up over time or stay the same as when you start?

Paco69, I have my J.D. and hoping to get into UCF's Accelerated BSN. Looks like you are one year ahead of me. I have a few more prereq's to do this summer and the TEAS test to take. Good luck!!!

So, what pushed you away from HCC and towards USF? I haven't been able to find anything in the threads that starting salary for BSN's is any higher than RN's.

kristykat....as another female attorney looking to change fields (also with a BS in Biology)...have you decided between the USF BSN or the HCC RN? I am in the process of just beginning that investigation now. What about salary differences?? Would you the USF BSN program take us...even without an RN degree?

I have a BS in Biology/Psychology, MA in Clinical Psych, and JD. Unfortunately, the pay for attorneys is really really bad. I noticed you said you have worked as a nurse for 6 years and making $83k. I noticed on another FL thread that the average salaries for nurses in central fl is $22/hour. From your experience and knowledge, is your salary more the norm or the rarity? Also, what salary did you start at? I'm hoping to get my RN and change fields, but I also need to be able to make enough to pay the student loans I have already accumulated. Any advice???

I have a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology (I was premed originally); Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology; and a law degree. Unfortunately, the salary for attorneys is horribly awful. I am looking for a career change and am looking into an RN. I live in Kissimmee and, so, I would be looking for a job in the central florida area. Any ideas on what the starting salary for someone like me would be...would have an RN....but also a BS, MA, and JD behind it....plenty of life/work experience ( I am 32) but no previous work experience specifically as a nurse???? I hear from some people that the starting salary should be somewhere around $25.00/hour. I don't need benefits or vacation pay...but do need consistent fulltime hours.