anyone working in abilene?

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Hi, I am about to graduate and can't decide between going to abilene or fort worth area. I have no idea why, but alot of nurses are telling me not to work at abilene, but nobody has given me a reason why? If anyone works at hendrick's or regional, would you please tell me some info about your job (hours, pay, benefits) Thank you!

Specializes in NICU.

Hi there! First off, congrats on your upcoming graduation!

I don't work at either Hendrick or ARMC, but I've done all my clinicals at both locations. I actually just got done with my 144 hour preceptorship in the special care nursery at ARMC and I absolutely LOVED it!! I loved the nurses, they were all so wonderful. I really liked the environment there ..... the hospital is small so people know everyone there, which I guess could have a downside to it, as rumors travel fast! But it was a great experience.

I am NOT staying in Abilene to work though, I'm going back to AZ. I just gotta get outta TX! But they wanted me to stay at ARMC, offered me a job in the nursery and I actually thought about it, but I just couldn't do it .... all my family is back in Phx and there are more opportunities for me there.

The starting pay at Hendrick is $19/hour. The starting pay at ARMC is $18.50/hour. Not much of a difference. Both hospitals came to our school and talked to try and recruit us. A lot of our class was pretty ticked off with Hendrick because a lot of the students worked as PCTs this year and had their hours and benefits cut big time. So a lot of people that were planning on working at Hendrick are backing out now and are saying NO WAY they'll work there.

I had pretty good clinical experiences at both hospitals. It seemed to me that the nurses are ARMC were nicer. But that could have been because I did different rotations at each hospital. I did all my med/surg clinicals at Hendrick and most the nurses weren't real friendly ... although I did have a few that were really great. I did all my L&D/mother baby/nursery/ER clinicals at ARMC and had great experiences overall.

A big question is what area do you want to work in? That might help in your decision in where to go too.

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Hi, thanks for all of your input- I really appreciate it! As sad as this is to admit, I STILL don't know what area I want to go into. I wanted to get my master's but i don't know if ACU or any other school offered a MSN program. I liked labor and delivery, but i halfway think it was just b/c it was a GREAT break from med/surg. I'm such an indecisive person so it makes these decisions so much harder!!! I just know wherever I go I'll probably sign a contract to stay for a couple of years and I wanna make sure I'm at the right place. My sister went to a small town to work when she graduated and she is miserable there and can't wait to leave-I just don't wanna be in a situation like that. It's nice to hear someone say s-thing good about Abilene-honestly you are the first to like the town. Is there anything fun to do there ...I'm assuming you are going to school there, so is there anything to do for fun, or is it just a small town where there's no people to meet and nothing to do? Sorry about all the questions, I just want to know about it before i go there. I had a friend move there to work at home depot and she hated it and couldn't wait to move back here (most people i talk to can't wait to leave- I guess I jsut can't figure out why!) Anyways, sorry i wrote so much, it was nice to hear your point of view! I see you are also about to graduate, so good luck to you and congratulations for making it through school!!

Hi there! First off, congrats on your upcoming graduation!

I don't work at either Hendrick or ARMC, but I've done all my clinicals at both locations. I actually just got done with my 144 hour preceptorship in the special care nursery at ARMC and I absolutely LOVED it!! I loved the nurses, they were all so wonderful. I really liked the environment there ..... the hospital is small so people know everyone there, which I guess could have a downside to it, as rumors travel fast! But it was a great experience.

I am NOT staying in Abilene to work though, I'm going back to AZ. I just gotta get outta TX! But they wanted me to stay at ARMC, offered me a job in the nursery and I actually thought about it, but I just couldn't do it .... all my family is back in Phx and there are more opportunities for me there.

The starting pay at Hendrick is $19/hour. The starting pay at ARMC is $18.50/hour. Not much of a difference. Both hospitals came to our school and talked to try and recruit us. A lot of our class was pretty ticked off with Hendrick because a lot of the students worked as PCTs this year and had their hours and benefits cut big time. So a lot of people that were planning on working at Hendrick are backing out now and are saying NO WAY they'll work there.

I had pretty good clinical experiences at both hospitals. It seemed to me that the nurses are ARMC were nicer. But that could have been because I did different rotations at each hospital. I did all my med/surg clinicals at Hendrick and most the nurses weren't real friendly ... although I did have a few that were really great. I did all my L&D/mother baby/nursery/ER clinicals at ARMC and had great experiences overall.

A big question is what area do you want to work in? That might help in your decision in where to go too.

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Specializes in NICU.

Thank you!!

Actually I don't really hate Abilene, but I don't love it either. I'm from Phx and so when I came here to Abilene 5 years ago to go to school, it was a huge difference than what I was used to! It's grown on me though.

I think a lot of people don't like Abilene because it's small, ugly and there's not a whole lot to do! I had to get used to only having 1 mall! Not a lot of choices as far as restaurants, although we're finally getting an Applebees!! Just as I'm leaving too :rolleyes: lol. The roads here SUCK! I've never seen a place that has such bad roads! Maybe it's like this in all small towns though? I've never lived in a small town before moving here. The roads are just terrible though ..... potholes everywhere, and they turn all different ways .... the streets change names, they never go all the way through, so it took me a while to figure it all out! But after you get used to all that, it's fine.

As far as things to do ..... there's probably more things to do in Abilene than in the average small town like it. Since there are 3 Universities here there's usually something going on .... not as much as in a bigger city, but still more than in other small towns the same size.

But it's a nice, little town. The people here are just so happy and nice! That was a big shock too ..... moving here from Phx where people are rude, I was shocked to see so many people smiling and being nice :D

ACU does have a masters program .... it's actually at the school of nursing though. Abilene Intercollegiate School of Nursing (AISN), which just changed their named to Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing. All 3 Universities (ACU, Hardin Simmons, McMurry) go to this nursing school and they do have an MSN program. Great nursing school too, really nice instructors!

If you're not sure which area you want to go into, maybe just give ARMC a call and find out what areas they're hiring in, get info about their sign-on bonuses, etc. When I was doing my preceptorship at ARMC, I talked to quite a few new nurses that had just started since the beginning of the year, and they loved it so far ...... they had signed a 3 year contract and got a sign-on bonus (not sure how much though).

Ohhh and another thing ..... people always talk about how bad the pay is here in Abilene, and it's true, $18-19/hour isn't nearly as much as you'd make in Dallas or some other big cities. But remember, the cost of living here in Abilene is CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP!! So it kind of evens out ... you don't get paid a whole lot, but you're not spending lots of money on rent either :)

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Have you thought about HH in Abilene? My dad owns a HH out there (I think they have an office in Brownwood too, I know they do in Big Spring and El Paso). We've been to Abilene and LOVE the area!

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Have you thought about HH in Abilene? My dad owns a HH out there (I think they have an office in Brownwood too, I know they do in Big Spring and El Paso). We've been to Abilene and LOVE the area!

I'm not sure, what is HH?

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Home Health

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

:offtopic: Hey

I wrote to you several months ago about going to TSU ..the LVN to BSN program. Well I got in for Fall 05. Do you have any suggestions for me. I have to take that dreaded clinical/pharm class. Any info would be appreciated.

Denise

Besides the pay, what else is making you want to leave? Everyone is telling me how bad it is, but nobdy has really told me why, so i guess i'm just curious. I am at TSU and i admit the rural nurse scene sucks. I really don't want to live in a big city, and all of my family is in coleman, so i wanted to go somewhere close by..im starting to think i'm out of luck...there seems to be no happy medium, and i thought abilene would be better than brownwood. I don't know where im going..sorry about the rambling, it's just a hard decision to make and i don't know where to start...thanks for your input
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Hi ,

I think Harris Methodist is really a great place to work.. good staff, good pay area is also not that bad . I am new to harris n am lovin it.

Thanks

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Specializes in MICU.

"I think Harris Methodist is really a great place to work.. good staff, good pay area is also not that bad. I am new to harris n am lovin it."

Harris Methodist - that is downtown FW, not Harris HEB - right? I live in NRH and would like to work there after nursing school. Our clinicals are at JPS and Baylor-All Saints. What floor are you working now (since you like it so well). My cousin is a PCT (not sure that is what they "call" them, but that is what he is) in the ER at Harris downtown - he has some WILD stories about the ER and a few of the ER docs....:chuckle

LifeLONGstudent

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"I think Harris Methodist is really a great place to work.. good staff, good pay area is also not that bad. I am new to harris n am lovin it."

Harris Methodist - that is downtown FW, not Harris HEB - right? I live in NRH and would like to work there after nursing school. Our clinicals are at JPS and Baylor-All Saints. What floor are you working now (since you like it so well). My cousin is a PCT (not sure that is what they "call" them, but that is what he is) in the ER at Harris downtown - he has some WILD stories about the ER and a few of the ER docs....:chuckle

LifeLONGstudent

yes, I am talking about Down Town Harris. I am working in Med sur .

Anyway, Good luck for your job search.

When you don't know what you want,

you often end up where you don't want to be.

-- Bob Greene

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Well, I just graduated and am originally from Abilene. I went to Baylor nursing school in Dallas, but chose to come back to Abilene. I have taken a position at Abilene Regional. The starting pay for RNs is $17.50/hr. I also recieved a $6,000 sign-on bonus and $4,000 tutition reimbursement for a 3-year commitment. Also, everytime you get a national certification, you get a raise. The benefits are comparable to Hendrick. I worked at Hendrick ove the summer, but chose regional because of the sign-on bonus and the updated technology that they have. I decided to come back to Abilene vs. Dallas because the cost of living in Abilene is MUCH lower than the metroplex and you don't have to fight traffic to get to work. Alot of people who have never been to Abilene might knock it, but it is a nice place to live, not too big, not too small, and a good place to settle down to have a family.

Hi, I am about to graduate and can't decide between going to abilene or fort worth area. I have no idea why, but alot of nurses are telling me not to work at abilene, but nobody has given me a reason why? If anyone works at hendrick's or regional, would you please tell me some info about your job (hours, pay, benefits) Thank you!
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Specializes in L&D, OR, postpartum, pedi, OBGYN clinic.

My sister lives there because my brother in law is stationed there. I think the city is cute and sweet. We had a horrible experience at ARMC when she delivered my niece but it could have been a bad night for the nurses. Who knows. But you should try Abilene.

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