Moving to Texas

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Hi, fiancé and I have been looking at moving out of Connecticut by possibly next year. We been looking at states along the Atlantic seaboard. We were interested in a few states, but Texas seemed to offer it all.

Did a bit of research on the area and the job market. Nursing appears to be stable and many job opportunities.

My fiancé is just starting the LPN program then going to bridge before we head on down. So we have some time to save money up.

I am in the start of taking nursing prerequisites. I also have five year's of health care experience and currently work as a psychiatric/mental health tech./worker.

I am thinking of going for my LPN so when I leave would be a nurse.

Questions about LPN market in Texas is it good? How is pay? LPNS here make about $25 to $28 an hour, but that is due to cost of living. Also maybe 10 openings for LPNS every 4-5 month's.

Are there bridge programs in Texas for LPNs?

Up here in Connecticut about 15 of the 22 hospital's only hire nurse's with BSNs. Curious I'd same in Texas? Fiancé and I like to get are RN then bridge over to a MSN program, since both of us already have Bachelor degrees.

Thinking of Dallas area down to Houston. Fiancé has family in the suburbs of Dallas.

Appreciate any feedback you can give. Thanks a bunch.

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Specializes in Emergency.

I worked for Baptist and Methodist hospitals in San Antonio off and on for about 4 years. Those are two of the biggest hospitals in the area. Each has about 5 hospitals in the city, not including their smaller outpatient clinics and urgent care centers. I worked at Methodist about a year ago and I can tell you they are avoiding LPNs/LVNs and going with RNs/BSNs. They are even urging their travel/agency nurses to become core full time staff and are avoiding agencies as much as possible. I think Baptist still has a few LVNs in the ER, but they've been there almost 10 years and have proven themselves. This is what I've seen in the ER and Med/Surg, since 2008. I don't know about other depts. There just isn't much opportunity for LVNs in the big hospitals here, but there are countless healthcare facilities in San Antonio. Plenty of medical demand.

As far as pay, I've been gone a while. In 2008 I knew an ER LVN that was making $24/hr.

Hope this helps. Message me if you need more info.

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There is a glut of new grad nurses (ASN and BSN) in both Houston and Dallas areas (Austin and San Antonio also). I don't know of any hospitals hiring LVN's in the Houston area, and pretty sure Dallas area is the same. Most are either requireing or at least favoring BSN's.

Pay around here starts @ $24-28/hr for a new grad RN (ASN and BSN are paid the same). No idea on LVN pay around here, but surely less than RN.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I live in a rural town & am just looking to go back to work after having my son. I am having a difficult time find even though I have 5 years of experience. There is a community college in my town .that turns out LVNs. Other community colleges an hour away or more that also pump out LVNs. So the market for LVNs is very difficult.

There is one hospital that still hires LVNs. But other than that the only places to work are corrections, home health, PDN, LTC & possibly LTACH.

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Appreciate the feedback. If went down as an LVN/LVP kind of expect not working in a hospital probably visiting nursing. Be sweet to get corrections I have a degree in Criminal Justice and have about 4 year's of psych experience. Long term goal would be to get my BSN and work in the corrections system or large psych hospital in Texas area.

Having an associates in nursing still would be able to find job's? The market is scarce up here in CT, but nurse's with bachelor's have a lot of job opportunities.

Appreciate the feedback. If I can get a job making $18-$20 an hour I be content with that while going back to finish up to the next level in nursing.

Any idea on Mental Health Worker pay? I see a lot of openings in the Houston area?

Outside of major cities having an associates in nursing can still find work in a hospital?

I heard Texas also has an LVN to BSN program, any truth to that?

Again appreciate so much the feedback.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

Yes there are some LVN to BSN programs. Oh I forgot to add my pay. It ranged from $18-$22/hr.

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That's not bad saw one state upper south area state paying $13.50 an hour for LVNs.

Not nursing per se' question we love swimming, fishing, kayaking, camping, running, hiking, biking, good food, and good music. I especially love history. Is that a lifestyle can find down in Texas?

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
That's not bad saw one state upper south area state paying $13.50 an hour for LVNs.

Not nursing per se' question we love swimming, fishing, kayaking, camping, running, hiking, biking, good food, and good music. I especially love history. Is that a lifestyle can find down in Texas?

That sounds like the kind of lifestyle you could do in Austin.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Yes. Definitely sounds like Austin. The cost of living is kinda high because of UT, but there are plenty of outdoor things to do for you non-gamers. Do you like hunting?

San Antonio has a much lower cost of living and it's only an hour from Austin.

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