Should I relocate to Texas from California?

Published

Hi All,

I recently passed my boards in July and have had no luck finding a job. I got a call back from South Texas Health System at the McAllen Medical Center but I was wondering if that is a good area to relocate. Should I just wait it out to see if I can get into a new grad program here in California or should I relocate and move to Texas? Also are there any other hospitals that might be opening up their new grad program anytime soon? Any info/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!! :)

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

McAllen is not the most desirable city to live or work in Texas. You'd be better off in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio or Austin.

Hopefully others will chime in to reaffirm or disprove what I've stated.

If you move to McAllen, you will need to be bilingual, as it is a border town.

I relocated from California to Texas nearly 4 years ago, and I'm living in Fort Worth.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks TheCommuter! I think I was hoping that McAllen wouldn't be as bad as I thought but you just reaffirmed what I was thinking. Hopefully others will let me know if any hospitals in the Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin areas are hiring new grads :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Austin would absolutely not be hiring new grads. The hospitals are on a hiring freeze as far as I know. You could try San Antonio, tons of hospitals there.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Another Texan chiming in here.

Stay far away from any of the Rio Grande Valley hospitals. They lure in many out of state and Canadian nurses there who don't know any better about the area hospitals. My Canadian co-workers have many horror stories to tell about working there.

Austin has always been a bad job market for nurses as it is considered to be a very desirable area to live in.

High rent and low wages. I was offered around $10-12/hr less than I made in the Houston area in 2007 coupled with outrageously priced housing.

An overgrown college town that thinks it's some eclectic/eccentric Texas version of San Francisco/Berkeley. (Just my two cents on that one).

Lived and worked in both Dallas and Houston and will say that these two cities are your best bet for opportunity.

Never lived or worked in San Antonio but will say that it is a great city to visit and never heard anyone complain about jobs or cost of living.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.

I like Texas, especially El Paso. There is a small airport there, so you can get away to Vegas. There are large hospitals there and a Level I Trauma Center. There is no state income tax in Texas. Traffic in El Paso is nothing compared to CA...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Just google Laredo drug war or McAllen drug war. I'm a Tx native and imo the border is nowhere to live, it's hostile, lots of drug activity trying to get drugs from Mexico into the states. Kidnappings, shootings, you name it and lots of corruption from both US customs and Mexican agents. If you want to live in Texas find somewhere away from the Laredo or McAllen area. Just my :twocents:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 0 as RN, 3 in ICU and Tele as Tech.

In Houston, most of the hospitals in the medical center is not hiring new grads. Most is on a hiring freeze. Our own Houstonian new grads can't find jobs...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
In Houston, most of the hospitals in the medical center is not hiring new grads. Most is on a hiring freeze. Our own Houstonian new grads can't find jobs...

Yes but that seems to be happening almost everywhere, not just Houston.

Not a good reason to get a job in the Rio Grande Valley area. They are taking advantage of the economy to lure in new grads just like thay have done with others in the past.

I worked agency at St. Joe's in downtown Houston after Hurricane Ike and there were many displaced UTMB nurses working there and even with them, there were still many openings. Most of those nurses are long gone and went back to UTMB now that it's being re-built.

When I was working there in fall 2008-spring 2009, they were willing to train new grads to specialty areas like OR.

I can't imagine that they suddenly have no jobs now a few months later.

I graduated from LPN/LVN school in the 90's when nursing was in a slump. Bad economy combined with hospitals only wanting RN's meant that I needed to suck it up and take what I could get.

You gotta pay your dues. The days of going from new grad to NICU may be gone for now, but they will come back.

In the meantime, taking a job at the underdog hospital willing to train you vs. the glamorous level 1 trauma center or number one Cancer Center in the prestigious "medical center" of Houston may be just what you need to get to where you want to be later in life.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for all your replies! I don't think I will consider getting a job at McAllen Hospital. I would be moving by myself with no family in the area. If everyone is saying to avoid it maybe that's what I should do :up: This economy is so hard for new grads right now.. After so many years of studying, finally getting my RN, and getting rejection letters left and right can be REALLY discouraging!! I have no idea what to do..

Up Vote Up Vote ×

the hospitals here are hiring new grads. my gf knows the DON, and the employment personel. she worked there, 7 years and worked with the resources dept. and wasa nurse also.

good luck

Up Vote Up Vote ×
the hospitals here are hiring new grads. my gf knows the DON, and the employment personel. she worked there, 7 years and worked with the resources dept. and wasa nurse also.

good luck

wyotech, what hospital does your gf work at or which part of Texas are you from?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion