New Grad moving to Albuquerque in December - Page 3

I just wanted to warn everyone about the V.A. They are running ads again for sign-on bonuses for R.N.'s for either $8,000 for Med-Surg, and $10,000 for the Spinal cord injury unit. Please take my advice, and come do a shift or 2 here through an agency BEFORE you sign on that dotted line. I wish I would have, and now I am STUCK for another year and a half at this place.

Their staffing ratios are DANGEROUS!!! It is not unusual to have 20 patients on Med-Surg floors, and this is on DAY shift!! We have very sick pts. too, that require a lot of care. Most of the time the poor CNA's call in. I can't say I blame them, because they are overworked too! On a floor with 40+ patients, there will be 2 CNA'a and they have to split the patients between them. Then you have 2 Nurses that have 15-20 pts. each, so obviously we aren't able to help the CNA's much. We have A "Charge" Nurse that sits on her @#*, and is really no help at all. It doesn't do any good to complain to management, because they just say "You have to do the best you can with the staff you have"!!! Oh yes, we also have MANDATED O.T., so if someone calls in, you might be forced to stay over, if they say it is your turn! :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

So just be careful if you are thinking of coming to the V.A. I am thinking of breaking my contract and paying back the money they gave me. I think in the end it will be more cost -effective, because at least I will still have my Nsg. license I worked so hard to get. I am afraid if I stay here, I won't have it much longer!!!

I was wondering how is love lace hosp been reading up on the different hosp. there in albuquerque, plan to relocate there. Just wondering has is the job market, salary down there. I am a Med/surg nurse of 3 yrs my plans are to go for ER, if you can give me so information, I would greatly appreciate it

Hi all!

I'm a new grad moving to Albuquerque this summer and was wondering if anybody has advice regarding the hospitals. I've applied for positions at UNM, Presbyterian, and Lovelace, so far, and I plan on making a trip out there by early May.

Any advice for a new grad R.N. seeking employment in Albuquerque would be appreciated. :spin:

my advice for any healthcare professional - especially a new grad is to do your research before signing on with a hospital in albuquerque. as with any city there will be good and bad hospitals. i have heard good things about presby. but there is one hospital in particular that has had numerous problems with medicare complaints and investigations. we are talking front page newspaper expose type of problems. do your research. this is not a one time event - it is something that even the staff admits occurs every few years. in my opinion it is not an educated group of people and from what i experienced any attempt to bring new staff in or institute program improvements was met with an angry opposition. so basically you have a group of ignorant people who are quite content to remain ignorant at the expense of patient care as long as they remain in control. the hospital genuinely had an almost third world feeling to it. the patient population is very poor and uneducated with no real advocate support. so unless you are willing to just go in, do your job and quietly overlook this sort of a situation i would avoid the place at all cost. i've seen several health care professionals attempt to be publicly vocal about the situation or attempt to institute program improvements desperately trying to make for improved patient care and outcomes only to meet with problems in their own careers down the road as a result of retaliation. i WOULD definitely give tucson arizona university medical center a try first if you are wanting to head southwest. a world class difference in facilities and staff. also a world class difference in management. it is an excellent facility and a beautiful place to live. phoenix also has some excellent hospitals to work as a new grad or as a traveler. in fact, albuquerque is one of only two bad hospital reviews i have to give based on 10 years of travel experience. so with that being said, protect your career, save yourself the grief and be careful which hospital you land in as a nurse when traveling through albuquerque.

Hello, my name is janice and I plan to move to NM this summer on a travel assignment and anxious to get out of georgia, its been a total mess here, the people are plaque'd with demons from hell, I'm a 57yr old female with two grandboys and we all have been mistreated, I feel that NM is God's country and very much want to com asap. I would love to hear from you. Please post your comments here.

I'm a newly grad from the Philippines.. I've heard that NM is not requiring a local board license.. I want to take NCLEX in NM but I already requested for the fingerprint card a month ago.. until now, no reply from them.... what should I do?

Thank you and God bless!!!

I would suggest you check in with the International Forum for the Philippines. Here is the Forum Link:

Philippines Forum

They should be able to answer your question. It is another Forum here on AllNurses.

newbie here and i need inputs re: LOVELACE/ARDENT. we are seriously considering relocating to NM .Very tough decision for us since hubby also got offers that look very promising.Your input highly matters so please help!

I would not recommend the facility. I have heard they are trying to close the facility but the community so badly needs it, that they are made to stay open.

This is from a friend in the area. I hope someone chimes in who has first hand info. What is his specialty? There is a fantastic cardiac hospital in Albuquerque that might work better.

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I would not recommend the facility. I have heard they are trying to close the facility but the community so badly needs it, that they are made to stay open.

This is from a friend in the area. I hope someone chimes in who has first hand info. What is his specialty? There is a fantastic cardiac hospital in Albuquerque that might work better.
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nightngale1998.. is the above post for me?
if so , i appreciate your input!
his field is int. med./hospitalist. BTW, what is the name of the cardiac hospital that you were talking about? currently, i am with an outpatient cardiac cardiac cath lab and want to also explore my options.
thanks again!