Seems like a bunch of nice people who post here! :)
To make a long story short my brother in law just moved to Denton county. I could not believe the difference from California. Seems like a great place to move with real friendly people, low cost of living compared to California.
My dilemma. Currently I have a California State job as an LVN, fully vested with a job for life with full everything; retirement, benefits, vacations. I am only 35. Do the "Nurses" of Texas like working in Texas? Would you give up a job in another state to work in Texas? Does there seem to be a need for LVN's in Texas or is it difficult to find a job? I have been an LVN since 1997. It seems like its going to be a little headache to endorse to Texas plus the whole moving adventure. Look forward to your postings!
Im in the DFW area - Not far from Denton. There are plenty of great nursing opportunities here - don't let what you hear about Texas in general make your decision for you, it is vastly different from place to place and facility to facility.
Experience as an RN will pay 25-30 an hour, I hear new grads in Dallas are making around 21. Fort Worth is comparble but slightly lower.
Presby/Harris/Texas health Resources has better benfits, retirement, education reimbursement and other things than the HCA facilities have. THR has a facility they just opened in Denton. Pay scales will be lower out there than in Dallas, but LVN's will have an easier time getting hired out there (in a hospital that is) than in Dallas.
Group One background chacks are no problem for most folks - I wouldn't let that keep you away either. Some people have had issues - I have a friend who is fighting them now, but it hasnt caused her to be unable to work anywhere.
Group One only operates at 1 of the four major nursing employers in the Bryan/CS area.
I wouldn't work for a group one facility, not because I'm concerned about what they'd say about me, but on the principle of it. If no nurse would work under such conditions, they'd have to change the way they operate.
And Group One is very anti-nursing.
It's not a matter if I COULD work for them. It's the fact that they don't DESERVE my services or loyalty.
Group One will be THE reason that Unions finally come to Dallas, and so, to Texas at large. And when employers are dealing w/ issues such as binding arbitration and large scale contracts, they can only thank themselves for their short-sidedness.
Salaries are a lot less in Austin and SA - I would have taken a 10.00 an hour cut in pay to move - and housing was actually (surprisingly) more in Austin than it was in Dallas - but housing is much cheaper in SA.
Salaries are a lot less in Austin and SA - I would have taken a 10.00 an hour cut in pay to move - and housing was actually (surprisingly) more in Austin than it was in Dallas - but housing is much cheaper in SA.
I agree, salaries here are in the crapper. Seton has just done an across the board 10% raise for their RN staff. Our hospital is "investigating" other hospitals salaries to decide whether we need a raise of not.
Housing here is outragous! If you are going to rent an apartment it is around $1/square foot. 1900 square foot house starts at around $150,000 and that is a bare bones house.
gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP
1,622 Posts
Im in the DFW area - Not far from Denton. There are plenty of great nursing opportunities here - don't let what you hear about Texas in general make your decision for you, it is vastly different from place to place and facility to facility.
Experience as an RN will pay 25-30 an hour, I hear new grads in Dallas are making around 21. Fort Worth is comparble but slightly lower.
Presby/Harris/Texas health Resources has better benfits, retirement, education reimbursement and other things than the HCA facilities have. THR has a facility they just opened in Denton. Pay scales will be lower out there than in Dallas, but LVN's will have an easier time getting hired out there (in a hospital that is) than in Dallas.
Group One background chacks are no problem for most folks - I wouldn't let that keep you away either. Some people have had issues - I have a friend who is fighting them now, but it hasnt caused her to be unable to work anywhere.