North Texas = Few Jobs?

U.S.A. Texas

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I am moving to the Dallas/Fort Worth area next week and wanted to ask a question. Someone had indicated that North Texas has very few nursing opportunities. I just wanted to know if there was any truth to this person's statement. If it is true, then I am worried about my future. :uhoh21:

however, when I was looking (graduated 12/04), their wage was extremely competitive (within 30 cents/hour) with the majority of other hospitals in the area that offered a NICU residency/internship program...in fact, Presbyterian, which is one of the larger, more $$ oriented systems in the area only offered $18.50/hour!

Another thing to consider is that Parkland is the county hospital here, and the county struggles every year to make the budget work....thankfully, we are also tied to the medical school, so that helps some. When I was looking for my first job straight out of school, it was more important to me to have a really strong training program to prepare me for the area I chose to work in than worry about .30 an hour....just my opinion.

Jamie

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Specializes in Operating Room.

If you can work at Parkland, you can work anywhere....so I've heard.

$19 seems pretty constant for new RN's, from what I've heard as well.

I do think it's cruddy that you weren't offered more b/c you were an LVN before, but I guess they see it as a new RN is a new RN.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

well - I think you also have to differentiate betweeen "North Texas" which is the area that encompasses Dallas and Fort Worth , and "Far Northwest Texas" which is WAY DIFFERENT! That area is actually known as the panhandle to Texans, while North Texas is the Dallas Fort Worth area.

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Specializes in Surgical, Medical, Neurology, PCU.

I work at Lewisville Medical Center and they are literally running their nurses away. Their census is low and I, as a travel nurse, am getting thrown around all over with a crappy pay. I am going home after this contract. Back to the Carolinas where I know I will get better respect and better pay.

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Specializes in OR Internship starting in Jan!!.

I've noticed in any field, when the company gets shorthanded, it is hard to keep people. So it turns into this vicious cycle because they cannot get a new hire to stay long enough for them to hire the next person and build the team...

I'm sorry you aren't being treated well though.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

There are THOUSANDS of jobs for nurses in the DFW area - they just don't care to advertise them in the paper. have you CHECKED the price of advertising lately?

Ahem - you all are obviously web savvy - check the WEB sites of the facilities you are interested in where facilities can list their jobs for FREE!

I get daily emails listing hundreds of new job postings daily!

Now - thats RN - not LVN, but I do see LVN postings too.

And summer is always lower census in Texas. Just the way it is.

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Specializes in Emergency and ICU.

Kindred and Hugley would not be my choices. Got to look at the big picture.

Look at everybody.

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So what are the issues with HCA facilities? I currently work for one and I love it there. As someone mentioned before the working conditions will vary from unit to unit. I know that HCA has had a lot of issues in the past, but it seems that they have attempted to correct those and win back their reputation. I am aware that they are a for profit hospital and there are a lot of people that refuse to work for a for profit hospital. I tend to be one of those naive nurses in that I just show up for work and do my job to the best of my ability and don't really know what goes on in upper management/adminstration. I feel that my working conditions are very good and I feel very supported by my manager and co-workers. I feel we are very patient focused at least in my unit. It bothers me when someone has a bad experience at one HCA facility and assumes all HCA facilities are bad. In reality all hospitals have there problems and shortcomings. I do personally know of some traveler/agency nurses that have been at certain HCA facilities and they did have an awful experience and intend to never go back, but please don't assume that all HCA facilities are the same.

I'm just curious what people have seen, heard, or experienced with HCA facilities that makes them so bad to work for.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I am glad to know this. (Hopefully, you're not management trying to change views.) LOL

Really, myself going to school with an HCA scholarship, I'm glad to know there are some out there that actually enjoy working for them.

So what are the issues with HCA facilities? I currently work for one and I love it there. As someone mentioned before the working conditions will vary from unit to unit. I know that HCA has had a lot of issues in the past, but it seems that they have attempted to correct those and win back their reputation. I am aware that they are a for profit hospital and there are a lot of people that refuse to work for a for profit hospital. I tend to be one of those naive nurses in that I just show up for work and do my job to the best of my ability and don't really know what goes on in upper management/adminstration. I feel that my working conditions are very good and I feel very supported by my manager and co-workers. I feel we are very patient focused at least in my unit. It bothers me when someone has a bad experience at one HCA facility and assumes all HCA facilities are bad. In reality all hospitals have there problems and shortcomings. I do personally know of some traveler/agency nurses that have been at certain HCA facilities and they did have an awful experience and intend to never go back, but please don't assume that all HCA facilities are the same.

I'm just curious what people have seen, heard, or experienced with HCA facilities that makes them so bad to work for.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

I have worked in 2 HCA facilities - I will say this - they pretty much mirror every other place out there, EXCEPT there are places with MUCH better benefits.

The conditions on any given unit in any facility are very dependant on individual managers, facilities and even shifts. That goes for just about everywhere you go.

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Specializes in Emergency and ICU.

I have worked staff and agency for HCA. I will never work again,be a patient and hopefully have friends or family as patients. I have a more than 20 years experience at multiple HCA hospitals and NEVER AGAIN.

Glad it works for you. I have privately requested that you not contact me off this this forum privately and again request that you address me in a public manner.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.
I have worked staff and agency for HCA. I will never work again,be a patient and hopefully have friends or family as patients. I have a more than 20 years experience at multiple HCA hospitals and NEVER AGAIN.

Glad it works for you. I have privately requested that you not contact me off this this forum privately and again request that you address me in a public manner.

If it is me you are referring to - it was I who made that request to you - and I can post it here to prove it if you like.

I am not sure what the issue you have is, You contacted me via email - your first day on this forum I might add - highly unusual. I provided you with whatever helpful information I had on the matter which you asked me about, and that should have been the end of it. Please cease and desist. Thank you.

If it is not me you are referring to, then I apologize, but in the future, could you please make it clear who you are addressing in your posts if they are directed at one person in particular?

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