Moving to CO..New grad...Can anyone help me with a few questions?

GregRN · Nov 2, 2007

Hi,
I will be a new grad next fall with my RN degree. I have a few questions, hopefully some of you will be able to help me.
1. What is the starting pay for new grad nurse?
2. Personally, what are the top 3 well known hospitals out there to work for?
3. Is it hard to get a RN job in CO if you dont have your BSN yet? I hope to get my BSN/Masters once I get established at a facility.
4. What are the top 3 nice areas to live in, suburb wise, for having kids?
5. As a new grad, what is the best area in a hosital do you think to get started in if I want to eventually work in NICU?
Thanks so much for all of your help! I appreciate it more than anything.
Jen

Hi Jen,

1. Starting pay will vary a little according to education (ADN vs. BSN), hospital, and the area you wish to work (ICU, med/surg, LTC, etc.). Usually new grads with an ADN and RN can expect anywhere from $21-$24/hr. That's just a rough estimate.

2. If you're interested in the NICU, the top three hospitals for this in Denver are Children's Hospital (now located on the new Fitzsimmons campus), Presbyterian/St. Luke's in downtown Denver, and St. Joseph's is now starting a pediatric unit, also downtown and right next door to PSL.

3. Not at all difficult. If you pass NCLEX and have your RN then you're good to go. Most hospitals will also pay a certain amount per year for you to take courses to get your BSN.

4. Hard for me to say since I don't have kids. I'll defer to other "experts" on this one.

5. The best area of the hospital to work if you're interested in the NICU is the NICU. There's no reason to think that someone who is driven and motivated can't work in the NICU right out of school. Many hospitals have excellent new grad training programs specifically for this. If you don't feel you're quite ready for this then the next best place would be on a very busy pediatric unit.

Hope this helps (other than question #4 of course...).

core0 · Nov 2, 2007

Hi Jen,
1. Starting pay will vary a little according to education (ADN vs. BSN), hospital, and the area you wish to work (ICU, med/surg, LTC, etc.). Usually new grads with an ADN and RN can expect anywhere from $21-$24/hr. That's just a rough estimate.
2. If you're interested in the NICU, the top three hospitals for this in Denver are Children's Hospital (now located on the new Fitzsimmons campus), Presbyterian/St. Luke's in downtown Denver, and St. Joseph's is now starting a pediatric unit, also downtown and right next door to PSL.
3. Not at all difficult. If you pass NCLEX and have your RN then you're good to go. Most hospitals will also pay a certain amount per year for you to take courses to get your BSN.
4. Hard for me to say since I don't have kids. I'll defer to other "experts" on this one.
5. The best area of the hospital to work if you're interested in the NICU is the NICU. There's no reason to think that someone who is driven and motivated can't work in the NICU right out of school. Many hospitals have excellent new grad training programs specifically for this. If you don't feel you're quite ready for this then the next best place would be on a very busy pediatric unit.
Hope this helps (other than question #4 of course...).

Pretty right on. I will add a couple of things. Unless things have changed in the last year Childrens is actually not a very large NICU. They do have a special care nursery also that adds to the numbers. Probably in order of size it is P/SL, Joe's, University and DGH. Also P/SL is building a new attached womens and childrens hospital

Also unless things have changed Children's is BSN only.

As far as Kids you really have to look at the schools. Cherry Creek schools are probably the best. Littleton and Jeffco are pretty good also. Another option if you want to live close to the major NICU hospitals is Stapleton. They have some of the few decent Denver schools and a bunch of Private schools nearby. Getting to any of the major hospitals from the suburbs can be pretty atrocious (not LA or Atlanta bad but still pretty bad).

Good luck

David Carpenter, PA-C

beckinben, CNM · Nov 2, 2007

Pretty right on. I will add a couple of things. Unless things have changed in the last year Childrens is actually not a very large NICU. They do have a special care nursery also that adds to the numbers. Probably in order of size it is P/SL, Joe's, University and DGH. Also P/SL is building a new attached womens and childrens hospital
Also unless things have changed Children's is BSN only.

All of these hospitals will take new grads in the NICU. Childrens does want BSN, and UCH is very biased towards BSN. Childrens NICU is not the biggest - mostly because they do not have a labor and delivery unit - but it can be pretty high acuity and you wil see fairly rare things there.

Denver Health is a smaller, but almost brand new NICU, and would be a nice place for a new grad. The same residents that rotate through Childrens and UCH also rotate through Denver Health.