Nursing Careers - Denver / Education / Employment (rental, vehicle registration, loans)

[Mike from back east]

Today's announcement of a new V-A Hospital to be in the Aurora area will add to the medical jobs in the Denver area.

[nomattic]

Hi all. I am a 25 year old guy who is currently taking some pre-requisites for an accelerated BSN Degree in San Diego (at National University). I have been doing a ton of research and was hoping to get some insight on nursing schools in the area and the job prospects upon graduation.

In San Diego, nursing schools are incredibly impacted. While I realize this is a country wide problem not unique to California, I have heard that California is among the worst. On the contrary, I heard that Denver has a few great schools with Accelerated BSN programs and that the waiting lists are shorter by far.

I am also being told that the cost of living is much lower in Denver than So Cal (which is extremely important since I'll be a student living off loans).

So, my questions to you all:

1. Any opinions on Regis University, Denver School of Nursing (DSON), UC Denver, or Denver University in regards to their nursing programs?

2. Upon graduating from nursing school (or moving to Denver as a RN), were there a decent number of job opportunities at area hospitals?

3. How is the pay for nurses in Colorado?

Any answers to these questions or other insights you might have would be greatly obliged.

[Katarina Witt]

I am one of the "resident" nurses on this board; I'll try to answer some of your questions.

Originally Posted by nomattic

Hi all. I am a 25 year old guy who is currently taking some pre-requisites for an accelerated BSN Degree in San Diego (at National University). I have been doing a ton of research and was hoping to get some insight on nursing schools in the area and the job prospects upon graduation.

In San Diego, nursing schools are incredibly impacted. While I realize this is a country wide problem not unique to California, I have heard that California is among the worst. On the contrary, I heard that Denver has a few great schools with Accelerated BSN programs and that the waiting lists are shorter by far.

I don't know what the wait lists are in SD, but it can take a couple of years to get into an accelerated program here.

I am also being told that the cost of living is much lower in Denver than So Cal (which is extremely important since I'll be a student living off loans).

Well, I think the student loan program takes into account COL, so you may get less money here, too. I have a daughter who just finished up physical therapy school at UC Denver, and she lived on student loans.

So, my questions to you all:

1. Any opinions on Regis University, Denver School of Nursing (DSON), UC Denver, or Denver University in regards to their nursing programs?

Regis and UC Denver are fine schools. I don't know anything about DSON. DU does not have an accelerated program any more, AFIK. Metro State does have an accelerated program.

2. Upon graduating from nursing school (or moving to Denver as a RN), were there a decent number of job opportunities at area hospitals?

A friend's daughter has just graduated from an accelerated program at Creighton U in Omaha. She is looking for a job on the Front Range w/o much success. She may go back to Omaha. She does want to work in pediatrics, which is somewhat limiting.

3. How is the pay for nurses in Colorado?

I haven't worked in a hospital for a long time, but I believe the starting salaries are in the low 20s per hour.

Any answers to these questions or other insights you might have would be greatly obliged.

[parks71]

I am going to try and help you while I do not live in colorado, I do understand a little about thier system. I was born and raised in San Diego and I think I have an idea for you.

I live in jacksonville florida currently and am about to go into nursing school starting in May. Once I finish school, my wife (who is already an RN) and my three kids plan on moving to colorado. Shes already in a HCA hospital which will allow her to transfer there so only I will be stuck looking for a job. Anyway, enough about me.

Out west, most schools seem to be on a waiting list. You do your prereqs and then you wait, and then wait, and then wait some more.

Here in Jacksonville, and most of Florida, we go off a point system. The ones with the highest points, get in first, basicly no wait. It works like this, if a class is worth 4 credit hours, you get 4 points for an A, 3 for a B, 2 for a C. So if you get an A it would be 4 times 4=16 points for that class.

The total points for the classes is 120, then you take a test for the additional 120 for a total of 240 possible points. The cut off to get in the school is around 190ish.

So the idea is, if you have really good grades, move to florida (super low cost of living, well below San Diego or Denver) get your degree, then move to Denver and you wont have to wait and can live cheap! Rent here is soooooooooo cheap right now because theres so many houses in forclosure and the market is tanked. Just a thought. I would hate to be on one of those waiting lists.

[RickRN]

Although, I can't help you with choosing/deciding on a nursing program, I can certainly provide you with some other much needed information.

Well, let me some it up for you in one sentence. DON'T MOVE HERE FOR A NURSING JOB. I moved with my wife in September 2008 from Carlsbad to Denver in search of a much better life/lifestyle. Many people thought we were crazy. So be it.

Since relocating, I've been through 2 full time operating room positions. What a shame. Two beautiful hospitals couldn't provide me with the "goods" I developed over a 5 year period working for Scripps Health. My gripes..........
- the pay is at least 20% less than San Diego County. I took a 35% pay cut from my hourly wage to move to Denver. Not many people in the world would opt for such a wage adjustment, but it was in mine and my family's best interest to do so in search of that "quality life".

- some of the hospitals in Denver seem to "lack" the stringent rules and regulations set forth by San Diegan institutions and CA government. In other words, Denver hospitals are sometimes behind the times, if you may. For instance, I was suprised to see a lack of hazardous pharmaceutical waste collection bins installed in patient care areas.

nomattic, I wish you a lot of luck in whatever you decide. IF you have any other Denver or nursing questions, don't hesitate to post.

[parks71]

Wow, I think you posted some very unfair statements there. One would expect Denver to pay 20% less than San Diego, look at the huge difference in cost of living.

Start with housing, the cost of houses are much higher in San Diego. I am sure more than your 20%. Arnt state taxes in California right around 10%, Colorado is 4%. That saves you 6% right off the bat. Property taxes and insurance are lower in Colorado too as well as gas prices.

You can get a decent house in Colorado for 200,000. My brother paid double that for a very small house in San Diego. I dont live in either place at the present time but it just seems your statements are incorrect. Please correct me if I am wrong. I checked a few cost of living calculators like salary.com and they conflict with what you say as well.

[RickRN]

Parks 71, thanks for the comment but it sounds like you've never lived in San Diego or Denver for that matter. Reading statistics on the world wide web is touch and go. Don't believe half of what you read on the internet. Sometimes you just have to live or haved live to make the best judgments or reports.

Last time I checked on state and local government sites the highest CA state income tax bracket was 9.3% and Colorado(you're a little off) is just a hair under 5%.

Parker and other south metro areas have higher property taxes than San Diego for sure. San Diego is 1%. Denver has one of the highest car registrations in the world. San Diego doesn't.

[parks71]

Fair enough, state tax difference of 4.67%, I was off a bit. Property taxes however are much lower in Denver. A 230,000 house in Denver would cost you around 1100.00 where as in San Diego would cost you 2,300.00. No reason to do suburbs, just too much calculating.

Forgot sales tax though, we all like to spend our money right? San Diego is 8.75% compared to Denvers 3.62%. Big differnce there!

You forgot to mention the housing prices and Gas as well. Average gas price in colorado is 2.54 compared to californias 3.01, thats almost 50 cents a gallon!!!! That adds up! I'll leave the housing alone, we all know its much more in california.

I have heard about car registration but some people say they only pay 100.00 a year, I am not sure how that works but the most I seen was around 400ish which is very high. Heres the link I researched it.
//www.city-data.com/forum/color...-car-co-4.html

California was 266.00 according the thier webite but I have no idea how to do it in Denver but even if its 100.00 more, big deal. My point is, I fail to see how you can say the cost of living is high in Denver compared to San Diego. Every search I have performed on salaries seem to be able the same for a registered nurse as well although San Diego is a few thousand a year higher on average but no huge differnce. Maybe you just had a high paying job and took a low paying job for the area? I dont know but what I do know is the salaries they are saying at salaries.com which puts Denver and San Diego with in a 2 or 3 thousand of each other for registered nurses, is dead on for where I live here in florida.

Most of this stuff other than the Denver auto fees (couldnt get an exact answer on that one) are backed by facts, not hear say. So please, back up your words with FACTS because I am having a hard time taking your word for it at this point. It sure appears to be much cheaper to live in Denver vs San Diego on the average Registered Nurse Salary.

[Katarina Witt]

Denver's city sales tax is 3.62%. This is on top of the state sales tax of 2.9%, the RTD tax of 1%, the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District tax of .1%, and the football stadium district tax of .1%. Total is 7.72%.

http://www.taxview.state.co.us/Query...spx?selected=1

[nevada1427]

The biggest problem you will most likely run into is not the pay or cost of living...but the LACK of jobs in colorado in general. Be prepared as a new grad to get ALOT of rejections. The job market..even for RN, is fierce!