nursing jobs for wife right out of nursing school

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Howdy all,My wife will graduate nursing school here in Colorado Springs, CO at PPCC next May. She has told me that she doesn't want to work in the Springs because they don't pay nurses right out of school very well. I have asked her if she has looked up in Denver and she hasn't. I am also in the USAF active duty and I don't retire until Dec 09. After that I have told her I would move anywhere she wants to work. So I am being proactive and trying to find out from anyone that can help me where is the best place to go to find out about nursing jobs in Denver for nurses right out of school? Also, what is the pay scale like there? She has been thinking about going to Phoenix, AZ area because she has family there to work right out of school. Is that a better area than Denver? The thing is we also have three kids, my USAF committment, so she would be living with family and I would be here with the kids. I am trying to get all the info I can together so that I can show her that she doesn't have to leave right after school to work and to just wait three years for me to retire....thanks,

I guess most of y'all of probably right. We have three kids. Our oldest has cerebral palsy, is 12yrs old in 7th grade, makes straight A's, is in a normal class, but cannot walk on her own, she drives a powered wheelchair. Our younger daughter is 11yrs old and is in 6th grade. She is the middle child. Our son is 7yrs old and he has been diagnosed with childhood onset bipolar disorder. He is on abilify and lithium. I have asked her straight up, are you using me as a meal ticket so you can finish nursing school? She can not finish school without my support. Yes, my 14yrs sex addiction have caused her tremendous pain, hurt, anger, shame but according to our counselor she has alot of co-dependecy issues and is what they call a "love addict". I just want her to been "honest" and up front with me so I can move on with my life. I don't want to set myself up or have any false hopes. I have told her that all I want is for us to be totally honest with each other during all of this. No lies, no deception....I also have told her that I do still love her and that I will support her thru nursing school just like I have since she started. I really don't feel that she is going to be able to own her stuff and all the core issues that she has until she doesn go to counseling for herself without me. She has some names of some counselors but she has not called anyone. I feel that she is scared too...but I realize that only she can fix or take care of her and I can not. The other thing that is probably the most important issue is that we are not right now on the same spiritual level. I am working on my relationship with God and getting closer to him. I have been going back to church for a year now, she has not been, I have taken our kids. She doesn't like to talk to me about religion. I heard her talking to her mother the other day about religion and she was asking how is it that Jewish folks are Gods chosen people? She said that she doesn't believe in denominations that say you have to speak in tongues to be saved or that you have to be baptised, etc. She says and her mom does that she is saved and believes that jesus christ died on the cross for our sins, but she also says that she is a live let live type of person and that she does believe in morals and the Ten commandments, one of which is thou shall not committ adultry. I really feel because we do not communicate together on a spiritual level that is why we are still so distant.

I admire your support! You sound like a great guy who is really trying to support his wife! Go to Salary.com and you can get salary info on anywhere u want. Look in the back of nursing magazines, your wife can get them at her school library, and there are plenty of job offers for CO, and AZ there. I just saw one ad that offered $85,000/yr, $5000 relocation allowance, $3000 sign-on bonus in Phoenix. Can't find the mag tho!

Specializes in Cardiac.
Most places outside of CA do not pay new grads much more then 18-20/hr. Some might pay 21-22, but that is it.. including Arizona. Check www.salary.com.

The starting pay for new grads in Phoenix is $24 (and most of Az), in addition to the sign on bonuses and other bonuses. Maybe post your question in the Az forum for a more accurate breakdown of the pay and benefits.

Please, remember that the higher salaries usually mean the cost of

living is higher there also.

Always check out the cost of living before jumping into a move

or even a travel contract.

I just saw one ad that offered $85,000/yr, $5000 relocation allowance, $3000 sign-on bonus in Phoenix. Can't find the mag tho!

I would cry if that's true. I work in Phoenix and don't even make close to that salary, with over 20 years' experience. I would have to work an overtime shift every week to see that pay.

Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
The starting pay for new grads in Phoenix is $24 (and most of Az), in addition to the sign on bonuses and other bonuses. Maybe post your question in the Az forum for a more accurate breakdown of the pay and benefits.

I doubt that this is true for most of AZ unless you factor in OT. Much of AZ is rural according to the municipal websites. I have to agree with the other posters, I would question a hospital that paid $24/hr to a new grad.

Specializes in Cardiac.
I doubt that this is true for most of AZ unless you factor in OT. Much of AZ is rural according to the municipal websites. I have to agree with the other posters, I would question a hospital that paid $24/hr to a new grad.

Huh... Then I guess you would have to question most hospitals in Tucson and Phoenix then. Much of Az is rural? Have you been to Az? I'm not talking about Show low or Florence. We're talking about Phoenix. That is far from rural. How many hosptials in Phoenix have you interviewed at? Where in the Phoenix area do you live??

Hate to say it, but I'm a new grad...and I'm not making $24/hr. I'm making more. Plus I got a critical care class, and a $5000 sign on bonus and my bennies rock.

Instead of following a website about salaries, maybe try talking to people who have actually interviewed with the hospitals.

Specializes in NA - 100 years ago.
Wow! She is willing to move to another state and LEAVE HER CHILDREN WITH YOU?:uhoh21: WARNING RED FLAG RED FLAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I say that because I can't imagine why she needs to do that. Her family lives in AZ so she can get help with the kids if she works nights or weekends. Nope instead she would rather leave the kids with you. What are you going to do when you have duty on the weekends or evenings? God forbid you get deployed I bet she has to take the kids then.

If she was the man wanting to separate and get a job in another state would you be saying this? Men and women are in the military and many of them are single parents. I used to be one. (I'm a girl, by the way.) Having kids in the military does pose some special problems, but being in the military does not preclude you from being a good parent, nor does being a man. Which parent the kids spend the majority of their time with, after a divorce, if the time is not split exactly down the middle, is a matter for a family discussion and compromise. It is not dependent on occupation, or gender. If the military member is deployed, many times the absent parent is happy to step in, many times the children need to stay somewhere else. Hopefully, not somewhere where somebody only takes them because they "have" to, whether that be with a parent, or not.

I feel for the OP as my own son has just gone through this mess. He is in the AF, so was his wife. They are divorced now. He did everything he could to hold their marriage together. His wife was not so willing to work on the relationship. She had other things going on. No matter how hard my son tried, it wasn't enough, but sometimes people have to go to the ends of their own ropes in order to satisfy their own feelings. The need to feel they did everything they could have done to "fix" things before letting go.

I agree with the many posters who have told the OP to let his wife find her own job and I will add the old cliche' that sometimes to hold on to something, you have to set it free. It's very hard to do. For some of us, it is not part of our genetic makeup to trust the universe enough to know we don't need to clutch onto everything that has landed in our hands, but it can be learned. It took me a long time to figure this out, myself.

To the OP - as I said earlier, I hope things work out between you two, but do your best to trust things will be right, no matter how they turn out.

if she was the man wanting to separate and get a job in another state would you be saying this? men and women are in the military and many of them are single parents. i used to be one. (i'm a girl, by the way.) having kids in the military does pose some special problems, but being in the military does not preclude you from being a good parent, nor does being a man. which parent the kids spend the majority of their time with, after a divorce, if the time is not split exactly down the middle, is a matter for a family discussion and compromise. it is not dependent on occupation, or gender. if the military member is deployed, many times the absent parent is happy to step in, many times the children need to stay somewhere else. hopefully, not somewhere where somebody only takes them because they "have" to, whether that be with a parent, or not.

whoa time out!!!!! i just got out of the military a couple of years ago after spending six years active duty in the military. i had both of my kids during the last couple of years so i do have a small clue of what i am talking about :rolleyes:. by the way i am a girl also :wink2:.

my husband who i was not married to at the time kept the kids while i was out to sea. i of course realize that fathers are just as capable of taking care of their kids just as well as mothers. i did not mean to imply otherwise.

however, i think the main point of my post may have been missed. although this is 2006 there is still a natural tendency for mothers to want to raise their kids except in extenuating circumstances. all i am trying to say is the original poster's wife seems like she has something else going on that he is not telling us or she is not telling him. as i tried to state before i can totally understand if the wife wants to get away from him and move in with her family. i just don't understand why she would move to be with her family and leave her kids behind.

Remember, we can only change ourselves. We cannot change the other partner. Sometimes our about face comes too late to reclaim those around us. That does not negate or diminish the magnitude of our transformation. Only time and the ONE above will tell if this is so.

In truth you wife may be gently trying to tell you that in spite of the changes you have made she wishes to move on. Sometimes people just can't say it out loud and make up an excuse so as not to hurt the other party. That at least shows she still cares about your feelings.

Gather your salary statisitcs, but the choice must be hers. Give her some time and the space she needs to make a decision. Whatever happens, YOU WILL SURVIVE!

I sure hope you guys can work things out. I am praying/routing for you both.

I hate to say it, but it sounds like she's staying right now so she can be supported until she finishes school then plans to ask for the "separation" as soon as she lands a job in AZ.

Let her do her own job search. She's a big girl and can handle it on her own. Most of us have.

Take care of yourself and the kids.

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