San Antonio ADN Q's

kdsrn · May 8, 2009

Even though I am a peds nurse, my husband is an adult nurse so this info is from him: Both Methodist Metropolitan and Baptist M.C. are downtown hospitals. Methodist is part of HCA, a for-profit hospital system. Methodist would be a more community feel with chronically ill pts with multiple co-morbidities. Baptist would have a more medical center feel with a little more acutely ill patients. Of course, all pts in the ICU are acutely ill, but hopefully you understand what I mean. You will not see Level I trauma at either of these hospitals. Level I trauma all goes to one of three hospitals here-University, Brooke Army Medical Center, or Wilford Hall Medical Center. Although Spanish is good to know at any hospital in SA, you can get by without it. There are usually enough Spanish speaking nurses to get by just fine. Older adults may speak Spanish only, but most younger adults speak at least some English. You'll get some Spanish only pts downtown but you would see more at the University Hospital which sees a lot of indigents. A lot of elderly people live in those areas. I can't speak to the work environment/staff at either hospital. Hope this helps.

kwhitRN · May 13, 2009

I commend you for makinng it through the nursing school process. We all know that is a mountain to climb in itself. I moved to San Antonio about three years ago. I moved to the North Central area also. I applied only at North Central Baptist, and received a job working in the ICU with about 1 year 5 months experience. Offered a sign on bonus for 3,000 dollars, and a relocation bonus of 1,000 dispersed in yearly increments for 2 years.

My starting pay in November was $19.36/hr with a $3.25/hr. night diff. and a $3.25 wkd/diff. By March of the next year I was making $20.50/hr and by the next year $24.14/hr with same diffs. If you want to work as a pull nurse, to work in different areas of the hospital you get approx. $10.00/hr extra pay but you do not et benefits, or for about the the same amount, option N and not receive benefits and stay in the same unit.

NCBH is also located in a beautiful area, with amazing administration, physcians, staff, and most importantly patients that make this hospital more than average to be a part of. You should check it out!

SDA3694 · May 19, 2009

Does anyone know where I can find a job in San Antonio?? I just graduated from nursing school in Alabama and I would really like to relocate.I completed my preceptorship in ICU and although I would really LOVE to stay in a critical care setting, I WILL WORK ANYWHERE...I just love nursing and I am ready to start working, already!! If anyone knows that their unit is hiring please let me know. Thank you in advance for any information that you are willing to provide me with! BTW...im so impressed w/ the comments about San Antonio, it makes me even more determined to find a job there!! I take boards in June but alot of people that I have talked to told me not to wait to start looking for a job because alot of internships start in June.

chocolateskye · May 19, 2009

I think you should start applying now, please dont wait. I recently quit my job at southwest general hospital. I am still considered a new grad myself. I wish I could tell you who is hiring at the moment but I cant, all that I can tell you is to apply everywhere. Oh and good luck!

SDA3694 · May 19, 2009

Thanks chocolateskye! Do you know of any good places to apply or good places to start apartment hunting? Good Luck to you as well! ohhh yeah, one more question for anyone that can answer this... I really would love to work in Texas but right now I live in Alabama ...I can not just up and move to Texas w/o knowing that I have some kind of hope for a job, but since most internships begin the 1st of June and thats when I plan to take NCLEX... I need to go ahead and get a temp license...IM STUCK, I dont know what state I should get my temp license for to even start looking for jobs because on most applications thats one of the first things they ask...or would you just wait for a job offer to get your temp. Does this make ANY sense??

Bortaz, MSN, RN · May 19, 2009

I think you should start applying now, please dont wait. I recently quit my job at southwest general hospital. I am still considered a new grad myself. I wish I could tell you who is hiring at the moment but I cant, all that I can tell you is to apply everywhere. Oh and good luck!

What was wrong at Southwest General?

chocolateskye · May 19, 2009

I have some issues that I really need to learn to address. I had a bad experience as a new Lpn graduate, I thought I could change the nursing world. I spoke up about everything that was not according to the book. I ended up isolated and alone, the butt of all jokes etc, it was terrible. Southwest was not a good fit for me. #1 They had a Lpn training me. She had only been working there for 4 1/2 to 5 months. #2 They had self scheduling which wasnt a bad thing its just that my supervisor told me to get with my preceptor and coordinate which days I could work since my preceptor worked 4 days a week and I could only work 3 days. When she got canceled I got canceled. #4 My supervisor never gave me any instructions on to stay or to leave once they canceled my preceptor? #5 They never contacted me to tell me that my preceptor was canceled. #6 They would pull me from my preceptor to work as a pct or what ever the term, or I would do one to ones or anything that they needed me for but learning how to be a Rn. I liked the nurse they placed me with, but that would not serve me well once it was time for me to be on my own. #7 Other nurses would make comments on why wasnt I with a RN, as well as comments about my preceptors work habits. #8 My preceptor was almost just as new as I was, there were things that she did not do that I knew she should have been doing and I just felt that they set me up for failure from the start. Plus I found it hard to pay my bills only working one day per week. #9 All of the other Rn's that were hired all had been placed with RN's except for me? Like I said before I could have spoken up, but that has only backfired for me in the past. So I just smile and move on :banghead:

chocolateskye · May 19, 2009

Thanks chocolateskye! Do you know of any good places to apply or good places to start apartment hunting? Good Luck to you as well! ohhh yeah, one more question for anyone that can answer this... I really would love to work in Texas but right now I live in Alabama ...I can not just up and move to Texas w/o knowing that I have some kind of hope for a job, but since most internships begin the 1st of June and thats when I plan to take NCLEX... I need to go ahead and get a temp license...IM STUCK, I dont know what state I should get my temp license for to even start looking for jobs because on most applications thats one of the first things they ask...or would you just wait for a job offer to get your temp. Does this make ANY sense??

Well they have this one website called aftercollage and they have a section just for new grads. Sometimes many of the openings are in california but some are in Virginia, Florida, TN, and other places. It's a start? As far as San Antonio is concerned omg they have a lot of resorces for apartment haunting. But since you are not here in Tx. I can only tell you whats appealing to me. I like the northside and the northwest side of san antonio my self. As far as your test, take it for the state you currently live in.Once you decide on where you are relocating to, apply for an endorsement license in that state? At least you will be considered licensed and not awaiting to test. Many companies want to know that you will pass your boards. They dont want to take a chance especially in this economy with the fact that they hired you and you may not pass. :twocents: Good luck with your job hunt and your boards!

KSUFAN4LIFE · Jun 10, 2009

Hello I am a Recent graduate from Kansas and I am planning to move to Texas in about a month. I was wondering if anyone knew the proper way to put on your resume that you are relocating because my address now is Kansas. I was also wondering if applying for jobs is ok to do even if I don't have my license cause I havn't taken boards or filled out the paper work for a Texas license. I have been trying to contact a representative from the Texas State borad of Nursing but they are so hard to get ahold of I am just looking for some answers! Thanks

jenewald · Jun 10, 2009

If you have at least one year hospital experience, I know a wonderful staffing agency that does multiple hospital in San Antonio but also has the contract for the military hospitals. I know the PRN Rn gets $40.00 hr and can get gaurenteed 2-3 shifts per week. They also have fulltime RN and LVN and CNA positions at WIlford Hall, they also staff the clinic's at the military bases. They have benefits for employees also. I was doing some traveling with this company last year and did the military contracts. They are wonderful to work for.

Angel Staffing off Sonterra BLvd in San Antonio, Tx.

Jennifer

jenewald · Jun 10, 2009

If you are wanting an office job M-F with no patient contact you can contact AERO TEK at the scooter store in New Braunfels Texas they are needing Medical review nurses.

mandeeh · Jun 15, 2009

Chocolateskye, I am really sorry about your experience with SWG. I think I may know who you are just from your posts. SWG is a very challenging place to work, I know from experience. As you know there are a lot of changes taking place there right now. The director that you were working under will no longer be in that position as soon as a replacement is found. I think the reason you were put with the lpn is because there werent enough staff RNs during day shift to put you with one. A lot of the staff RNs have gone to night shift and now some are returning to days. Staffing for day shift has been difficult to say the least a lot of the nurses during day shift have been agency. I hope you find the place you fit best! Good luck to you!