Nursing in Dallas

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I just moved from NY to Dallas two months ago, and the working conditions for nurses here are so bad. Its very disappointing. I work at ******* and its horrible. Can anyone suggest me any hospitals in nearby areas or dallas that treat their nurses well and have better nurse pt. ratio? I feel like moving back to NY.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

It is hard to say what "better" would be without specifics, such as what type of nursing you are doing and what your current ratios are and what shift you work.

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Specializes in ICU.

Better move back to NY. That place is the pits, I hated Texas. Three vented ICU patients one on pressors, an admission aspiration from a knee scope who fought her sedation and worrisome family, and vent weaning who went into afib RVR was a lovely assignment.

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Currently I work in ICU, day shift and all day I move pt's to tests or they might be downgraded or might be new admission. I can get 1 ICU and 2 stepdown or 4 stepdown, honestly there is no limit and if I discharge the 2 stepdown I get more admissions.

I am looking for better nurse patient ratio and systematic and organized place where nurses are treated well. And of course real ICU.

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Can I ask you where do u work in texas?

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Specializes in ICU.
Can I ask you where do u work in texas?

I worked for the Methodist system. The exact same thing goes on at their ICU's. I figured you were an ICU nurse. Maybe try the ebola hospital Presby or something. **** stay away from far away from.

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

Maybe you just aren't at the right hospital for you. If you enjoy high acuity (you mentioned "real ICU"), you might prefer working at one of the level 1 trauma centers. In DFW, those are Baylor University Medical Center (not the McKinney location), Medical City Plano (this is HCA, but I hear they aren't as bad as other HCA can be), Methodist Dallas Medical Center, and Parkland (if you work here, you will see EVERYTHING).

Overall, I've always heard that Dallas is a pretty decent place to be a nurse. Lots of hospitals, so lots of options if you don't like the place you are at. Good luck finding your spot!

*As a disclaimer, I have never worked at any of these hospitals. I just know they are the level 1 trauma centers.

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I moved from CA to TX and I first worked at Presby Dallas, I was on my feet for 14 hrs without breaks. I agree with you that nursing in TX is horrible, due to no adherence to safe nurse to patient ratio. I would have 2 patients post cath with sheaths, and since they do lots of Caths, the sheaths were left for the floor nurse to pull. And you had no helper such as CNA to monitor your vitals at least. It was very unsafe, I quit that job.

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I agree with you Bea RN, California is the only state that has a law for nurse pt. ratio. I wish every state had that. So far what I have heard is that bedside nursing is not that great here. Trying to get something somewhere else but honestly I don't have great expectations. Where do you work now ? Is it any better?

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Yorker,

I am in Utilization management which is much better. Its a desk job, doing chart reviews. I love it though its now almost 6 years in it and burn out is creeping in. I am going back to school soon

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Specializes in Education, Administration, Magnet.

Maybe try transferring to Baylor Dallas or applying to Presbyterian Dallas. Nurse to pt ratios will be lowest at those 2 hospitals based on my experience. However, nursing on the east coast will not compare to anything in Texas. We lost several nurses who moved this way because of lack of jobs in NYC or upstate NY. But they end up moving back within a year because they say that NY is more nurse friendly and they have more freedom in decision making.

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Specializes in ICU.
I agree with you Bea RN, California is the only state that has a law for nurse pt. ratio. I wish every state had that. So far what I have heard is that bedside nursing is not that great here. Trying to get something somewhere else but honestly I don't have great expectations. Where do you work now ? Is it any better?

I truly feel bad for you relocating. Get what you can out of these jobs in this area and relocate back to the east coast. Texas is not going to get better honestly. My friend did a travel assignment in San Antonio and it was the pits. The people in Texas are huge so if your small like me you might end up hurting yourself like I did.

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