Think of moving to Florida after graduation, is it as bad as they say???

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I will be graduating with my BSN and really want to move to Florida (preferably the Orlando or West Palm beach area). I have done tons of research and I am wondering would it be best for me to secure a job and move down, or stay in my home state for a year or two after I graduate to get experince and save money? I have heard many things about the job market and people having problems finding jobs, but the people who have received jobs usually have their BSN, which I will have. I have seen starting pay range from 22~25 starting, but would like more first hand opinions on pay and what I would be able to afford as far as living conditions.

Would you recommend that I get some type of health experience like an internship or working as a CNA, to make finding a job easier?

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I just moved straight from graduating with my BSN from Ohio and I got a job pretty easily...if you have the grades for it and interview well you can def get a job down here. From what I have heard and experienced from talking to recruiters, some do like taking out of state to get the variety....

Again this is just from my experience! My best friend also got a job in Miami, the first job she applied to as well. Good luck!!!

Did she speak spanish? I have heard it is almost impossible to get a nursing job there if you don't.

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Florida? Wrong move.

Thanks for your opinion, but could you give me more of an explaination why?

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Everyone that I have talked to (inside and outside of Nursing) has said Florida's job market sucks. I've heard it's slowly improving, but that Nursing is still over saturated.

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Specializes in NICU.

It is very saturated down here... I would concur. Don't move unless you have something lined up is my advice.

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Currently I am vacationing in Key West. Fl is my destiny. I was born in the Caribbean and know I need to come back to the tropics. I will get my BSN, then work any jobs I can to get experience, then start applying to florida hospitals and even to a travel nursing position when we are ready to move. It won't be too long.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I live in South Florida - After graduating, I attended a job fair, interviewed right then and there on the spot with a panel of three and was called back for a second interview a week later. I was offered a position in the OR which I accepted and then went on to complete a 6 month training program. It was my first and only interview and am I thrilled I found my place in nursing -- I am at my best working in a stressful, fast paced environment and am grateful to be part of such a phenomenal team. Fortunately, I did not have a problem obtaining employment and don't speak a word of spanish. Good luck on your move!

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That is the best story ever. I am sending u a PM!

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I live in South Florida - After graduating, I attended a job fair, interviewed right then and there on the spot with a panel of three and was called back for a second interview a week later. I was offered a position in the OR which I accepted and then went on to complete a 6 month training program. It was my first and only interview and am I thrilled I found my place in nursing -- I am at my best working in a stressful, fast paced environment and am grateful to be part of such a phenomenal team. Fortunately, I did not have a problem obtaining employment and don't speak a word of spanish. Good luck on your move!

Omg that's great congrats! Your story definitely gives a of confidence in moving to Florida. Do you have your BSN? I have been noticing a trend that more nurses with BSN's have found jobs a lot quicker.

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BSN is required by a lot of hospitals in FL now. It's not easy to get a FL job even with a BSN. Look out before you take a job: the hospital I did clinicals at overstaffs, and it seems like a dangerous situation. I'm talking ICU nurses with 3 patients each, plus a charge nurse with 2-3 patients so you have no help. Med-Surg floors with 7-8 patients, some of them total care/trach/comatose, very high acuity. I won't work at my hospital if it paid $100,000 a year, it's too dangerous. Plus, they require 2 year contracts because no one wants to stay in such horrid conditions, so they have to force the nurses to stick around. (That's not just new nurses, many experienced nurses have to sign 2 year long contracts!) Oh, and forget about a tech to help you, they each have 19-30 patients. No kidding! And all this for the sky-high salary of $21 an hour. Ask about staffing and see if you can shadow so you don't end up at a place like mine. I've heard public, not-for-profits are better than the private, corporate ones (mine's corporate: owned by the company Governor Scott used to run. They owned it for a year, squeezed every penny out of it, and then flipped it for a profit. Yeah, I've heard of house flipping, in FL they have hospital-flipping!)

I really don't recommend coming to FL, but it you really have to, go to a public hospital.

It's not true that you need to speak Spanish (except maybe in Miami and its suburbs), but a lot of jobs do say bilingual preferred so your odds are better if you speak Spanish or Haitian-Creole.

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BSN is required by a lot of hospitals in FL now. It's not easy to get a FL job even with a BSN. Look out before you take a job: I won't work at my hospital if it paid $100,000 a year, it's too dangerous. Plus, they require 2 year contracts because no one wants to stay in such horrid conditions, so they have to force the nurses to stick around. (That's not just new nurses, many experienced nurses have to sign 2 year long contracts!) . Ask about staffing and see if you can shadow so you don't end up at a place like mine. .

It's not true that you need to speak Spanish -.

whoa! That's all great information! The contract part is so scary! Asking to shadow is a good point !

thank you!!

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I live in South Florida - After graduating, I attended a job fair

anyone tell me how I can find out about these job fairs??? Please?

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