Staff Nurse Position in ED

[TurannaRN]

Hi everyone!

So.. I recently took a travel contract in Boca Raton, FL and decided I liked it so much in Florida that I would look for a regular staff position and settle down somewhere. (This is sort of big for me since I've been a vagabond nurse for the last 5-6 years.) I applied for a ton of jobs and had a few interviews but hadn't found anything I was too interested in until a few weeks ago. I received a phone call from a hospital that I had applied to months ago but never heard anything back. They didn't have the exact position I applied for (which was a PD Peds ER RN position), but they had a FT Peds ER RN position that was a flex shift. I figured I'd go in for the interview and see if it was something I could see myself doing. I interviewed with HR, the unit manager, another unit manager, the ANM, and a staff nurse during my interview process. Everything went really well and I've been offered the position "unofficially".

My only issue is that I took a bit of a pay cut (approx. $500/week) taking the travel assignment I'm currently working, if I take this staff position I'll be taking an additional $400/week pay decrease. I expected a bit a of pay decrease since I was coming from NJ, but even compared to the current travel contract I'm doing in Boca Raton, FL, I'll be making $400 less a week. I'm really not sure I can take almost $1000 a week pay difference. I'm back in school, paying for classes as I go, and still have student loans and other bills to pay for regardless of where I live. Everyone I've spoken to also tells me that cost of living is less in Florida than in NJ, but let me tell you... I've been searching for apartments and a one bedroom in any decent area I've looked in has been pretty comparable to southern NJ one bedroom rates. I guess I'm just trying to gauge if Florida staff nursing positions are really this low paying with 6+ years of experience or if the hospital is trying to pull a fast one. Does anyone know how much a staff nurse in the ED for a tenet facility in florida makes?

I was also trying to weigh all the pros and cons of taking the position.. I'm just really torn.

Anyone have any advice? Anyone familiar with tenet hospitals in WPB area?

Thanks

[TurannaRN]

Thank you WKShadow!

Ironically, the next day they rescinded the offer. Kind of upsetting but it was a huge pay cut and they weren't able to work with me on it. Oh well. Everything happens for a reason.

That's a big pay cut. It sounds like a wonderful position, but only if you can afford it. Good luck!

[Zyprexa_Ho]

Damn girl you just wrote a book of a post