A few more questions before moving to Texas.

[John123]

Hi guys:

Here in AZ, we have 4-5 patients in tele dept, 5 patients in Med/Surg dept. How about Dallas area?

Which hospitals you guys recommend? I am looking for a good team work environment.

I have 3 yrs experience, how much I will be getting paid working at acute hospital in Texas. Thank you all!

John

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

I am in the Denison/Sherman area (yeah I know pretty podunk), but here all our floors have a 4-6:1 ratio. ICU is 1-2:1 and IICU where I work is 3:1. I'm sure on bad days you may get an extra patient or two, but it's rare. Aids usually work 7-10:1, on bad days they may have 15.

I can only speak about new grad pay and that ranges from $ 18.25 base up to $34.00 PRN. As a new grad I typically gross $2100 a pay period.

Wow. I've been an RN for fifteen years. In my area of Texas, even experienced nurses w/ BSNs don't usually get more than $20./hr.

Pt loads are a lot lower in your area, too.

[sjt9721, BSN, RN]

Wow. I've been an RN for fifteen years. In my area of Texas, even experienced nurses w/ BSNs don't usually get more than $20./hr.

That's sad. I've been in DFW for 9 years, first at a county hospital and now at a for-profit hospital. I make a little over $30/hr and it has nothing to do with my BSN.

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

A lot of travelers are making $30./hr or less these days.

[ethelbsnrn]

Payscales are better now. $20.61 as starting rate for new grads in our part of Texas (Midland). Our staff Rn's capped at $36/hr. We have PRN rates from $29 to 40/hr depending on the TIERs. And most local agencies pay $40/hr for RN's.

Of course, we don't have the ratios that California has (I wish we do). All the ICU's have good ratios, mostly 1:2-3. But not the floors. I hate to be floated to Med-Surg and Post-partum. Good days are 1:5. Bad days are 1:7.

So, what do you think?

[ethelbsnrn]

A lot of travelers are making $30./hr or less these days.

Helllllo Nurse, I don't know which part of Texas you work. But I think you are grossly underpaid.

I have phone calls everyday from travel nurse recruiters asking me to work for $450 for 12 hours in my area. That is, with taxes already taken out.

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

Helllllo Nurse, I don't know which part of Texas you work. But I think you are grossly underpaid.

I have phone calls everyday from travel nurse recruiters asking me to work for $450 for 12 hours in my area. That is, with taxes already taken out.

I have not personally made $30. or less per hr. I belong to a web group that is made up of travel nurses only, and many of them are reporting that they are working for lower and lower wages.

Do the wages you are describing include furnished apt w/ housewares?

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

ive made $30+ working agency and i'm a lvn. there has to be better wages for traveling rn's

[currentlytx]

Hello, I moved to TX after much prompting from my good friend also a nurse. DON"T do it. Professionalism very very elusive from unpper management. TX has ability to treat you as a nurse like dirt and yes tthe Group one is not good. I just quit my job after 4 months due to what was called in an earlier thread called crowding or something like that. It is where if youare not like by someone then you are railroaded out. I will be working my 2 week schedule but my 2 week notice one day short, giving a 13day notice, not 14. I could not help this due needing to leave for a family emergency. They would not let me go PRN or take a leave of absence for 4 weeks. I was threatened with the Group One deal! What a deal! I have to say it is HCA Hospital systems. Stay away from them! Just my advice. I had heard they were not the best but took a chance anyway. Good luck to anyone now in the clutches of the DFW Nursing work force!!

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

ive made $30+ working agency and i'm a lvn. there has to be better wages for traveling rn's

agency pays a lot more than being a traveler. people don't realize this. a traveler needs housing, furniture, utilities, housewares, etc at the location. agency live in their own home. it makes a big difference in the pay.

[mymomisanurse]

ive made $30+ working agency and i'm a lvn. there has to be better wages for traveling rn's

i was quoted from several different travel agencies that the pay rate was between $26-$30 for an rn to work as a travel nurse in the state of tx.

[mymomisanurse]

Hello, I don't know much about Dallas but I am moving near the Fort Worth area next month. I have 2 1/2 yrs med surg tele exp. I was quoted $24.50 with night shift diff $4/hr and weekend nights $8/hr. I believe that Texas has higher nurse to patient ratios because during one of my interviews the nurse stated that I should be used to taking care of 8-9 patients on night shift. I was like "oh no" not in California. Our ratios are 1-5 on the med surg floor and 1-4 if we have a pediatric patient. Yes, the housing is cheaper than most areas but you have to very careful. Even though its cheaper doesn't make it a better built house. I hope this was helpful. There are plenty of hospitals around so take your pick. You might want to join an agency to check out the hospitals in the area first before you make a commitment. Good luck on your search.

[tx2007, RN]

Payscales are better now. $20.61 as starting rate for new grads in our part of Texas (Midland). Our staff Rn's capped at $36/hr. We have PRN rates from $29 to 40/hr depending on the TIERs. And most local agencies pay $40/hr for RN's.

Of course, we don't have the ratios that California has (I wish we do). All the ICU's have good ratios, mostly 1:2-3. But not the floors. I hate to be floated to Med-Surg and Post-partum. Good days are 1:5. Bad days are 1:7.

So, what do you think?

WOW I'd like to know where in Midland you work. I work at both a hospital in Midland rate as of Jan 2008 WILL be $20.18 and I work at a hospital in Odessa rate NOW $21.00 I work a tecnically med surg floor at each hospital and have NEVER had more than 6 pts mostly 5.