I have been a nurse since 2006, working in ICU's since 200,7 with 3 yrs of PACU experience thrown in there. I was also a Transplant Coordinator for New York Organ Donor Network for 8 months. I have a vast amount of experience, but it is really hard for me to get a job in NYC with only an associates due to all hospitals wanting magnet status. I won't receive my BSN until next year, but I need to work NOW! I have made the decision to move down to Tx, but am not sure in the cities. My choices were Houston, Corpus Christi, Dallas, and San Antonio. I have only worked in level one trauma center in teaching facilities, and I must be challenged when I go to work, ohterwise I will get bored. I am a single mom of a 7 yr old daughter and that is what I'm most afraid of. I hope I can find child care and make the right choice in which neighborhoods to raise her in. PLEASE, if you moved from NY to Tx or are Tx native, I would love to you your advice!

The VA in Temple Texas hires ADNs.

Your experience should be able to offset the lack of a BSN. However, I would encourage you to focus on small to mid-size cities until you actually have your BSN since the larger ones are firmly in 'BSN only' mode. Since you are from NYC, I assume that you are very comfortable in a culturally diverse environment, right? If so, South Texas shouldn't be a problem for you; this area is Hispanic majority in most areas. If you're just looking for a soft landing spot for a couple of years until you have that BSN, the school situation shouldn't be a problem because, for the most part, public school disparities are not really evident until High School.

Get your Tx license ASAP. Potential employers will probably not be interested until you do. Nursing practice in Tx is different. If you have accepted the popular opinions about Tx expressed here on AN and from other sources, you will undoubtedly be very surprised. Our NPA is one of the strongest in the nation. We have had a legally defined 'nurse-patient' duty since the early '80s - I believe that it is the only one in the US. Our BON is very active & takes a very firm stance on many issues. LVNs function at a much higher level than you will be used to. Although organized labor hasn't made much of an impression, we have a plethora of workplace protections at the disposal of individual nurses.

You may be shocked at the "low" salaries but keep in mind that we also have a much lower cost of living than you are used to. It is still very possible to find a very nice house for

Good luck on your relocation! C'mon back here to the Tx forum if we can answer any specific questions for you.