LPN to RN Moving to Dallas, TX

allnurses Guide · Apr 9, 2014

Start wages for a new RN in DFW is $21-24/hr generally. Keep in mind though the cost of living here is a fraction of what you pay there. My 2000 sq foot house would be well into the 2 million dollar range up there. I paid $152,000 for it here.

New grad jobs here are very difficult to find. There are a ton of schools here churning out new grads every 4-6 months. Not all of them get jobs. Hospitals here will not hire a new grad outside of an internship. Those happen twice year with starting dates in January and June respectively and hiring for those happens one to three months ahead of that time (in other words, before graduation takes place). Also most of the hospitals here will only hire BSN graduates. You did not mention which type of degree you are pursuing. I am not sure why but most of the hospitals also will not "count" your LPN experience as nursing experience. Getting your foot in the door for many of these internships is more about who you know than anything else. Very political healthcare system in DFW.

Hope this gives you some info. I think the job market here is friendlier than NYC in general, but it is still very tight.

ineedachange1, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2014

Thanks not.done.yet!! your information was helpful but would I still be considered a "new" nurse considering I am a working LPN in a hospital now? I don't any "credit" or consideration for time worked?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2014

would I still be considered a "new" nurse considering I am a working LPN in a hospital now? I don't any "credit" or consideration for time worked?

A small number of hospitals grant some credit for your LPN experience, such as John Peter Smith (a.k.a. JPS - the level I county hospital in Fort Worth) and UT Southwestern (a teaching hospital in Dallas). However, even with the 'credit,' your pay as a new RN with some LPN experience is only going to bump your pay up to perhaps $27 or $28 per hour.

I had four years of LVN experience when I earned my RN license in 2010. JPS offered me $27.75 per hour as a new RN with some LVN experience. JPS usually pays new grad RNs with no prior experience no more than $23 per hour.

Look into LTAC hospitals such as Kindred or Lifecare if you want to earn closer to $30 hourly. Also, the rehab hospitals (Global, Reliant, Healthsouth, Texas Rehabilitation Hospital, Continuum) tend to pay more competitively than the general hospitals in the area.