Questions about hospitals in Kansas City area and agency nursing

U.S.A. Kansas

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Anyone here work in the Kansas City area/Lawrence area (west Kansas City) and can tell me of a decent hospital to work in? What about agency nursing in that area... what agencies are utilised in this area that I could call for a job, so that I may float around a bit before settling down? When I move to KC/Lawrence, I will have one year experience in Neuroscience, but am flexible about what area I work in as long as the area is well staffed and organized (haha)

Thanks for anyones help.

xoxoxox

kathy

Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

Wow, very informative post for someone considering KC. My question is a bit different. I live in Topeka and am always looking to make more money. I do L&D and make less than $20/hr with 5 years experience. We get a 10% shift diff nights and weekends. I am wondering about looking for a job in KC and either commuting or moving the family. Will I make any more $$? Can anyone tell me what it looks like people are making, especially in the nicer facilities, w/ this kind of experience? Thanks for any info.

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Originally posted by kastas

Wow, very informative post for someone considering KC. My question is a bit different. I live in Topeka and am always looking to make more money. I do L&D and make less than $20/hr with 5 years experience. We get a 10% shift diff nights and weekends. I am wondering about looking for a job in KC and either commuting or moving the family. Will I make any more $$? Can anyone tell me what it looks like people are making, especially in the nicer facilities, w/ this kind of experience? Thanks for any info.

Topeka is home for me! KC is the "office" though. The reason is simple. MONEY!!! I've lived in both towns but have settled back into Topeka for what will hopefully be a long time (wife got good new job). Just to let you in on something, you'll never find the money you could be making in KC anywhere in Topeka. Cascade Health Services (the agency I work for) has an office across from the VA (on Gage Blvd) in Topeka, and they are huge in KC. Nice for picking up checks, updating paperwork and the like, since I can go right down the road rather than have to make a special trip to KC for those things. Just a nice convenience thing. For agency L&D you'll pretty much have to stick with HCA facilities I'm thinking (at least that's from what I hear from the staffers), but I'm guessing you'd pull in about $36-40 an hour (what I make for specialty units). If you go agency in Topeka, Cascade is the only one to go with in my opinion. I worked for Premier in Topeka a long time ago, and I think they are still in Topeka but they are a thing of the past. I worked for StarMed, but they are closed in Topeka now. There's Alacrity too (still around), but I'm convinced they have no clue what they are doing, and frankly don't care either. They don't have any of the big hospital contracts either, which would make it tough for you finding L&D. CareStaff is in Topeka, but they are only open a couple days a week according to a friend of mine who had signed up with them. Not much work either. Don't think she's done but 1 shift for them in over 6 months. Anyway, I've been an agency nurse for years in the Topeka and KC area, so I know a lot of the "skinny" though some may be outdated info. Been with the people that work for Cascade in KC for many years and many different companies. They are just good people to work with.

If you end up going to Overland Park Regional, Menorah, Atchison Hospital or Cushing in Leavenworth we might just bump into each other. Those are some of my favorite haunts on the Kansas side.

Hope this might shed some light.

Happy Hunting!

-eddy

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Specializes in LTC.

How much do staff LPNs make in the KC area?

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I've heard multiple friends have good things to say about working for CareStaff in the KC hospitals.

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I've heard multiple friends have good things to say about working for CareStaff in the KC hospitals.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Call Center RN.

I am a charge nurse LPN in a LTC, I make $18/hr. That is without IV cert. I'm on the outskirts of Kansas City KS.

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I worked at Favorite Nurses while in graduate school and I was making $40/hr in ICU back then....seems like the rates have gone down for agency over the years? Good luck Bennie at St Joseph Health Care Center! If it is as good as it was back then, you will love the staff....it was my favorite of all of them, esp their Telemetry unit.

I no longer live in KC though....moved to Indiana back in 99....I am praying that these Hoosiers don't beat my KC CHIEFS....it will be up to the fans to help them through this game. You cannot beat KC people...

Barbara

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I am glad this thread came up. I am moving to Kansas City in October of this year. I am looking at Research Medical Center, St Luke's Hospital or Providence Medical center. I want to be a staff nurse (not agency). Anyone know which of these hospitals I should seriously consider, which I should avoid. Although I am in critical care right now, I am hoping to do short stay , cardiac cath lab or maybe even outpatient. Someone please advise.

I think all of the teaching hospitals are great, St Lukes on the Plaza, Truman, Kansas University (KU-MED), Research....... then you have the burbs.....Overland Park Regional, St. Lukes South, Menorah, Shawnee Mission Med Ctr, there are many to choose from, and NO lack of agencies to work for.

Agencies are paying 35-40 an hr for critical care and there is plenty of work in the metro. All of the Agencies have 401s, full insurance and benefits !!! The idea that you must be employed FT by a hospital to have full benefits is outdated....... go where the money is.

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Specializes in LTC.

Are a lot of nurses in the KC area licensed for both states? Is the pay better on one side or the other?

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Are a lot of nurses in the KC area licensed for both states? Is the pay better on one side or the other?

If you are looking into agency, it's definately worth being licensed in both states in my opinion.

My agency paid for my Missouri Lic. Very cool of them. So it didn't even cost me a thing; just some time.

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Specializes in MICU, neuro, orthotrauma.

i am moving to kansas city (finally!) in one month. what can i expect for new grad pay in KC for staff work?

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I worked at KU Med (in research) from 95 to 2001. I really liked it -- great benefits and the research groups followed the school schedule (so great holidays off, a week over Christmas), plus 5 weeks vacation a year. If you are interested in research nursing, there are many opportunities there.

Plus the RNs and MDs I worked with in Psychiatry were the BEST!

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