Help!!! Need advice. Moving from Tyler, Texas to DFW area.

[texasBSN15]

Hi everyone, my name is Sara. I will be graduating with my BSN in August of this year. I have lived in Tyler all of my 26 years of life and am pursuing moving to DFW when I graduate. This is actually my second degree. I taught elementary school for 2 years before deciding to go back for nursing. My reason behind this post is that I only know of a few hospitals that are good companies to work for and those include Cook Children's, UT Southwestern, and Baylor. I need all the advice and tips I can get in order to make the right decision on where to work AND live. Fort Worth or Dallas? Please help! I appreciate any advice and tips on what hospitals to work for, what apartments to live in and which are most reasonable in rent, what areas are safest (I'm single and my dad would appreciate your input ), which hospitals have good residency programs, which hospitals appreciate and take care of their staff, and what starting pay is for new nurses in DFW. I think in Tyler it's around $20/hr. I am excited about moving, but I know it will be hard in more ways than one. Thank you for all of your help!

[Aliyune]

Okay so I'm a new grad in the DFW area as well. Finding a job around here is a bit tricky but there are TONS of residency programs that open up 3 times a year. Make sure to look at all the THR hospitals and the Methodist hospitals. They are great companies and have a bunch of hospitals in the area. JPS has residencies as well as MCA. Starting pay is around $25/hr for a new nurse. I would probably choose to live in between Dallas and Ft. Worth but obviously it might depend on where you get a job. If you want safety, Ft. Worth over Dallas by a mile, but the surrounding suburbs are better in general. Hope this helps~

Oh and since you're graduating in August, the next application period for residencies is in July and you can apply even if you haven't graduated just yet. Make sure to get your applications in then!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

There are not enough new grad residency slots in this area for every new grad that wants one. This highly competitive environment means you may not get to pick and choose on what hospital you work for. Apply to them all and hope one selects you for an interview.

[texasBSN15]

Thank you! This helps a lot!

[TinaMWrtr]

I'm starting nursing school in August but I work as a tech for one of the Medical City hospitals in the area. Plenty of friends are in your position. My understanding about Cooks is that internships are difficult to get there. Most hospitals have 3-4 start periods for new interns. One of my friends that just got hired as an intern in Medical City said she will make $28/hr starting out and then go from there once she's finished her internship.

Safety wise- stick to areas north of DFW. Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Little Elm, Denton, Keller, Grapevine. Those tend to be safest and have good hospital systems in them. Areas like Plano, Frisco, and McKinney will be the most expensive to live in as they're really growing. I live in little elm and I pay around $1100/ month for rent.