yukka99

GCU is an OK school and will earn you a BSN which is a big advantage. It does cost more because it's private and is a religious school. Scottsdale Healthcare has a partnership with them and helps with tuition for their employees. I did not attend GCU because of religious prereqs but know many nurses that did and they were all happy with the program

Sounds like you picked the better job. I would ask for the maximum training period of 6 weeks and leave the rehab unit after a year for acute care. In the meantime get your ACLS and maybe the IV therapy certifications. This will look good on your resume if you ever want to get into acute care

When I went to nursing school I almost failed OB and peds. Apparently this is common for male nurses.

I would do whatever they ask with the hope that at the end of their program you are still allowed to take the boards. It sounds like this school is about to loose all their accreditations and close down which means starting over for their students

What's the second offer? A decent orientation of 2-3 months on a med-surg or tele unit in acute care setting is an ideal way to start your first job out of school. Keep in mind that transitioning from rehab to acute care may be very difficult. So ask yourself if you are willing to focus your nursing career in a rehab setting vs acute care.

Talk to the instructor and ask on their input about hot to improve your grade. My mother is a university professor and every semester she tells me about students coming to her for help when it's too late. Otherwise attend a yoga class and realize that your future will not change one bit if you get a B in this course

Ned, would you consider assignments at for profit hospitals if the money is good or you stay away all together?

Post a detailed ad on craigslist in the "looking for housing" section and you'll be surprised how many people will reach out to you. I have found housing quickly and easily this way and I travel with 2 dogs!

About a third of all hospitals in the US are for profit. How does this reflect on travel nursing assignments? I am specifically interested in hearing from nurses that have worked at for profit facilities like HCA and what their experience was with staffing ratios, pay and everything else compared to not-for-profit hospitals

Broward Health has a per diem position called the Sun Chaser and it's an equivalent of a travel position. I called up HR and they told me about this position and paired me up with a unit that fits my back ground. But if you are looking for a long term staff position, expect around $25-30/hr

I am on my first travel assignment and I am planning ahead for this summer. I heard that the travel industry slows down in the summer so I am curious to know what travelers do in the months of June/July/August. What are some of the hotspots around the country during the summer months? Please keep posts professional and on topic!

As an update to my own thread, I started a travel assignment 6 weeks ago at Broward Health North in Fort Lauderdale. I am hired by the hospital directly bypassing all the sleazy agencies and am getting paid $36/hr plus differentials plus $1000 housing stipend, so net pay is in the mid $40s. I am on day shift on a trauma unit and get an average of 6 patients. It's hard work but for the money it is acceptable. The hospital is not the safest or the cleanest hospital but it's manageable. Overall I am satisfied and will extend for an other 12 weeks. Thanks everyone for your input!

My advice is to secure an entry level position within a hospital setting while you're in nursing school. That's what I did, got my school paid for and got my first RN job on the unit I worked on.

Great question! I am in the same boat, just over a year experience and its just me and a couple of dogs. I am signed up with 3 agencies that I was referred to by friends. All 3 are telling me not to be picky on my first assignment, after that I should have more choices. Still very anxious and gathering information. Planning on starting my first assignment in June

That sounds like a great suggestion. This will give me time to get a FL license and meanwhile I can do a travel assignment or two elsewhere. Thanks again!

U-haul can mount a hitch on almost any vehicle. A 4' x 8' trailer is $250-300 for up to 8 days for a cross country destination. Benefits are reduced gas cost, more cargo room and any vehicle becomes a perfect travel vehicle.

Thanks for the input everyone! I am set on going to Florida sometime soon, just have to continue doing my research in order to avoid putting me into a less than desirable job situation

Thanks for the input everyone! I am set on going to Florida sometime soon, just have to continue doing my research in order to avoid putting me into a less than desirable

So far I found that Florida ranked 5th best paying state with an average hourly rate of just over $30/hr. Also FL ranked 2nd for projected job growth for RNs in the next 10 years. These are statistics from 2012 from credible sources like US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Nursinglink.com.

How recently did you work in Florida, Ned?

Any nurses that have had assignments in South Florida please respond with what agency has the most and best FL assignments, what kind of pay to expect and what to watch out for! All info is much appreciated, thanks!