North Texas = Few Jobs?

U.S.A. Texas

Published

I am moving to the Dallas/Fort Worth area next week and wanted to ask a question. Someone had indicated that North Texas has very few nursing opportunities. I just wanted to know if there was any truth to this person's statement. If it is true, then I am worried about my future. :uhoh21:

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Excuse my lack of knowledge, but what in the heck is an HCA?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Here's a link to their corporate website. http://www.hcahealthcare.com/

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Excuse my lack of knowledge, but what in the heck is an HCA?

HCA is a large hospital chain owned and operated by Satan himself.

To call it "nurse unfriendly" is a severe understatement.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Operating Room.

http://www.hcahealthcare.com/

You can never tell what goes on behind the scenes, until you're part of it, but I haven't seen anything wrong with the HCA hospitals up here. I'll soon find out.

Hopefully, it's not so bad up in D/FW. :)

Also, everyone has their opinion, and until I form my own, everything heard/read is only part of the the rumor mill. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
http://www.hcahealthcare.com/

You can never tell what goes on behind the scenes, until you're part of it, but I haven't seen anything wrong with the HCA hospitals up here. I'll soon find out.

Hopefully, it's not so bad up in D/FW. :)

Also, everyone has their opinion, and until I form my own, everything heard/read is only part of the the rumor mill. :)

What was said about HCA is true, and my experiences are with the D/FW HCAs, so dont be surprised. You have been warned.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Education.
You mean all I have to do is get the Sunday paper and I will get a job? Even though the nurses far outnumber the jobs, and the hospitals have hiring freezes, and will not even accept applications from nurses?

Why didn't I think of that?

You must be a genius.:rolleyes:

Smarty-pants! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

I have to echo the anti-HCA sentiment to some degree. They had great people working there, but they ain't they best payin or best benefits places to work in the DFW area by a long shot...It's ALL about the almighty buck with HCA. Of course that depends on the facility and unit too. I have worked at several HCA's . There were things I was impressed with and things I was definately not impressed with. Working agency, I found they were incredibly short staffed much of the time.

Funnie - I know you have that scholarship - but...other places have scholarships too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Operating Room.

99% of the places that hire people (medical or not) are out for the almighty buck. You either kiss butt, deal with the crap, or you move on.

If I don't like it, I will have to option to make payments to them, and then move on.

A job is not Heaven. :)

I have to echo the anti-HCA sentiment to some degree. They had great people working there, but they ain't they best payin or best benefits places to work in the DFW area by a long shot...It's ALL about the almighty buck with HCA. Of course that depends on the facility and unit too. I have worked at several HCA's . There were things I was impressed with and things I was definately not impressed with. Working agency, I found they were incredibly short staffed much of the time.

Funnie - I know you have that scholarship - but...other places have scholarships too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

Well thats good. I know the other places operate much the same way - in exchange for scholarships or internships or what have you, you agree to either work for them or pay back the money/training they gave/loaned you.

Like I said it is very facility and unit dependant, so if things are rotten in one unit, they may be better in another and thats true anywhere.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Internal Medicine Unit.
working at an hca in texas has been the worst experience of my career.

hca facilities are notorious for poor care and being nurse-hostile.

the hca company is owned by the family of senate majority leader, bill frist, md. he has stated that he plans to run for president in 2008 ®.

i'm afraid of what will become of our already screwed up health "care" system and terrible working conditions for nurses if he becomes president. i think things will get much worse for nurses.

i won't comment on the quality of employment at an hca facility. however, i couldn't resist pointing out that hca is a publicly held company. frist sits on the board and is the 4th largest share holder. the company is not "owned" solely by the frist family as stated above.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Parkland in Dallas has over 330 openings for nursing staff...so not everyone has a hiring freeze!

Jamie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Parkland in Dallas has over 330 openings for nursing staff...so not everyone has a hiring freeze!

Jamie

There was just a big article in the Dallas Morning News on Parkland's shortage.

It also quoted Parkland's starting wages, which is currently at $19.44/hour for a new grad, no experience.

That's not a great wage for Dallas cost of living.

In addition, they lose even more people like me because I applied there when I was a new RN but had years of LVN experience. They didn't care and were only going to pay me the bottom starting wage for a new grad RN.

I was already getting $22/hour as an LVN at a hospital up the street from Parkland. And back then the starting wage for a new RN at Parkland was like $17/hour so that was even worse.

Parkland just thinks it's too big for it's britches because of it's name alone.

No thanks, I'll go work where I'm getting paid what my experience is actually worth.

I told them, "I may be a new RN, but I'm not a new nurse. There's a big difference."

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment