Pay for 2.5 yr RN in Dallas

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Specializes in ER, GI.

Ok, my husband and I have been contemplating the idea of relatocating to Dallas. We currently live in So. California, and i've been an RN for about 2.5 yrs now. As of Feb this year I started to work GI lab, but most of my acute experience before was ER (i just couldn't take the nights, weekends, holidays, etc.....)

I've heard many different things about Dallas pay, it's good, it's bad..... don't know who or what to believe!

So I need to hear from real nurses who live and/or work as RN's in Dallas. How much would someone with my experience be offered in a Dallas hospital/ clinic/ surgery center? ..... and, what's a better place to work at of the three? Who would pay more? ...... Any information, tips, stories/experiences, ANYTHING from any Dallas nurses would be GREATLY appreciated

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I moved from Dallas some years back due to ageing parents. I worked in the ED at Parkland hospital and I do love Dallas. If you cannot find a job in Dallas, no matter what field you are in, you do not deserve one. Dallas is a great city and it is booming.

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Specializes in ER, GI.

You know Dan.... I thought the same when we visited last month.... We loved it there so much that we really are seriously thinking about moving there which is why now I'm on this mission of finding out about RN jobs in Dallas. Unfortunatelly, I'm no having much luck.

So did you feel the pay there was fair, good, great? You must still have friends there in the nursing field. Would you mind getting their insight on my situation?

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Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

New grads start off around $24 per hour. Some one with experience I'm thinking high 20s, maybe.

The cost of living here is low compared to what I've heard in California so the

pay is not going to be like it is there.

You should call recruiters in various hospitals in the Dallas area and talk to them, after all, that's what they're there for.

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Specializes in Cardiac &Medical ICU, Emergency Medicine.

Hello shoecrazynurse. You're in luck because I just moved from the Bay Area to Dallas! I'm a new grad and working at Parkland in the ICU. Parkland is the big teaching hospital in Dallas and it is closely affiliated with the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical school (it's literally right next door). Parkland is a county hospital but pays the highest wages (at least for a new grad). I'm making $24 an hour but I only have 3 weeks of experience as a nurse. The other big hospital around here is Baylor, and they pay less than Parkland by a couple bucks ($21/hour). Because Baylor isn't a community hospital, it's patients have deeper pockets and come from a different social and economic class, but I've heard from a couple nurses that there is a social disparity between the MDs and RNs. Just from what I've heard, the docs run the show and it's expected that the nurses to give up their seat for the docs. At Parkland, not so much. The docs and nurses work well together and because it's a teaching hospital, everyone is willing to teach each other something new. Experienced nurses on the floor teach new grad nurses in residency programs, and experienced docs work along side them to teach the MD residents. Plus, Parkland has a level I trauma ER (as does Baylor) but Parkland gets most of the calls. And in 2014, Parkland will have a brand new, $1.2 billion dollar hospital with 17 floors, 3 helipads, and close to 2 million new square feet! I may be a little bias towards Parkland (because I work there) but in all honesty, I've only been in Dallas for 3 weeks and it has really made an impression on me.

Lastly, Texas does not have any income tax. From living in California for 18 years, I know how expensive living is out there. California will tax you whenever they can. If I stayed in California, I'd be making about $39 an hour, but the cost of living and the taxes would suck all that extra bank right out of my pocket. With that said, I like Dallas. At first, I thought it would be very cowboy and country, but that's not the case in Dallas - outside of Dallas, yes, but not the city. And living near downtown really isn't that horrible, especially since I'm used to the HUGE amount of people that live in San Fran and the surrounding Bay Area. Dallas is a big city, but it's spread out and not congested like San Fran. My favorite place to spend time is in Uptown (conveniently located outside of downtown). Uptown has lots of shopping, bars, and restaurants. And if you like football, Texans love their Dallas Cowboys. The weather is hot, and there aren't any mountains for miles, but there are a good number of fun places to go, things to do, and I've already started saying "y'all" instead of you guys :) Lakes are near by to go boating and it actually snows in the winter time.

Hope this helps

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Specializes in ER, GI.

RedhairedNurse, I used to make $34 in ER cuz i worked nights, but took a cut (that was well worth it!) to work a regular M-F job in GI, so if the pay is in the high $20's i think i can live with that. I knew the pay would of course be lower in Dallas, i just wanted to know how much.... and duh! of course I'll look into contacting some recreuiters, why didn't i think of that!

hockeynpolo, wow! thanks for such detailed information. I'm gonna check out that hospital's website.

And you're right about the taxes in California.... the pay may be higher but so is

everything else! I live in So Cal so my pay is lower than the Bay area, it's expensive up there!

Up to about July of this year we were looking for a new house, and for some reason or another, it just never happened.... the price too high, or we didn't like the house, or the seller would back out. Then we visited my brothers in Dallas, and we loved it there! I think maybe we just weren't meant to find a house here in Cali, and we have officially stopped looking. My brother just bought a brand new house in a place called Castle Hills in Lewisville (I believe it's North Dallas) with all the bells n' whistles for only like $415 .... I thought, hmmm that's where i want to live! lol....

Oh and I really liked both uptown and downtown Dallas too! oh and the farmers market :)

Thanks again to the both of you.... if i have any other questions, i will definetely post. :bow:

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If you are a ER nurse your gonna love Parkland.

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Specializes in ER, GI.

Really Dan, why?

I used to do ER but left and went to GI Lab because we were so understaffed ALL the time. California is in such a bad financial state that all ERs were inundated with pt's.... we had 5150's all the time, people depressed that they lost ther job, home, spouse or all of the above, and admissions constantlly. That's were i drew the line....we were basically foced to become floor nurses and ICU nurses (without training in ICU) to the pt's admitted that coudn't fit on the floor. it was crazy, and in was UNSAFE!!!! we were like at a 5:1 ratio when i left, when legally in Ca we should have only 4 pt's.

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm not an RN but an LVN...I know you can pretty much work anywhere with one year experience it is up to you...Good Luck!

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Specializes in ER, GI.

well, that's good to hear..... do you know anything about nursing pay though? That's the part I'm having trouble finding out. Do you work in Dallas?

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Specializes in trauma ICU,TNCC, NRP, PALS, ACLS.

At childrens hospital-31.78/hr, at parkland around 26-30.50/hr, at jps 28/hr (this are figures that I have heard other RN say)

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Here's a word of caution. You would be wise to have a job offer lined up well before you leave California and move to Texas.

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