Nursing Jobs In Raleigh Area

[jeweloflight]

I am an LPN currently in RN school. I work for an agency doing private duty for trach and vent patients. A home health nurse came to see my patient one day from Raleigh. As we talked, she said she used to work per diem at Wake Med ER and made $36 an hour. Your best bet coming from NY is going to be per diem if you want to make anything close to what you're making now, that's just the bottom line. The only thing is, with per diem, no benefits, and I don't know how important this is to you. She told me she's worked at a few hospitals, and by far, Wake Med paid the best. Otherwise, you're going to be in the 20 something dollar range. You may also want to consider the VA Medical Center in Durham. They are across the street from Duke, and Duke's residents pretty much work hand in hand with the VA in caring for their patients.

I just resigned from the VA in November to go back to school full time, and the benefits, as you know, with the government cannot be beat. They started me just as an LPN at $44k a year,(with shift diff working 3-11) and I had just graduated 8 months before I got hired! Virtually no experience. I had full coverage Blue Cross and Met Life Dental; as a single person, I paid less than a $100 a month for both. Never paid more than a $30 dollar co-pay, and that was only out of networks so it's worth a try. The word on the street when I was there, was that no RN was making less than 55k, and that wasn't with a lot of experience. Also, the VA is the only hospital system that pays more for BSN's vs. ASN's. I oriented with a girl that had been in psych nursing for 20 years and she said they gave her $8k more a year when they hired her because she had a BSN; she was shocked, because they just don't do that in the private sector. Also, at the VA, they do self-scheduling. Another thing about the VA system, is because they are nationwide, you can do an internal transfer. If you get here and don't like it, and see an opportunity in say, California, or wherever, you can apply and transfer if you get selected.

It's just beyond me how they can start RN's off at 20 anything. Heck, the agency I work for now pays me between $20-23 an hour, and I've only been an LPN a little over a year, and they at least offer full medical thru Blue Cross, AND I make my own schedule. I may be looking to relocate after graduation because the RN pay is so low here. I can't imagine making 2 or 3 more dollars an hour as an RN. I came from Atlanta about 1 year and 3 months ago, and Atlanta pay is about on par with Raleigh/Durham area.

Hope this helps. PM me if you want to talk. Good luck.

[jmana]

Do the hospitals hire Wake Tech graduates? I've been considering going to Wake Tech's nursing program but was thinking I'd have a harder time landing a good paying job than someone who went to a real school.

[southernchica]

Does anyone know of any Nurse Practicioner or Physcians Assistant job openings? My husband just graduated from PA school and is a certified PA looking for work primarily in Family Medicine, but he is open to other PA areas as well. Any infor would be appreciated. Thanks

[ljd1010]

Originally Posted by southernchica

Does anyone know of any Nurse Practicioner or Physcians Assistant job openings? My husband just graduated from PA school and is a certified PA looking for work primarily in Family Medicine, but he is open to other PA areas as well. Any infor would be appreciated. Thanks

There are plenty of mid-level provider positions around. I'm an NP, moved here last April. Had several offers. There are several PA positions posted on the Duke website - just go to Duke HR and do a search. Have him put in the word "extender" under keyword as they refer to NPs and PAs as physician extenders around here. You can also look at UNCs and WakeMeds websites. Another place ot look at daily is Craigslist. I've seen many PA/NP positions posted there as well.

[JackieRTP]

Originally Posted by jmana

Do the hospitals hire Wake Tech graduates? I've been considering going to Wake Tech's nursing program but was thinking I'd have a harder time landing a good paying job than someone who went to a real school.

Wake Tech is a real school.

[weluvwakeforest]

Originally Posted by JackieRTP

Wake Tech is a real school.

I agree.
From what I've read, the nursing program @ Wake Tech. is very competitive... many apply but few are accepted.
Also, everybody has to pass the same state boards... no matter where you go to school.
You can always get your 2 year from Wake Tech.. and take online courses to get your BSN from say.. ECU.

[jeweloflight]

Originally Posted by jmana

Do the hospitals hire Wake Tech graduates? I've been considering going to Wake Tech's nursing program but was thinking I'd have a harder time landing a good paying job than someone who went to a real school.

Wake Tech has an RN associates program, why would you think it's not a "real" school? Because it's not a BSN program? Or it's not Duke or UNC? You can land a job graduating from there like anybody else.

[southernchica]

Originally Posted by ljd1010

There are plenty of mid-level provider positions around. I'm an NP, moved here last April. Had several offers. There are several PA positions posted on the Duke website - just go to Duke HR and do a search. Have him put in the word "extender" under keyword as they refer to NPs and PAs as physician extenders around here. You can also look at UNCs and WakeMeds websites. Another place ot look at daily is Craigslist. I've seen many PA/NP positions posted there as well.

ljd1010...thanks for the information. Hopefully something will turn up soon. He has worked hard to make it through school and pass the board exam.