Relocating to Jacksonville-Never Been -Need Advice!

Published

Hello!

I am currently re-locating to Jacksonville, Fl due to my husbands job. I am a RN with two years experience in pre/post/pacu nursing. I have experience circulating as well, but would prefer to stay pre/post/pacu. I have worked in a hospital outpatient and ambulatory surgery centers with this experience. My largest experience is with eye surgery, but have other pre/post surgery experience. I am ACLS certified and a member on many committees.

My question is what is the job market like for experienced nurses in Jacksonville? I would LOVE to stay in my current field, but understand that it may prove difficult. I have never even been to that part of Florida, so, I am really starting from scratch! What is the pay like? I am willing to travel about 40 minutes a day if needed. What are the hospitals/surgery centers like? Any and ALL information would be great! Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi OP, I will be relocating to Jacksonville for similar reasons myself next month, and I was just wondering how your job search turned out? Unfortunately I am a new grad, but I know things will work out :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Moving to Jacksonville huh? It's a HUGE city, tons of places to work that's for sure. Our weather is also nice, if you like the sunshine and don't mind the occasional random downpour of rain haha. We have several major hospitals, so I'll try to just give you some info about each one.

- Baptist, which is a great place to work from everything I hear. I've been there as a patient and its great. They're a magnet hospital, so they typically want a BSN, but will hire ADNs on occasion. I don't know much about pay here unfortunately, I just know the general new grad rates here range from like $20-23/hr.

-Shands (now called UF health) They are the highest paying hospital here (weekend nights earn an extra $10/hr I believe, on top of like $24-25 depending on the area), but you earn every penny. It's in the urban center of the city, and doesn't have the prettiest appearance lol. They are a teaching hospital though, so you will learn a lot, see a lot, and get good experience.

-St. Vincents: They are doing a lot of layoffs right now, but are also opening up a new hospital soon. Starting pay is around $21 for new grads. Pretty good place to work from everything I hear. My aunt has worked there and loved it.

The places I wouldn't recommend quite as highly would be Memorial and Orange Park Medical Center. They're decent, but they're very much for-profit and don't have the greatest reputations. They're not bad exactly, just not anywhere I'd be thrilled about working as a first choice.

Also, Flagler hospital in St. Augustine is great from what I've heard. It's a nice facility near the water and the nurses there seem pretty happy. If what I've heard is true, they also might've just lowered their nurse to patient ratio to 1:5, but I could be wrong. Most places around here are 1:6.

As far as what the job market is like here, I'd suggest just looking at openings at those hospitals and seeing what's there. I've been looking for myself (I take my NCLEX in a week, but would like to move to Orlando), and it's not like we are just booming with open positions, but since you have experience, you definitely have more options than myself haha :) Any other specific questions you have, just let me know and I'll try to answer them as best I can!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Not sure if you found a job yet, MCourterRn, but I do know Southpoint Surgery Center does a lot of opthalmology cases and from what I've heard is always looking for experienced nurses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Moving to Jacksonville huh? It's a HUGE city tons of places to work that's for sure. Our weather is also nice, if you like the sunshine and don't mind the occasional random downpour of rain haha. We have several major hospitals, so I'll try to just give you some info about each one. - Baptist, which is a great place to work from everything I hear. I've been there as a patient and its great. They're a magnet hospital, so they typically want a BSN, but will hire ADNs on occasion. I don't know much about pay here unfortunately, I just know the general new grad rates here range from like $20-23/hr. -Shands (now called UF health) They are the highest paying hospital here (weekend nights earn an extra $10/hr I believe, on top of like $24-25 depending on the area), but you earn every penny. It's in the urban center of the city, and doesn't have the prettiest appearance lol. They are a teaching hospital though, so you will learn a lot, see a lot, and get good experience. -St. Vincents: They are doing a lot of layoffs right now, but are also opening up a new hospital soon. Starting pay is around $21 for new grads. Pretty good place to work from everything I hear. My aunt has worked there and loved it. The places I wouldn't recommend quite as highly would be Memorial and Orange Park Medical Center. They're decent, but they're very much for-profit and don't have the greatest reputations. They're not bad exactly, just not anywhere I'd be thrilled about working as a first choice. Also, Flagler hospital in St. Augustine is great from what I've heard. It's a nice facility near the water and the nurses there seem pretty happy. If what I've heard is true, they also might've just lowered their nurse to patient ratio to 1:5, but I could be wrong. Most places around here are 1:6. As far as what the job market is like here, I'd suggest just looking at openings at those hospitals and seeing what's there. I've been looking for myself (I take my NCLEX in a week, but would like to move to Orlando), and it's not like we are just booming with open positions, but since you have experience, you definitely have more options than myself haha :) Any other specific questions you have, just let me know and I'll try to answer them as best I can![/quote']

Do you know the job openings in Orlando area in comparison to Jax.. As a new grad with paramedic experience ??

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion