San Antonio ADN Q's

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Hello!

I am an ADN-RN Student in Michigan and my husband and plan on relocating down south when I graduate and pass my boards next summer (2010.) We have looked at Tennessee and Texas and are leaning towards the San Antonio area. I am curious about a few things and was hoping someone would give me some advice.

**I want to work in a hospital. Will I be limited or held back by my ADN, as opposed to a BSN? I plan to go on and eventually obtain my Masters, but for now I just want to work as an RN for awhile and pay off some debt and have babies! :)

**What is the job market like for Nurses in TX? Is it very competitive?

**What do RNs make (on Average) in San Antonio?

Any advice would be very helpful! Thank you! BTW....it is 7 degrees right now where I am....wonder why I want to move to TX?!!

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Hello, I too have many questions about nursing in the San Antonio area. I think many of the nurses that work in SA dont browse this site just the nurses from other areas of Texas? I just graduated from an ADN program in Arizona and have been offered four jobs in Texas. The hospital in McAllen,tx offered me 21.35 I think to work there and the hospital in Brownsville,tx offered me 22.00 an hour to work there the hospital in Abilene,tx offered me a 6,000 sign on bonus I cant remember the hourly rate and the hospital in San Antonio offered me 24 dollars an hour initailly but after my telephone interview I was told the pay rate would be 21.26/hr and that I would recieve a raise after 6 mos of 24.25 an hour oh with a nightshift diff of 4.55/hour. One of the hospitals in knoxville,Tn offered me 18.10/hr to start and also told me they were dying for nurses there and I would not have a problem finding a job if I was to relocate there? But they did not offer a relocation package so.... anyway good luck to you with school and relocating!

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Thank you for the reply...it is good to see the hourly rates being offered in different areas. I am also encouraged to see that you had so many job offers...hopefully in another year when I am applying for jobs there will still be many opportunities. :) Good luck with your new job and the move from AZ to TX!

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Hi I started working as an RN in San Antonio last Jan -so these figures are from that time $18 -$21 for a brand new RN certificate grad not BSN w/ no experience. No benefits will get you $1-$2 more per hour -sorry can't remember. Christus Santa Rosa in San Antonio pays the highest. Housing costs in San Antonio and other costs are very reasonable. I'm no longer in San Antonio but let me know if you have any other questions and I will see what I can do.

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I am surprised at how low the pay is in San Antonio.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

San Antonio is a wonderful place to live! I grew up there and got my BSN from UTHSC - SA. However. . as the previous posters remarked, there are many other parts of the country with higher wages. But before jumping to conclusions about low wages - you need to look at the bigger picture of overall cost of living and putting a roof over your head.

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Hello Ladies,

I have excepted a new grad RN position at southeast baptist hospital, they offered me 21.26 to start but I heard that they are going to raise their salaries in Feb. but to what I am unsure? Anyway could someone please tell me about the area surrounding the hospital and what area would be okay to relocate to? Thanks

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Congratulations!

Sorry, I am not familiar w/ that area of the city. Definietly get help though..San Antonio is the 9th largest city in the US and unfortunatley there are some bad areas...

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What part of the city are you familiar with? You can tell me anything you do know, like what resturant has the best steak or cheese cake? What the weather is like year round? I dont know maybe you can share what the job market is like there for nurses? Anything please? lol!

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I am more familiar w/ NorthCentral-I live between Loop 410 and Loop 1604, between I-10 and Military Hgwy. It is an older area w/ lots of oak trees and a very settled neighborhood -I love it...

Saltgrass -best steak restaurant

Chacho's margaritas for $6 and huge w/ playground for your kids! all indoors w/ great desserts! incl cheesecake -causual near to Northeast Baptist hospital and the airport. Job market is good, housing costs are reasonable but home taxes very high to support many crazy independent school districts instead of a county school system...If you have kids the best thing to do is find a good school system and move into that school system's neighborhood - a little confusing....I know a great realtor..

Besides the Baptist hospital system, there is university hospital -a teaching hospital medium pay (in comparision) and you work 6 12's and 1 8 biweekly, Christus Santa Rosa may have the best patient ratios -hearsay can't confirm- there is also the methodist hospital. All are hiring all the time for most areas....signing bonuses all very small if at all -Please remember this info is from when I was looking last Fall -I worked w/ Baptist as a tech then continued on as an RN I have temporarily left the area...but am returning in August...

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Thanks I am just so happy to find a nurse from the area to ask questions and get real honest answers and opinions from! I have found a few homes to rent near the AFB but I have not decided on a home yet, I have four children so education is very important to me but I havent found a site that will tell me which have the best quality education programs? The lady that I have been referred to work with from the hospital tell me that the neighborhood surrounding the hospital is a pretty good one, but what I am hearing from others posting here and on other sites are saying no way! I do not mind living in a mixed area where one would find people from all over? I just dont want to move to the most crime infested area of SA as I am aware of the fact that crime can happen anytime and anyplace. I am so excited! Thanks again

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I don't know how to pm -but if you can tell me I will send you my e-mail so I will be available for future questions!

From what I understand, the area around Southeast is not a famliy friendly area. All of San Antonio is pretty much 'mixed' culturally -this does not seem to be an issue here that I know of..... I heard a lot of different things when I moved to San Antonio -many young up and coming families live in the new north central area outside (N) Loop 1604 others swear the Northwest is the most family friendly. There are small cities within the city of san antonio -castle hills (good acess to loop 410) and shavano park that are also known for family friendliness and lower crime areas. I personally prefer the 78230 zip code and near there, lots of older homes, good shopping and close to everything -it put me 20min from every hospital in SA -except Southeast I'm not sure about that one.-(but not during rush hour -we have our traffic too!) Alamo heights school district in the middle of town is considered by many to be the best -very nice neighborhoods! Near to downtown so most homes are older... I've never been to Southeast Baptist hospital and am truly not even sure where it is. But I have lived in SA since fall 2005 so my perspective is more of a newcomer than anything else. There are also lots of rural areas that are nearby, but I am not as familar w/ those areas. -do you already have a contract w/ southeast?

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