Houston nurses (relocation questions)?

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Hi,

I will be relocating from Austin to Houston in 1 1/2 years due to my husbands' upcoming job transfer. This is great but that is when I will graduate and will need to find a job in Houston. I have heard that St.Luke's has a residency program for graduate nurses but according to their web site they recruit in the Spring and expect you to start work in June. Uh oh...I graduate in December (I thought that was good timing but now not so sure, does that mean they don't hire any graduates except in the Spring?). If anyone is a St.Luke's nurse and is somewhat familiar could you please offer any information to me. Does Memorial Hermann have a similar program?

Then, how would you suggest I go about setting up interviews. Do I contact hospitals at the beginning of my last semester, the middle, or the end? So confused. I know this is far out in the future but I know it will come quickly and quite honestly after hearing my husband's news...I am pretty stressed out. Not only do I have clinicals to worry about, I have to plan a move which includes selling a house. Ugh. Any advice is greatly appreciated from any nurses, thank you in advance.

KC

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Kcasey,

Email me and I will help all I can. I know that they hire new grads year round and are in dire need of nurses. I also know for a fact that ALL the hospitals are short here in Houston. If you want to work Pediatrics consider Texas Childrens...a great place to work.....(not a paid endorsemnet...LOL):cool:

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Kcasey, I work in long-term care in Houston. The company I work for has about 25 facilities in this area. The pay is pretty good, the benefits are good, and some of the facilities are excellent ones. (I'm being honest here... some are not so great!) Anyway, I do know they are always looking for graduate nurses, and they start them at the same pay as a licensed nurse. They also have $2000 sign-on bonuses right now. I'm sure you won't have any trouble getting on at one of the hospitals, but if you do, e-mail me and I'll give you some names and numbers to call! Good luck to you, and welcome to Houston! :D

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You will have no problem finding a job in Houston. My husband and I are both nurses and have heard that most large hospitals have great orientations and preceptors. You may look into TX Children's Hospital in Houston. We just moved here from west Texas. I think they have an internship program, but not sure. They will not leave you hanging that is for sure. We have been nurses for eight years and they don't assume you know it all. Pediatrics is a new area for my husband. They have a great benefit and pay package as well. This area is full of people from everywhere. We have met few people that grew up in Houston.

Good luck!!

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I don't think you'll have any problems finding employment in the Houston area. We have tons of hospitals all over the city and all the ancillary stuff that goes with that.

Why not go to one of the local colleges and getting a list from the job placement center. Most area hospitals have a job posting phone recording you can listen to.

St. Lukes, St Joseph, Texas Childrens, Ben Taub, Women's and TIRR all have excellent reputations. LBJ and Hermann are very busy and has poor pay and staffing but great learning potential. Methodist has a rep of not treating nurses well. I guess that takes care of the 'biggies'. There are LOTS more.

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Oh, thanks for all your input! Relocating is never easy. Tomorrow, my husband has a short meeting and then we are going to do some exploring. I mapped it out and will check mileage and neighborhoods. Hopefully, this will be a smooth transition when the time comes.

Mom22-

You mentioned TIRR, would that be part of the Tenet Healthcare system?

:)

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The Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research- a very prestigeous brain and spinal cord specialty hospital. Very progressive. They don't like to be pronounced 'tear', and prefer "T.I.R.R."

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Well, after going to Houston this weekend I feel pretty good about the whole thing (all your input helped too). Travel times, mileage are all manageable.

But WOW! :eek: Texas Medical Center is huge, it is very intimidating! For now, I will concentrate on my upcoming clinicals/semester and who knows maybe I will have a huge post about how I got an offer from Texas Children's Hospital. (I think peds is my calling). Until then, I will have my nose buried in a book and my heart in clinicals.

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