New York RN moving to Houston- tips and recommendations please

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Feb 21, 2017

Howdy!

I'm assuming that you are already familiar with my beloved hometown, right? If not, I strongly urge you to take some time to come for a visit. Get to know the feel of the city, climate, geography, etc. Even though I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, I freely acknowledge that it's not everyone's cuppa tea.

HERE is one of the best sites to explore the characteristics of different areas. Lots of great details about available properties, school districts, and other helpful information. If/when you are ready to prepare for your relo, I suggest that you rent for a while and give yourself plenty of time before making a decision to buy. Hopefully, this would prevent any nasty surprises having to deal with periodic flooding, unusual HOA restrictions, discovering that you are in a hurricane evacuation zone, unexpected tax levies from your local MUD or finding out that a builder is erecting a high-rise behind your house .... yep, that could really happen. Using a qualified Realtor is a good idea because s/he can guide you through all of the 'unique' aspects of living in my H-town.

With your level of specialty expertise, you shouldn't have any problems finding a job. If you don't already have it, CCRN certification, you may want to get one prior to your move because it would really add value to your job search. I know that CHI St. Lukes has been offering hiring bonuses for specialty areas, but there is always a need for CC nurses, so you may very well be able to negotiate relo assistance from any of the major systems. In the metro facilities - if you don't have one, you may be hired on a contingent basis - requiring you to obtain a BSN within a specified period of time.

I'd advise against relocating during our "Bikram" season (June - Oct) because triple digit temps and 90% humidity can be really challenging for newbies - LOL.

courage2care · Feb 22, 2017

Thank you Hou Tx for taking the time to answer my questions. It clarified a lot of our uncertainties as far as the benefits/risks of renting vs home buying. I will look at short term lease options then as I think for us it is financially more reasonable to buy a home when we find the right location for us. I agree with you in saying that it will be more pragmatic to do that after we relocate to Houston.

My husband and I will visit Houston in May as I plan to attend AACNs NTI conference. I am CCRN And CSC certified. I'm hopeful that this + my diverse critical care exposure can help me negotiate a reasonable relocation package. During the NtI I'm hoping to network with more Critical care RNs from Houston to get more insight on hospitals in Houston.

Thanks again for your valuable insight. I'm hopeful that Houston will be a good match for our family's goals and lifestyle.

blueindigo79 · Feb 26, 2017

I, too, am moving to the Houston area next year and this is what I've learned so far:

The two biggest systems in the Houston area that have the highest employee satisfaction are Memorial Hermann and Houston Methodist. There are other systems out there (don't know much about them) but these are the ones I've heard the most about. MD Anderson is also great to work for but they are on a hiring freeze right now.

Memorial Hermann is having a recruiting event in NYC 2/27-3/1 . If you can make it, I think it would be helpful for you. I went last year and it was very informative:

RN Hiring Event February 27-March 1 at Memorial Hermann Health System

Schools are also important for us and most suburbs have a 30-40 minute commute to downtown Houston where the Medical Center is located. Because traffic and commuting is such a concern, many people say finding out where you want to live first is crucial and then base your work around that location. The two systems I mentioned above have hospitals throughout the Houston area. The biggest suburbs that I've heard of are Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland (to the West, Southwest and South of Houston). There are others the northwest and North but I don't know anything about them).

City-data has forums which are super helpful if you haven't checked them out already:

Houston Forum - Relocation, Moving, General and Local City Discussions - City-Data Forum

good luck!

loveu123 · Feb 28, 2017

Hello, I relocated from the East Coast to Houston. I was recruited my Houston Methodist and they gave me relocation assistance. My friend was also recruited by Memorial Hermann and she received relocation assistance as well. I will recommend the Sugarland area for you . It is very nice and they have good schools as well.

courage2care · Feb 28, 2017

Thank you or responding. I got a job offer from memorial Hermann southwest. I gathered that it's close to sugarland area. I'm hoping to visit in May to get the overall feel of the area and see for myself Sugarland that I've heard so many great things about as far as their school system, ease of commute to hospital and such. Thank again for taking the time to respond

blueindigo79 · Mar 3, 2017

Congrats on the job offer! Did you go to the Memorial Hermann recruiting event this week in NYC? I also received a job offer. Are you able to send PM (private messages?)

courage2care · Mar 3, 2017

Yes I went there. Did you get hired at southwest as well? I'm not sure how to PM on this app.

blueindigo79 · Mar 4, 2017

I'm not sure how it works on the app but on the desktop website you can click on a users name and it should say "send PM". Yes, I was offered a position at MH Southwest :)

mmarinas · Mar 16, 2017

Congratulations both of you on your job offers at Hermann Southwest. I think you will definitely enjoy Houston. I have lived here my whole life. Sugar land is a great area for family and it's real close to the hospital. I work at Methodist Sugar Land but I have friends that work at Hermann Southwest. If you want some tips about good areas nearby, I can tell you about the different neighborhoods close enough to the hospital. There is a lot of development in the area so much to chose from. If you are looking for new homes, there are a lot of new Master Planned communities not far from the hospital.

allnurses Guide · Mar 16, 2017

I'm not a Texan but I will say that my son was treated at MD Anderson and I was very impressed with the entire facility. If they are on a hiring freeze, it certainly wouldn't hurt to put your application in if you are interested in what they do.

One of our local physicians moved back to Houston, his hometown, and loves it. I can't remember which hospital he works at as a hospitalist but I'll look tomorrow.

I will also say the humidity killed me. My son and his wife moved from Austin to the Pacific Northwest and are so grateful.

Good luck - you've gotten some really good advice here.

courage2care · Mar 16, 2017

Thank you Mmarinas for this helpful advice about Sugarland. I've been reading so much information about Houston the last few weeks. I'm truly excited to discover the lifestyle that Houston will offer our family. Sugarland looks to be a viable location for MH Southwest as most properties we looked at online were about 35 min away. Also, the school district impressed me in terms of reviews and ratings. The other area we are interested in was Katy. This interest was mostly for the highly rated school district as well. The tie breaker for us would be the issue of flooding and also, the overall family-friendliness of the area. Flooding worries me quite a bit as my husband and I don't have any support system in this area as of the moment. Family friendliness is important as we would like to raise our child in a good social environment as much as possible. We come from a small town in NJ where families look out for each other and check on each other. Would you know offhand of any areas that are prone to flooding? Also, what's your best advice on looking for family friendly neighborhoods in Houston? Thank you again for your time and input.