Nursing in Oklahoma around Tulsa

wishingmary · Mar 21, 2004

:chair: ] Hi people. I'm an RN and I have been offered "permanent placement" by a nursing recruiter for a job in Tulsa. I've never been to OK in my life. I was checking "things" out on the internet, and saw where there is a critical nursing shortage in West Brighton, which I believe is close to Tulsa. No way do I want to move out there and be stuck in a mess like that! They are offering a *huge* relocation bonus. Makes me wonder what is GOING ON out there; that they have to go to such extreme measures to get RNs. I am naturally leery of such an offer. You people who work in Tulsa: what are the nurse/patient ratios like? Quite frankly I am skeptical..............any information would be APPRECIATED!!!

I work on a cardiac/neuro step-down unit. I'm in orientation as an RN. Just graduated in December 2003. I'm seeing 5-7 but 5 is the target. From what I'm hearing the places offering the big sign-on bonuses are not good places to work. I don't know about West Brighton, but your caution is prudent. As far as Tulsa is concerned, we have metropolitan amenities. The arts, 3 Universities, many technical educational opportunities, 2 medical colleges, award winning museums, an aquarium, zoo, an international airport, many health care venus, parks, award winning floodwater containment system that bring in people from all over the world (I feel sorry for those downstream in Bixby though), a civic center, pavilion, TV break-in weather information right down to the city block if need be (tornados). Good Lord, we have a lot to offer. We are a mid-sized city, lower than average crime rate outside north Tulsa and strangers smile at each other in passing. You don't find that in NY or Chicago or Los Angeles or anywhere outside the midwest. If you have your own plane or want to fly one once you have your license you can go over to Riverfield Airport in West Tulsa. Oh, I can't forget all the shopping MALLS and of course specialty shops & services. If your kids like horsebackriding, ice or roller skating, hockey, soccer, gymnastics (Tulsa World of Gymnastics is the best), school sports, world class golf, and tennis... we got it all. You don't have to drive far to get to anywhere, maybe 20 to 30 minutes in rush hour from one end to the other. Cost of living is a lot less than many other places in the US. Yes, we have quite a few large homes and older smaller homes. Tulsa Public Schools aren't as well funded as the private schools. My kids go to a Catholic school; homework every night; parents are expected to volunteer and be involved in their children's education. I keep up the H&P's and Immunization files for the school and help transport my children's classmates on fieldtrips. Life can get hectic.

Mary

BabyRN2Be · Apr 19, 2004

Everything that Wishingmary said about Tulsa is true. The climate is moderate, we have hot summers (many days in the 90's and above 100 - I don't like the heat), and our winters have some snow - most you usually get is a couple of 6" snowfalls in a year - the conditions would be better is they actually knew how to use snow clearing equipment but they aren't that bad. Falls are very beautiful around here, but it seems like we are the allergy capital of the US in spring.

NE Oklahoma is not your stereotypical picture of Oklahoma. Not too many oil wells, and it's not dry and dusty. We have a lot of wooded areas, with many lakes and rivers in the NE part of the state - it's just not the picture many people have of Oklahoma. I'm origially from Chicago and I lived for many years in San Diego before I got here. It is a great place to live. If the summers weren't so bad, I'd be pretty happy here.

What bothers me about your situation, Shezam!, is that I've lived here for the last 20 years and I've never heard of West Brighton. I'm pretty familiar with the towns around here and that's not one I've heard of. Actually, I've just looked it up and it appears that we don't have a West Brighton. It must be a very small town - VERY small. Just be very cautious. The hospitals closer in the Tulsa metro area are very nice. St. Francis tends to have a higher nurse/pt ratio on their ortho floor, and it's that way on other floors. Hillcrest has a brand new women's center which is very nice (I work in OB there as a doula).

Maybe you have the wrong name of the town? But yes, be cautious, if they are offering a HUGE signon bonus, be leery. There's probably a reason for it.

Good luck!

sleepless in norman · May 27, 2004

and on a witch hunt. They have destroyed my life and caused more misssery in the lives of my children. I started as a orderlie, then paramedic supervisor for 8 years, then RN for 17 yrs, with no infractions either in my profession or socially, then after several life tragedys within my familly, I succumbed to lortab addiction, pled no contest to a single count prescrition alteration count, advised the oklahoma state board, went to inpatient rehab, lived sober for a year, was reliscensed, placed in PEER with the state board, worked for 6 months, then after all this the Oklahoma State Board reported my license to the Office of Inspector General and I was placed on the exclusion list, lost my job and ended my career in healthcare or anywhere else for that matter, because i can't work for a medicare or medicad funded facility, this action was senseless.

oktravelnurse · Feb 19, 2006

I have worked @ St. Francis off and on for the past 4 years. I'm a travel nurse and usually work @ least 6 months in CA. SFH has high nurse pt ratios. It is not uncommon to have 10 patients and many times it can be more like 12 or 14. I refuse to take that many and some how they managed to call another nurse in. This was unusual and the nurses @ SFH usually put up w/ it or quit sooner or later. I feel like the others if they are offering a big relocation pkg. get all the facts. I love nursing in CA because I always know I will not have more than 5 pts. Hope this helps!

LanaBanana · Feb 20, 2006

Yup, never heard of West Brighton. The only thing that comes to my mind is Brighton Gardens retirement homes.

fakemusician · Feb 28, 2006

while we are on the topic, does anyone know anyting about hillcrest and tulsa regional? i am a telemetry nurse and would appreciate any information on those hosptials.

BabyRN2Be · Mar 14, 2006

I know that this post is close to 2 months old, but I'll answer it anyhow. In my opinion, I'd take Hillcrest over Tulsa Regional. Tulsa Regional does not seem to be doing well as a hospital. Hillcrest is more solvent. Both of them are very near downtown, actually, Tulsa Regional IS downtown.

Between the two of them, I'd work at Hillcrest. Here's my :twocents: . Good luck.

MyReign1 · Apr 16, 2006

I graduate in May. I interviewed at St. JOhn and St. Francis and was offered both positions. The nurse/pt ratio at St. John is 1/5-6 where as at St. Francis it was 1/7-10 and higher on NOCs. I of course accepted the St. John offer. How is St. Francis getting away with that type of ratio? They have such a great reputation in the community. When I mention to lay people that I am taking St. J over St. F they look at me like I'm crazy. My interview at St. F was also crazy I could tell that I did not want to work there. During my interview a nurse knocked on the door and went off on the nurse manager about her assignment. I'm kinda glad it happened while I was there, it was a huge warning sign for me. One St. F employee admitted to me after the fact that St. J treats their nurses way better than St. F. SHe only told me this after I accepted the St. J position. She was going to allow me to accept the position at St. F just so she could ger her $1500 referral bonus.

As far as sign-on bonuses, I believe that all or most of the hospitals in the Tulsa area are giving sign on bonuses. I don't believe this has anything to do with being desperate (well in some cases it does). But it also has to do with being competitive in the market. If the other area hospitals are doing it you basically have to as well.

LanaBanana · Apr 16, 2006

Congrats on the job!!! I've heard good things about St. John's and I have changed my hopes of working St. F to St. J.