Calling all Austin OR Nurses

[BSN_RN]

First of all, I want to thank anyone who can share any piece of advice concerning Austin's OR's.

Since I'm new to town, I really have little to go on other than what I've read on allnurses.

A little about me:

Reside in 78745 area of South Austin

1+ yrs of exp in ER-Level III facility

2+ yrs of exp in OR-Level III facility, exp in nearly all specialties with the exception of open hearts, some of our general surgeons performed vascular procedures so I have exp in vascular & endovascular procedures, also crossed trained in L&D to circulate C/Ss, also GI exp

Limited scrub exp

8months of PACU exp

ACLS, PALS, TNCC

What I'd like to know:

Any ORs to steer clear from?

Any ORs that are hard to get into because the nurses love their jobs so much they don't leave : )

If offered a position with one of the major facilities in the area (i.e. Seton, St. David's), if I turned down the offer now, would it hurt me in the future?

What should I expect/negotiate for $/hr with my exp and certs?

Anyone have any info or exp with Westlake, Austin Surgical Hospital (now known as Austin Arise Medical Center), Brackenridge, Central Park Surgery Center, Stonegate Surgery Center?

Any of these facilities have issues with getting you your hours?

How are the benefits?

Are there any facilities that will be optimal for getting more scrub exp?

Would it be crazy if offered a FT position with Brackenridge, to also take on a PRN job with one of the other facilities mentioned above?

Anyone have exp with going from a level III to a level I trauma facility? If so, how was it?

How beneficial would it be in the long run for my career to have a Level I trauma facility under my belt?

Any insight anyone can offer would mean a lot. I really want to find a place to grow with, a place that sees value in their nurses and overall become an even better OR nurse.

[BSN_RN]

Wow! So I'm seeing this post is getting a ton of views, yet no one is saying anything. It's ok if you want to just say hello and share anything at all.

I can tell you, thus far I don't regret my move to Austin. After applying to all the above mentioned, all were quick to respond to schedule an interview. Basically, as long as you have experience, you will get a quick response. Pay rates vary and as other posts state, Seton offers more compared to St. David's. After talking to an old co-worker of mine, she advised that when it comes to pay, don't take less than what I'm making currently. Luckily, I've been matched in most cases, offered more from a few and in one case, offered a lot less.

Every place I've interviewed with has its pros and cons (like every facility), but overall when it comes to which is best to work for, it really comes down to the individual, where one is at in their career and what their future plans are.

I'll keep ya'll posted. In the meantime...don't be afraid to drop a line

[swank123]

Hi BSN_RN,

I would be interested to know where you ended up and how you like it. And I'd like to know what your take on the Austin OR scene is. I'm an Austin native who is considering a move to nursing and I'm really attracted to OR nursing. Hope everything worked out for you!