SW Florida - School, Work, etc

[b-girl]

If you live or work in SW Florida I would like some feedback.

I will be a NP soon and my husband a CNA soon to be a LPN then a RN (he's sitting for the NCLEX-PN during RN school). We both will be working Peds.

Schools - RN-BSN programs -> Gulf Coast v. USF (or any other recs)

RN-MSN programs -> Gulf Coast v. USF (or any other recs)

MSN-DNP program -> USF (or any other recs)

MSN-PhD program -> USF (or any other recs)

Hospitals - Lee Memorial -> LPN, RN or NP info

NCH -> LPN, RN or NP info

Peds Primary Care - NP info

Any info about schools or working at the hospital, including pay, shift diffs, benefits, units, etc would be very much appreciated :)

Thanks!

[Critterpuss]

I've worked both of these facilities. If you will be working Peds I would highly recommend Healthpark, which is affiliated with Lee memorial. Great work environment and they really CARE about sick children. They treat their employees well.

Lee memorial, main campus, has its problems as far as staffing issues. Many nurses at this facility aren't really that happy.

Gulf Coast in Ft Myers, another one owned by Lee Memorial, is a sweet hospital, pays well and treats its employees well. Many nurses there have been there for decades and plan to retire from there. Says a LOT to me, and rare these days. Google "Gulf Coast Hospital, Ft Myers Fl for more info

Naples community hospital is going thru some changes lately, laying off nurses even though they are adding more wings to their hospitals. It's one of those red flags of an unstable hospital. Most of the nursing staff is tense due to the staffing changes. The Dr's are unhappy because of the decrease in hands on personel (RN's) to take care of their pts. Used to one of the better hospitals in the area but.......