DVorah

You'll have to decide if there is enough benefit for you. Obviously, you will be a better and stronger nurse with the in-depth knowledge base that studying for and passing the OCN will give you. My hospital (magnet facility) does pay for the review course and the test. They'll even pay for the first year of an organization membership if it decreases the test price. Also, being certified adds points on the professional ladder, which kicks up my pay substantially. As for the CEs, there are hundreds of free CEs available on the Internet. Check out NOEP.org for a bunch of really good ones.

My commute is about 25 miles, much of it interstate. Since I work night shift, the majority of the traffic is always in the opposite direction. I really love the magnet hospital I work at, and my coworkers are fantastic! I also work part-time for a staffing agency that sometimes places me at the hospital which is only 0.5 miles from my house. After seeing the difference in administration and staff, I find I much prefer my regular job --even though I hate the drive. (Thank heavens for recorded books!)

most hospitals have a slightly higher starting wage for bsns. as far as facilities go, i think st luke's - boise is the best. as a magnet hospital, it treats nurses very well. if you are full-time, the benefits package is really quite good. i'm not too familiar with what is available to part-timers. to the best of my knowledge, there are no union hospitals in the region. at least, i've never heard of one. good luck to you!

I graduated with my BSN from UCHSC this past summer, and I was absolutely disgusted with the attitudes of the Denver-area hospitals! Given the sheer volume of nursing schools along the front range, the competition for new grad slots is enough to turn it into a McJob market: If you don't like what we have to offer, get out of the way -- there's another warm, breathing new grad behind you. So, I started paying attention to the ads in the NSNA magazines. There are a lot of places that are looking to hire new grads. I'm now working in Boise, ID and I couldn't be happier. The relocation package was great. My unit (Med-Surg Oncology) has a 1:4 ratio. They pay the same as CO, but the cost of living is much lower. Plus, their idea of bad traffic is my idea of I-25 on a good day! Oh, and Idaho offers a new grad license, so you can start working before you take the NCLEX.

I graduated from my BSN program at 39 years of age -- one of my classmates was actually using his social security retirement to pay his tuition. It is never too late to go back to school -- you are never too old to learn!

The starting wage for a BS prepared new RN at St Luke's Regional Medical Center in Boise is $20.59, plus shift and weekend differentials. Much better benefits package than Denver, CO.