What is it like to practice RN in Florida

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Hey y'all!! I need help quick, fast, and in a hurry!! I have a job opportunity in Florida coming and was talking to a RN at my current job..she said DO NOT PRACTICE RN IN FLORIDA because of the standards, malpractices, and so bad my license would be on the line. She said look on allnurses.com, so here I am! I have to know soon so as to take this or pass! It's getting me closer to home on East Coast and out of Seattle!

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ok.... malpractice occurs across all 50 states. Unless your friend has worked in every hospital in FL how could they possibly know what occurs in each setting. It is up to you to protect you license! FL has some of the best hospitals in the nation.

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Thank you for the reply. It's just a coworker and we had that discussion and I even asked if she worked in FL and got a no and I gave her the "how do you know then" look. She was making me feel like I was making the worst decision of my career and I had to ask..Thank you for basically verifying what I knew in my head.

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I actually just moved to Tampa in June to work and I love it so far!

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Specializes in NICU.

She sounds very misinformed and overly opinionated! I may be a bit biased because I've lived here for 18 years but I haven't encountered any issues that would cause me to advise anyone to not practice as an RN in Florida. The pay is a bit lower than other areas of the country but the cost of living is also a lot lower- no state income tax, etc. License costs have also went down and in my experience the Board of Nursing is fairly good with turnaround times, etc. I say if you want it- come and get it! Good luck!

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Thank you and I do want it! Pay anywhere on the east coast down from DC is low 20s-25s including TN, so why not be in a no state income tax and in beautiful FL ☺️

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Specializes in NICU.

There is also a Florida nursing forum under United States Nursing, if you want more info.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

As a native Floridian, I moved north and wish that I never had to return to working in FL facilities. Regrettably, I have elderly family that I may have to return to care for. I got a bleeding ulcer (down to a crit of 20) the last time that I worked there. And that was working at one of the better hospitals. I worked as staff or agency in approximately 10 facilities there and they rank from mediocre at best and utterly abysmal ( worst of my career) at worst.

The no income tax is one of the biggest bait and switch cons around. The state has to pay for building and maintaining infrastructure. So either they tax everything else to the max or having poor infrastructure ( bad schools, damaged highways, limited safety services, etc.). And as for FL having a low cost of living, it isn't that low though the wages certainly are.

I have worked in 8 eastern states, and rank Fl hospitals and facilities at the bottom, easily.

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Could you please explain what is so bad about it? I am a NICU nurse so things go a little different but would like to know more if you can

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