Help! Relocating to San Antonio in June!

johnwaynehair, BSN, RN · Apr 26, 2007

Welcome to SA! I work for Santa Rosa at their Medical Center facility, and my daughter was treated at Santa Rosa Children's when she was a neonate with severe idiopathic jaundice (thought it might be Gilbert's syndrome, but thank God it resolved on its own). The Staff at Children's was top-notch, and I've been told that it's the best children's hospital in the region. Most of the attendings are on the faculty of the Medical School at the Health Science Center. Having said that, I was told by one of the RN's taking care of my kid that yes, it was the best children's hospital in the city, but (in her words) the main problem was it was "in the ghetto". Children's is downtown, non-profit, in the heart of the West side of San Antonio, a very economically depressed area. The clients are mostly indigent, on Medicare/Medicaid, predominantly Latino (like most of SA and myself as well) and mainly Spanish-speakers. There are a lot of health issues associated with that populace (high rates of type-I diabetes, juvenile obesity, lots of CP, child abuse, mother-to-child STDs, Down's, etc). Methodist Children's in on the North side of SA, in the Medical Center complex. It is high-dollar, for-profit, very modern. The care there (I've taken my kid there as well) is good. I also did my Peds rotation there when I was in nursing school. As to which is better to work for, I'd first consider which is offering the better pay/benefits package. Then I would go with my heart...I joined Santa Rosa because it is a Christian (Catholic) hospital system that is still non-profit (Methodist and Baptist systems here are both for-profit; the churches are minority share-holders). I feel I am doing God's work here. Still, if you feel you can't deal with the types of patients you would predominantly see Downtown, then you've got to go with Methodist. A little long-winded, but I hope it helps. Feel free to ask any other questions...Good luck.

John

Transplant ICU RN

KMFRN5 · Apr 26, 2007

Hi John,

Thank you for that great insight! Do you happen to know anything about the hem/onc units in those hospitals? That's what I'm looking at in particular.

I'm working at Denver Children's now, and we have the same type of population as Santa Rosa. We are affiliated with the University as well, and I love the teaching hospital environment. It also allows me to work on perfecting my Spanish :)

It really depends on which hospital has the right position open (right now Methodist looks more promising), although I would lean toward Santa Rosa if I had the choice.

Thanks again, and let me know if you think of anything else!

johnwaynehair, BSN, RN · May 8, 2007

Sorry, don't know anything about the Hem/onc units...Maybe you should try and take a Southwest flight down mid-week and tour the hospitals...contact HR and see if they'll give you a tour. Good Luck!

westexasnurse · May 8, 2007

hey KNFRN5

I am also moving to San Antonio but in August, Do you find the nurse recruiters not very helpful when you where asking questions about thier hospitals, I got very bland conversation not very energetic, llike they only gave you basic info, not very productive conversation, iv talked to a nurse recruiter at unversity, and methodist, does anyone have any low down on getting my some loop holes or know who to talk to about getting a job in SA, Im in Lubbockworking an SICU/TraumaICU Level I hospital having about 18 months experience, I love Trauma that why I want to work at Unversity, but open to other places,

Thanks Guys

Duncan3178 · May 23, 2007

Hey West,

I work in the SICU at Methodist in the medical center. If you are interested, PM me and I will give you the name of my nurse manager. I could try to answer any questions for you too...