Tag Archive for 'nursing industry'

Texas Nursing Schools

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on April 13, 2011
in Nursing Education
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i_student_3If you’re looking for a vibrant mix of cultures with southern hospitality, then you’re in luck. A large economic hub of the United States, Texas has a thriving health care community with many opportunities for recent nursing graduates or those looking for a change of scenery. If you’re currently living in Texas, planning on relocating there in the future or are considering your options, I hope this post will give you some wanted insight into the state’s nursing industry and what’s available for you.

Why You Might Want to go to School in Texas

The motto “everything is bigger in Texas,” is not just a saying. Texas is the largest state on the mainland and is also home to some of the largest cities in the country. The fourth largest city in the U.S. is Houston; the seventh largest is San Antonio, while Dallas- Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and sixth largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. Additionally, Texas’ variety of geological terrains, such as grasslands, forests, mountains, deserts, coasts and cities provide limitless opportunities for adventure.

A leader in the medical field, The Texas Medical Center in Houston is the world’s largest center of healthcare and research institutions. This makes Houston and the state of Texas not only a great place to study nursing, but maybe an opportunity for post-graduate employment. The state is also home to the American Heart Association, numerous medical centers, many medical schools, dental schools and of course, nursing schools.

Texas’ medical advancements may be attributed to its highly developed technology industries. The Silicon Prairie and Silicon Hills are nicknamed areas of Texas that have high concentrations of technological advancement. Between medical and technological breakthroughs, Texas is the perfect place to call home while attending nursing school.

Besides attending school, there is so much to appreciate in Texas. The state’s melting pot of culture means that there is a lot going on in Texas. Not to mention, Texas’ high immigration rate adds to this diversity. From Houston’s thriving performing arts scene, to Dallas-Fort Worth’s art museums and Austin’s live music scene, there is so much to value in Texas. Austin, nicknamed “The Live Music Capitol of the World,” is home to the world famous South by Southwest music festival and the Austin City Limits Music Festival, providing a great break from the rigors of nursing school.

Nursing Salary Statistics

The mean annual salary for all occupations in the state of Texas in 2009 was $41,100. The mean annual salaries in Texas in 2009 for the following occupations were:

  • Registered Nurses: $64,670.
  • Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurses: $40,710.
  • Nursing Aides, Orderlies and Attendants: $21,610.
  • Post-secondary Nursing Instructors: $63,930.

The state of Texas is home to many colleges and universities, most notably The University of Texas, Texas A&M, University of Houston, University of North Texas, Texas State, Texas Tech, Baylor University, Southwestern University, Rice University, Trinity University, Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University. In addition to these fine institutions, Texas has many top nursing schools and programs.

Nursing Industry Outlook

Between 2008 and 2018, there is a 22 percent growth expected for Registered Nurses, creating close to 600,000 new jobs. The expected job growth for Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurses is around the same, at 21 percent, creating almost 156,000 new jobs. Nursing Aides, Orderlies and Attendants can expect a 19% job growth in this time period, creating 276,000 new jobs. Postsecondary Instructors can expect a 15% job growth during this time period, creating close to 257,000 new jobs, many of which will be made up of nursing instructors.

Nursing Schools in Texas

Arlington:

Concorde Career Institute

Brownsville:

South Texas Vocational Technical Institute

Corpus Christi:

Kaplan College

El Paso:

Vista College

Houston:

MedVance Institute

McAllen:

South Texas Vocational Technical Institute

San Antonio:

Career Point College

Weslaco:

South Texas Vocational Technical Institute

Information gathered from the Texas Medical Center and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, bls.gov.

Trials and Tribulations of the New Graduate Nurse

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on August 13, 2009
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Nursing School Graduate Advice

i_nursing_studentIn part one of this blog I discussed why the transition from student nurse to new grad can be a challenging time for a new nurse.  As I said in that blog, hospitals are doing their part to make the transition easier.  There are also some smart strategies a new graduate nurse can employ to make sure that once you finally get employed as a nurse, you don’t get frustrated and throw all your hard work away.

  • Set Goals: Think about it – for the past four years you have been working hard toward this seemingly elusive goal of “RN.”  Now that you’ve earned your letters, don’t settle back and simply try to “survive” as a new grad.  If you haven’t done so already, this is the time to set new career goals.What area would you like to eventually specialize in and how can you be working toward that now (extra training, etc.)? Would you like to eventually earn your Master’s Degree or become a nurse practitioner? Having a new ball to keep your eye on is an excellent way to work through the stress of being a new grad without getting sidetracked by thoughts of bailing.
  • Use Your Mentor: Utilize the experienced nurse mentor the hospital assigns you, just as you would use a nursing instructor. It is in their best interest and the hospital’s best interest (mutually the same) to make sure that you have knowledge and skills needed to move forward safely and confidently into your new role as RN (versus student nurse).If, for any reason, you do not feel comfortable utilizing your assigned mentor in this way speak to your nurse manager about finding another nurse who you feel more comfortable with. If this does not work, do some research on your own or through your school and find an experienced nurse who is willing to answer your “new grad” questions outside of work. The point is – find a mentor you trust and use them to your advantage.
  • Use the Time Wisely: Consider your new grad time as a paid extension of nursing school and squeeze every learning experience from it possible. There is no need to rush through your period as a new grad. I know it seems natural to think like this, since you have been sprinting through nursing school for the last four years.This is the time to slow down and make you know what you need to know to cut the cord and go stand on your own two feet as a nurse. Believe me - you’ll have all the time in the world to not be a student nurse or a new grad. Enjoy the learning curve while it lasts!

From Student Nurse to New Grad

Published
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on August 5, 2009
in Nursing Education
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i_nurses_2While in my junior year of nursing school during one of my clinicals, I had my first encounter with medical students. For those who think that all hospitals resemble the massive teaching experience depicted on ER, where everyone there is a student of something always learning some valuable lesson, here’s a quick reality check.

Not all hospitals are teaching hospitals with confused, young medical students milling about; although my experience with the medical students didn’t leave a very authoritative first impression when one of them asked me how to take a blood pressure.

It occurred to me that nursing students have the clinical advantage when it comes to on-the-job training before you’re actually on the job. As a nursing student, you start gaining practical patient care skills and hit the hospital floor running during sophomore year.  After that, clinicals and academics are fairly evenly balanced.  The downside is that as a student nurse you are typically responsible for one or two lives. After graduation and entry into the “real world” that number shoots upward of a half dozen warm bodies to care for.

This is a transition, to be honest, that is extremely difficult to prepare for. In fact, an article in the September 2007 issue of the American Journal of Nursing reported that after one year of work, 13% of new graduate (“new grad”) nurses had left the field of nursing and 37% were considering it.  Another study found that 27.1% of new grads bailed after year one.

It doesn’t have to be this way. In my opinion and the expert opinions of many others, the keys to bridging the gap between student nurse and new grad nurse, are training and mentorship. As a new grad you are assigned an experienced nurse to shadow for a period of time in your first job – usually a short period of time.

Many hospitals are starting to realize that a short period of time is not conducive to good patient care and also avoiding the costly nursing rehiring process that occurs when new grads keep quitting.  In response, they are turning shadowing time into training time and making the process longer and more well-defined.

It looks like hospitals are doing their part to make the transition from student nurse to new grad a more streamlined, safe and logical one.  What should new grads know to make the most of this training time?  Stay tuned for the conclusion of this blog.

Welcome to RNBuilder.com New Blog

Published
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on March 20, 2009
in Nursing Education
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Nursing BlogWelcome to the RNBuilder.com Blog, part of the RNBuilder.com web site. If you are thinking of becoming a nurse and would and would like to know more about the industry, we think you will enjoy this blog. We will be bringing you important information to help you better understand the benefits of becoming a professional nurse. We will look at both the positive aspects of the job as well as some of the negatives.

There is a huge demand for nurses to day and with the ever growing number of baby boomer getting older, there will be an even great need for more nurses in the future. We believe nursing is one of the most recession proof industries you can find yourself in and we hope to bring you valuable information to support your education.

Please be sure to check out our web site, RNBuilder.com, for more articles and learn more about many fine nursing schools, colleges and universities listed by city and state if you are thinking of entering into this fast paced world.