The Lowdown on Austin Hospitals

U.S.A. Texas

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Specializes in Psych.

My husband is being transferred to Austin, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I am originally from there many years ago. Anyway, can someone fill me in on the hospitals to work at in Austin. I have 2 years med-surg and 1 year of per-diem psych at a state hospital here in NJ. I am looking for a place with nursing self-governance and where the turnover is low because nurses are respected. Can anyone comment?

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac Medicine, Retail Health.

Hope you get a fe replies as I am also looking to move to Austin and am curious about Texas nursing as I have heard the nursing culture is different than where I am from (Boston).

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I'm completing my RN in nine months and I'd appreciate any info for any new graduate opportunities the local hospitals might have.

Thanks in advance!

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Specializes in Psych.

OP here, I just wanted to give this a bump. We are leaning towards sending my kids to St. Andrew's school so looking at homes in that area, which is close to several hospitals. Looks to me like my big choices are Seton and St. David's, and Dell Children's thrown in there although I have no Peds experience.

Anyone want to speak for those 3 hospitals? Would sure appreciate it....thanks much.

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To all the Austin Hospital Nursing questions:

I went to nursing school in Austin (UT) although I work in Dallas now. I had clinicals in several hospitals and did an externship at Austin State Hospital (and worked there as a PNA for a while).

The two main hospital systems are St. Davids and Seton. Dell Childrens is part of Seton. Last I heard, they are not hiring, and if they are now, they would prefer nurses with Peds experience and/or nurses already in the Seton System. Seton has a pretty good new grad program (Versant Program). They hire new grads every June, October, and January. The biggest Seton hospital in Brackenridge (I think it's called UTMB something now, but same hospital), which is pretty close to downtown. The next biggest is probably Seton Main, which is not too far from downtown either. They offer 12 and 8 hour shifts. Seton is also a Magnet Hospital System.

St. Davids is pretty nice--they have several locations. The one in North Austin is pretty much like a hotel. I have several friends that started working there after graduation, but I don't know if they have a specific 'new grad' program. Well actually they do, but I don't think every new grad is a part of it. I know St. Davids Main only does 12 hour shifts now...I don't know if this is a city-wide rule.

Austin State Hospital...well, if you like psych, this is the place for you. As far as turnover rate though, it's relatively high. It's not so much that nurses are not respected, it's just a messy state-run, bureaucratic, under-funded institution. I loved doing my externship and working as a psychiatric nursing assistant there. Never a dull moment. And they do 8 hour shifts.

All pay around the same, the starting hourly rate for an RN with now experience is about 21-23/hour.

Let me know if you have more questions. It's a long story why I'm in Dallas now and not Austin, but my goodness, I miss it, and may go back in a couple years.

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Specializes in Correctional, QA, Geriatrics.

There is also The Heart Hospital and The Surgical Hospital (in Westlake Hills) both of them are not affliated with either Seton or St Davids. Just a bit trivia about North Austin Hospital...it was originally built as a hotel but never actually used as one before St Davids bought the building. Hence the unusual layout and hotel feel.

Also Scott and White has a small hospital in Round Rock and several satellite clinics in the greater Austin area. There are several outpatient surgical centers, several clinical research facilites (phase 1 and 2 drug trials), two large independent multi-speciality clinic systems (Austin Diagnostic and Austin Regional), the CommUnity clinics (combo public health department and low income patient outpatient care). Lone Star Circle of Care (federally funded clinics for uninsured, underinsured patients), several Urgent Care clinics, and the MHMR clinics which have mobile outreach/crisis teams which use RNs. In addition there is a large correctional system for the Travis Co. Sheriffs office....pay is pretty decent for RNs.

All of these facilities are hiring right now. One last mention there are also several multi-site speciality clinics such as Austin Heart also hiring RNs and almost all the home health agencies are hiring RNs. Pay is not as high as some of the larger Texas cities but still runs in the low to mid twenties per hour.

Hope this helps.

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Specializes in Psych.

Thanks for those posts. That gives me lots of ideas. I just got a special gig at the Psych hospital doing all their wound care, so I'll be able to put that on my resume too. I hope I'll be able to move into a specialty area. I'm growing a little tired of the never-ending stress of med-surg. It seems like every day is a killer, with admissions that should've gone to ICU, detoxers in restraints, demented patients who won't stay in bed. Just another day in a small community hospital where we do it all.

I can't wait to go back to Austin. We are visiting family in a few weeks & I'm already thinking about all the places I'll get to go.

p.s. yes, I know all about the endless forms and rules of state hospitals. It's a fine art in NJ. I will certainly be applying there for per-diem work.

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Specializes in Rehab.
To all the Austin Hospital Nursing questions:

I went to nursing school in Austin (UT) although I work in Dallas now. I had clinicals in several hospitals and did an externship at Austin State Hospital (and worked there as a PNA for a while).

The two main hospital systems are St. Davids and Seton. Dell Childrens is part of Seton. Last I heard, they are not hiring, and if they are now, they would prefer nurses with Peds experience and/or nurses already in the Seton System. Seton has a pretty good new grad program (Versant Program). They hire new grads every June, October, and January. The biggest Seton hospital in Brackenridge (I think it's called UTMB something now, but same hospital), which is pretty close to downtown. The next biggest is probably Seton Main, which is not too far from downtown either. They offer 12 and 8 hour shifts. Seton is also a Magnet Hospital System.

St. Davids is pretty nice--they have several locations. The one in North Austin is pretty much like a hotel. I have several friends that started working there after graduation, but I don't know if they have a specific 'new grad' program. Well actually they do, but I don't think every new grad is a part of it. I know St. Davids Main only does 12 hour shifts now...I don't know if this is a city-wide rule.

Austin State Hospital...well, if you like psych, this is the place for you. As far as turnover rate though, it's relatively high. It's not so much that nurses are not respected, it's just a messy state-run, bureaucratic, under-funded institution. I loved doing my externship and working as a psychiatric nursing assistant there. Never a dull moment. And they do 8 hour shifts.

All pay around the same, the starting hourly rate for an RN with now experience is about 21-23/hour.

Let me know if you have more questions. It's a long story why I'm in Dallas now and not Austin, but my goodness, I miss it, and may go back in a couple years.

Starting RN is 21-23/hr???? that's ridiculous!!! I'm and LVN now and make more than that on nightshift! I am in school currently getting my RN and that is nothing to look forward to. Ugh...

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Specializes in Psych.

ITA. I get $45 an hour now for weekend per diem work, some of the nurses I work with are getting $50 an hour days per diem at Overlook, a large NJ hospital near here. It will be an adjustment but SOOOOOO worth it. I'd choose Austin over NJ any day.

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Seton is a Magnet hospital with shared governance. I have done clinicals at both Seton and St. David's and I have to say that the Seton nurses seemed happier all around. Seton has a psychiatric facility (Seton Shoal Creek) that I toured and it seemed really nice. I did a clinical at ASH and my overall impression was that is was run down and there was not enough money to go around. The nurses were merely OK.

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Specializes in SICU,CVICU,ER,PACU.

Well, I wouldn't recomand Shoal Creek! One of my friends use to work there and it was VERY unsafe!

The rest of Seton seem oriented toward quality of care and put a big emphasis on shared governance and education-

If you are still considering applying to one of the Seton hospitals, don't hesitate to shoot me an email if you have questions!

(and a few ICUs are willing to train med-surg nurses if you are still thinking about it).

Cheers!

H~

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Specializes in cardiology.
Well, I wouldn't recomand Shoal Creek! One of my friends use to work there and it was VERY unsafe!

The rest of Seton seem oriented toward quality of care and put a big emphasis on shared governance and education-

If you are still considering applying to one of the Seton hospitals, don't hesitate to shoot me an email if you have questions!

(and a few ICUs are willing to train med-surg nurses if you are still thinking about it).

Cheers!

H~

Hi!! I am graduating with my BSN in MAY!!! I have applied for the Seton Versant RN Residency program, so far I have been routed (a week ago) to 5 hospitals within the Seton family. Do you have any idea how long it takes from them to start doing interviews? Do you have any tips for the interviewing process? Thanks for your time!!! :)

Mattie

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