ATT/NCLEX Austin Nursing Jobs

Published

I know that this title could be confusing, and I am not sure as to where this post should be as I am a first time poster. I want to say that I have gotten a lot out of this site and read some awesome stories.

The reason for this post is as follows: I graduate from The University of Texas at El Paso this August 2012, and I am barely going to get my fingerprints today for my declaratory order. I need to submit my application to test, and was reading that it must be submitted 120 days before I graduate! Well it's a little too late for that, so I was wondering if anyone has submitted their application to test late as well. And, I was wondering if that affected your ATT date at all. I am confident that my declaratory order will not go into the investigations department, but I am scared that the NCLEX testing process will be delayed.

I am getting married in the same month and moving to the Austin area to look for jobs and, quite frankly, extremely stressed out. My Fiancé and I are looking for places to live and the decision is really based off of where I can get a job. I would like to apply for the RN Residency Programs at either St. David's, or Seton, but the deadlines are approaching and I would not even be able to work until Feb. 2013. I would love to start caring for patients as a BSN RN as soon as possible! AHHHH!

Thanks to those who read this post/rant.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

Moved to Texas Nursing for more response.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

You are welcome. I hope you get some helpful replies.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

You will probably have a four month wait to get your ATT, longer if you had to submit a declaratory order for any reason. Those have been taking six months on the average for the BON to review. I am not sure if that would stack on top of the ATT or run consecutively.

Austin is the toughest job market in Texas. There is very low turnover there and many nursing schools cranking out new grads every six months in that area. Average application rates are 500-600:1 per new grad opening and generally speaking those with inside connections in the hospitals get the jobs. You will want to search the areas outside of Austin and be prepared for a fairly long commute if you are going to live in Austin proper. The places hiring tend to be 1 to 1.5 hours outside of Austin in the more rural areas. You will also want to apply to areas not in acute care. SNFs, LTACs, home health, flu shot clinics. Sadly, that's a long way off if you don't even have your ATT yet.

Honestly? I don't think searching for housing based on where you want to work is realistic in this situation. The odds of you getting a job in one of those hospitals with no inside connections is pretty slim. Find the housing you can afford and be prepared to commute after you are able to sit for NCLEX. Be sure you keep up on studying while you are waiting.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There are so many nursing schools here, the competition for jobs is very tough -- ACC, Texas State, UT Austin, and Concordia are all in town, and GNs come here from San Marcos and San Antonio, too. Austin also has a big influx of people from California, which is additional competition.

The Seton residency hires three cohorts each year -- February, June, and October. The number of positions available varies, and not every facility hires for every cohort. You apply to the cohort, then attend an open house. It's almost impossible to get hired if you don't attend the open house and impress the nurse managers. Everyone I know who interviewed there, myself included, had a good showing at the open house. So if you want to work at Seton, be prepared to come for the open house. It's a total cattle call, with hundreds of people fighting to get in front of the nurse managers.

St. David's doesn't have you apply to a residency program per se. You apply to the system and get put into a general GN bucket. And then you languish there unless a nurse manager interviews you. There are hundreds of GN applicants just hanging out there. That's why it is very difficult to get into the St. David's system as a new grad unless you know someone, or you work there as a PCT. I knew a lot of people who work in the system, and that's how I got in the door to get an interview.

There is a new grad internship in Temple, which is north of Austin, at Scott and White. (The S&W in Round Rock/North Austin does not hire new grads.) I have a few friends who are doing it -- it is a very nice hospital, but the commute from Austin is brutal.

The central Texas area has some pediatric home health agencies that hire new grads, and so does Austin State Hospital (the state psychiatric facility). I didn't really look into other options because I received a hospital job offer. We do have skilled nursing, LTAC, and rehab here, but I do not know if they hire new grads.

I think not.done.yet is absolutely correct that you should get housing that you can afford and expect to commute. Housing near most of the hospitals in town is pretty costly.

I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but that's the reality. People come from all over to live in Austin, and we produce a lot of new grads, which makes for a tough market.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion