Compensation in Texas

nurseman1948 · Oct 7, 2014

Worked in ElPaso at DelSol medical center and was treated very well by staff and doctors. I wonder if at my first orientation I introduced my two best Smith & Wesson hehe . ? But really it was a nice place to work .

360jRN · Oct 11, 2014

My current assignment is in a little east Tx ER and my last assignment was south of Houston in Lake Jackson and I have had a great experience in both places. You always hear horror stories of how badly someone was treated at this facility or that facility and how the doctors are jerks here and blah blah. For the most part its all about you: what kind of personality you have, what kind of worker are you, and what kind of mindset you go into a place with. Next consider the source of these tales... If you consider yourself comparable to the traveler telling you about their time at a facility then maybe take hold of what theyre saying. But if its the crotchety bastard that cant get along with himself much less anyone else that cant do any work because he's too busy telling you what he's done and how he wrote the book on it or trying to critique how this facility does this and that etc etc; then think to yourself - well that guys not me so my experience might not be like his.

You know as a traveler I'm not hired to come in and tell these people what all wrong they're doing or change the world - I'm here to take care of the patient within my scope and safest practice. And that's a big turn off to have somebody from the outside come in and try and shove their unrequested opinion down your throat. Hell i'm rambling lol.

Moral of the story: Best of luck!! Don't be afraid of Texas and make your own opinion.

Also, if that 1800 is bring home and for 36 hours of work I want to talk to that recruiter because that's the best Ive heard in Texas... well period for that matter.

Edit: Bring home was 1380ish south of Houston and around 1350s where I'm at now that's with housing stipend and meals per diem.

trackhead, APRN · Oct 12, 2014

I'm also on an assignment in a San Antonio HCA ER with Parallon. My pay is comparable to all my other assignments, the work environment is average.

I agree with the above poster, go in with a bad attitude, and your job will suck. Go in with an open mind, and it might not. It took me a while to learn that, and I was hesitant to come to Texas because of all the negative talk about HCA and Texas. I've found neither to be true.

I'm not a fan of San Antonio as a city, but now I know. The hospital is fine though.

NedRN · Oct 12, 2014

I think it is a truism that nurses (or anyone) who have superior people skills or coping (attitude and zen maintenance) skills will do better anywhere relative to the average person. That said, for the rest of us, I don't think Texas pays enough to even bother playing the odds. Beside physician attitudes and management attitudes, there is still the relatively low pay, predominantly for-profit hospitals, lack of staffing ratios or unions, a nurse hostile BON, and a well entrenched blacklist increase the risks for even those many nurses "who have never had a problem". On a more trivial note perhaps, I could also point to the common bigotry and regressive politics in Texas as reasons to avoid living there for even three months.

There are hundreds if not many thousands of travelers who may have preferred at least a heads up before taking an assignment in Texas before making an uniformed decision. I know my words carry some weight with the lurkers here so I don't make my recommendations lightly. Yes, many travelers will find themselves to be quite happy in many assignments in Texas, but for myself, I'm very happy to be making around 50 percent more in better states (currently in California) then I could make in Texas. I'm happy to visit Texas and not work there. While a smaller area than Texas, I can say the same thing about Las Vegas too (not trying to change the subject, just pointing out these issues are not solely Texan). Perhaps South Florida too.

trackhead, APRN · Oct 12, 2014

I don't doubt what you say Ned, not at all. I just do better in this travel world if I look at the positive, not the negative. It takes a lot of effort on my part to do so, but it really helps me.

I came to Texas to try to get from the west coast to the east coast, but changed my mind about going east. So........I'm here, I don't like the city of San Antonio, or Texas in general, but I'm going to make the best of it.

Sometimes, I think it's good to gain perspective, good or bad, because then you have a better grasp on what good really is.

NedRN · Oct 12, 2014

I'm not knocking a good attitude at all, in fact it is really essential! I applaud your conscious effort.