Nurses Needed Western Slopes of Colorado (Denver, Pueblo: to buy, high school, salary)

[CCCTerRN]

Hello
How about the western slopes of Colorado? Summer is not real hot...80-90's dry not humid. August can hit the low 100's. Winter mild, no wind snow is usually gone by noon.
Been here 4 years seen snow 3-4 times that wasn't melted by noon. But just have to go a few miles up the mountain and get all the snow you want. Rifle Colorado is small, but growning like crazy.
The hospital here is doing a 10,000 sign on bonus for RN's to commit to 2 years working the night shift on the med/surg/tele floor. It's 14 beds, ran by 2 nurses and a CNA. Were at mile post 90 on I-70, easy to get to. Schools are pretty good.
My son is a junior in high school and the worst has been a few fights. Nothing serious.
Housing would be the issue...the cost of houseing is constantly increasing. Increasing by 1-1 1/2 percent each month. So it's a great time to buy because as soon as you do the next month it's already worth more than you paid for it. That's why we are having the large sign on bonus.
If you apply just tell them Terri refered you.

[OutOfSoCal]

question if I may. We moving out next summer and while isn't a RN she has a few year of medical records experience. In your opinion will she have much trouble finding a decent job in a similar field?

[brightdoglover]

I once did a search for RN jobs on the Western slope in psych/detox. Nothing. I think there is one small inpatient unit in Grand Junction.
And I *know* there are drunks on the Western Slope.
There actually are limited services in all of Colorado for psych/detox. Pueblo has a state hospital and VA. There are a few small unit in Denver and along the Front Range. Durango has just opened a small inpatient unit (and a night job was listed- I was tempted briefly, but cannot afford to live there on that salary and with my current assets back East insufficient).
I think it's different for med/surg, and certainly ICU and other intensive care work.

[brightdoglover]

I once did a search for RN jobs on the Western slope in psych/detox. Nothing. I think there is one small inpatient unit in Grand Junction.
And I *know* there are drunks on the Western Slope.
There actually are limited services in all of Colorado for psych/detox. Pueblo has a state hospital and VA. There are a few small unit in Denver and along the Front Range. Durango has just opened a small inpatient unit (and a night job was listed- I was tempted briefly, but cannot afford to live there on that salary and with my current assets back East insufficient).
I think it's different for med/surg, and certainly ICU and other intensive care work.

[rya700]

There are psych nurse jobs out there - I am one (on the front range) and there are openings in my facility. I have seen advertisements around for others.

However, there is alot of 'juggling' of these pts. For example, a couple months ago I admitted an adolescent from Durango (6hrs away). We had the closest avail. adolescent bed. They flew her to us via life flight - I couldn't believe it.

[mtngal49]

Originally Posted by CCCTerRN

Hello
How about the western slopes of Colorado? Summer is not real hot...80-90's dry not humid. August can hit the low 100's. Winter mild, no wind snow is usually gone by noon.
Been here 4 years seen snow 3-4 times that wasn't melted by noon. But just have to go a few miles up the mountain and get all the snow you want. Rifle Colorado is small, but growning like crazy.
The hospital here is doing a 10,000 sign on bonus for RN's to commit to 2 years working the night shift on the med/surg/tele floor. It's 14 beds, ran by 2 nurses and a CNA. Were at mile post 90 on I-70, easy to get to. Schools are pretty good.
My son is a junior in high school and the worst has been a few fights. Nothing serious.
Housing would be the issue...the cost of houseing is constantly increasing. Increasing by 1-1 1/2 percent each month. So it's a great time to buy because as soon as you do the next month it's already worth more than you paid for it. That's why we are having the large sign on bonus.
If you apply just tell them Terri refered you.

What about jobs for psych nurses? I may move there in the future.

[mtngal49]

Originally Posted by rya700

There are psych nurse jobs out there - I am one (on the front range) and there are openings in my facility. I have seen advertisements around for others.

However, there is alot of 'juggling' of these pts. For example, a couple months ago I admitted an adolescent from Durango (6hrs away). We had the closest avail. adolescent bed. They flew her to us via life flight - I couldn't believe it.

What kind of psych jobs do you have? I may move there and take travel jobs from there, but would like temp or per diem psych jobs in between my travel jobs. Thanks!

[BucFan]

7:1 ratio in the med/surg/tele? That's pretty tough work. I'm in the military and have been away from civilian nursing for 16 yrs, and hoping to get back into civilian nursing after retiring from the Army in a couple of years. But even as a 40-something year old, 7 patients seems like a lot of running around all shift. Only 1 CNA for 14 patients wouldn't be much help, IMO.

Maybe its time for a career change.