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Hey everyone,
I grew up in Massachusetts and have been living in Boston for the past 7 years. While I absolutely love Boston, the weather is getting so old. This winter was very cold, we got tons of snow, and the summer weather has been terrible. It rained most of June and about half of the days in July so far. It was 58 degrees last night!! I don't know how many more years of this I can handle. I have never experienced 100 degrees heat with humidity.. but it has hit 90 and humid here in the summers. And I LOVE summer. If it snowed once a year on Christmas I would be good to go. That being said, I have several questions.
I am a nurse in work in a NICU. I'm all day shifts (7a-7p). This is why I haven't moved--that position and hours are hard to come by. I have 3 years of level III NICU experience and am a CN III on the clinical ladder (I, II, III, IV). Does anyone know what RNs make per hour in the Houston area? Have there been layoffs and budget concerns in the hospitals? There have been here. RNs start at about $27-28/hr here and most people at my level make around $29-32 an hour, plus shift differentials.
Is it sunny most of the time? Is there a lot of rain? Are there a lot of outdoor activities? I know Galveston is nearby... is Corpus far and are the beaches better there? Tornadoes/major hurricaines? I know those living on the coast see more of the hurricaine weather.
Are there a lot of younger people in their mid 20s-30s? I'm single and do not have children. Is everyone very social and friendly, open to making new friends? Even a "massh*le" like myself? I've been told Austin is more fun? Nursing pay makes a difference--I hear RNs make more in Houston. Coming from Boston, which city would be more my style? I don't live in downtown Boston. I live in one of the "neighborhoods". Allston/Brighton... about 5 miles from downtown. But I do love going further into the city and walking around. I love the water and beach. There are tons of things to do around here in terms of shopping, walking, etc. Is Houston safe? What are the bad sections I would avoid looking at apartments in? Is public transportation pretty good or will I need to drive everywhere?
I realize this is lengthy so thank you for input! I plan on visiting Texas sometime in the fall.
Hey everyone,
I grew up in Massachusetts and have been living in Boston for the past 7 years. While I absolutely love Boston, the weather is getting so old. This winter was very cold, we got tons of snow, and the summer weather has been terrible. It rained most of June and about half of the days in July so far. It was 58 degrees last night!! I don't know how many more years of this I can handle. I have never experienced 100 degrees heat with humidity.. but it has hit 90 and humid here in the summers. And I LOVE summer. If it snowed once a year on Christmas I would be good to go. That being said, I have several questions.
I am a nurse in work in a NICU. I'm all day shifts (7a-7p). This is why I haven't moved--that position and hours are hard to come by. I have 3 years of level III NICU experience and am a CN III on the clinical ladder (I, II, III, IV). Does anyone know what RNs make per hour in the Houston area? Have there been layoffs and budget concerns in the hospitals? There have been here. RNs start at about $27-28/hr here and most people at my level make around $29-32 an hour, plus shift differentials.
Is it sunny most of the time? Is there a lot of rain? Are there a lot of outdoor activities? I know Galveston is nearby... is Corpus far and are the beaches better there? Tornadoes/major hurricaines? I know those living on the coast see more of the hurricaine weather.
Are there a lot of younger people in their mid 20s-30s? I'm single and do not have children. Is everyone very social and friendly, open to making new friends? Even a "massh*le" like myself? I've been told Austin is more fun? Nursing pay makes a difference--I hear RNs make more in Houston. Coming from Boston, which city would be more my style? I don't live in downtown Boston. I live in one of the "neighborhoods". Allston/Brighton... about 5 miles from downtown. But I do love going further into the city and walking around. I love the water and beach. There are tons of things to do around here in terms of shopping, walking, etc. Is Houston safe? What are the bad sections I would avoid looking at apartments in? Is public transportation pretty good or will I need to drive everywhere?
I realize this is lengthy so thank you for input! I plan on visiting Texas sometime in the fall.
Well, I first have to say THANK YOU for being a NICU nurse! We are a NICU family, both my girls were preemies due to BP and placenta issues with me. You all are amazing for doing what you do.
Okay, so that out of the way... you will have no problem finding an RN position here. You probably won't find too much trouble getting the hours you want as you have so much experience. Definitely try the med center (Texas Childrens, Memorial Hermann, The Woman's Hospital of Texas, St. Lukes, etc) but you might want to head over to Memorial Hermann at Memorial City--they are moving L&D/NICU to the new building in the Women's Center there and it is supposedly pretty awesome.
You will have no problem making friends, people here are very friendly, esp in the nursing field. I suggest you live at least inside the beltway if not inside the loop, you will find Houston to be overwhelming a bit in size, but when you're in the loop (I-610) it's a little more centered. If you work in the med center, stay in the loop or by the Galleria. If you're at Memorial City, stay in the Beltway on the west side.
As far as salary, you'll do well with what you have. We are currently in a nursing shortage in Texas, mostly Houston, so you will find you might have at least two pretty lucrative offers on the table depending on the institution. Are you going for your BSN? With 3 years behind you as an RN, you'll easily make what you would make in Boston (between 45-55K)--the difference, obviously, being your cost of living. We're much more reasonably priced around here. The other difference? Signing bonuses, which, depending on how desperate the institution is, can be quite nice (between $5-7K bonus).
You will probably need a car. It's sort of a fact of life here. We're working on rail (we have a light rail that is expanding, but right now, it's kinda limited). There are some apartment complexes that are nice either right on the line or pretty darned close. Houston is pretty safe in the areas I spoke of above. Zips for apartments: 77054 (lots of med center employees and students of the med school & grad school), 77030, 77005, 77019, 77008, 77007, 77027, 77056, 77057, 77055, 77024, 77079. You can also find cute bungalows in the Heights and Montrose for rent, so don't overlook that. Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions. The members here are great and have lots of info!
Well, Houston's a great medical city. The Texas Med Center is one heck of a scene, like a downtown Tampa for the medical industry but even faster paced.
It's mostly sunny with good spots of rain here and there. Winter is awesome, I, a former Northerner.
You won't find contiguous traditional urbanity in Houston like that of San Fran or Chicago...but the new types of developments here in Greater Houston (Woodlands Waterway, Midtown, TC City Centre, etc.) complemented by some old style walkabouts (Rice Village, Old Town Spring, 19th Street Heights, Galveston)...you'll always have something to do on a weekend or weeknight.
The diversity here is great. High end culture to various brow nightlife...restaurants of practically every stripe...
Houston is less touristy-packaged than an Austin or San Diego...but the bottom line, much more intriguing in my book in terms of actual ingredients.
I grew up by Boston. So I can understand the transition you would have to go through if you did decide to move. The transition was hard for me.
Although you love summer.. the heat up north is nothing comparable to the heat in Houston . Since Houston is on the gulf coast the Humidity is unbearable. My husbands thermometer in his car the other day said 124 . I could compare Summer in Houston to the winters in Boston. There's plenty of things to do if your inside someplace but If u want to go out.... Its really too HOT to do anything..(Just like there's not much to do outside in the winter) The good thing is.... It'll be hard to find someplace without AC so its not as bad... The winters in Houston are AWESOME. It may get cold.. like.. 35..40's, in the morning or at night.. but its rare if it gets below that.. (I always get a laugh watching people walk around in puffy winter coats with fur around the hood when its like 60 outside) It'll feel like 70.. 75 with less humidity most of the time in the winters.. The suns really strong so It still feels warm in the sun. Its beautiful.... I cant stress more enough that you come to visit in the summer instead of fall, so u know exactly how hot it can get here.
Its mostly sunny here, Unless there's a tropical depression or hurricane.. lol .. You don't really have to worry about tornadoes.. U'll get warnings or watches once in a while, but they don't seem to drop down in major cities.. Just in open areas. I was terrified of tornadoes before I moved.. but after living through hurricane Ike.. its nothing. lol. The weather here is crazy.. even when it rains it seems to drop buckets of water.
The beaches.. Are not comparable to the NE coast.. Well.. warmer.. but Muddy.. Galveston basically gets all the Mud from the Mississippi river drained into it.. in my opinion, the beaches are much nicer up north.
Hospital jobs are amazing here. I have family who work in them here.. As long as you have your degree your sure to have a secure job...and there are many hospitals to choose from.
People are really really social and friendly here. Ive met so many nice friends and courteous people.. Southern hospitality definitely describes the people of Texas..(no mass-holes here rofl)
Austin is more fun for sure.. but seems like mostly for college kids still in the drinking and parting phase... or older adults who haven't yet grown up lol. Houston has a great economy, alot of jobs.. but still has a great nightlife. Crime.. is pretty bad tho... U'll have to ask more people about the good and bad areas tho. (I love my location but wont spout out where I am on a public form lol) Another thing that may be hard to get use to is the.. no trees.. not a lot of nature.. more city life then Boston.. Boston is city like but Historic, beautiful and is still nature-like. Houston is very..new, not much nature, very open.. concrete.. cookie cutter neighborhoods. Its not bad if you find the right area for you.
My step-daughter is a CNA and asked me too look at the job bulletin board at the huge VA hospital near the big Houston Medical Center. I happened to see a R/N posting and was shocked that the pay for the full-time position with some supervisory aspect was $113,000/year. I'd say nursing pays purty good in Houston.
People are very friendly here, both the originals with good ole southern hospitality but tempered by the huge transplanted yankee, Cali, and international group. Unlike older towns with established HS cliques, MOST young people in Houston are open and seeking new friends. Like other's have mentioned, if you catch on at HMC (where salaries are highest) - stay inside the inner loop 610 - it's a VERY big city with slow rush hour traffic. Save you 6-8pm time just off work for smoozing at happy hours in midtown or Montrose, not sitting in traffic on the freeway on the way to The Woodlands or Rosenberg.
Oh--one more thing--our summers. They really aren't all that bad, because there is A/C everywhere. Yeah your car's therm is going to read much higher than it is outside of course, but that's what happens when it's parked out in the sun for any length of time in July or August. It is VERY rare that we have a summer like this--we've seen 100*-104* the past few weeks...not every day, but pretty close. If you're working, it's no big deal, especially if you're working in TMC (that's "Texas Medical Center") because not only are you inside all day, your car will be in a parking garage all day as well.
I think the thing you will miss is Fall. We don't get fall like Mass does. It's just not anything like it....but I tell transplants all the time, you have to look for the beauty here in Texas because it's not as obvious, not as showy. It's subtle, and sometimes lovelier than anything I have ever seen. Christmases are wonderful here, as my pal ShelbyGirl said in another thread just recently, it snowed here on Christmas Eve just a few years ago, and it also snowed last year on December 10, my birthday! It was wonderful....but it is RARE. Maybe a sprinkling every few years in various parts of the city. We just don't get that combination of elements you need in the atmosphere to produce it. There have been years I needed to wear a sweater and jeans on Christmas, and years where I needed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. It's not set in stone.
The temps actually start dropping in late September. Not by much--but you start to see temps gradually come down from 97-98 in August to 92-93. October can be warm, but we usually see our first cool front around the first or second week, and you will see people start acting frisky and run around with big grins all the time. From there, the temps keep dropping with an occasional warm spell. It may not feel very seasonal but you find out quickly we make our holidays special nonetheless.
I recommend you come to visit TWICE--once during late summer (August) and once during the springtime. You'll get a much better perspective, especially with spring...because I have yet to see a more beautiful place than the Houston area (or all of TX for that matter) in the springtime. But then, I'm a sucker that way. We begin to warm up in February, and usually late March/early April is the best time to be here. Absolutely GORGEOUS!
BTW, we are very green here year-round. Lots of evergreens and hardly any dead grass to speak of (except right now with this heat). I'm always amazed when I fly into IAH from other places during the winter and see all the gorgeous pines. We were also rated by the Trust for Public Land #1 out of ten of the most populous cities in the US for having the most trees/greenspace. We're #2 behind San Diego in parks. Not bad when you think about it!
Last edited by Mom2Feebs; 07-09-2009 at 12:44 PM..
My step-daughter is a CNA and asked me too look at the job bulletin board at the huge VA hospital near the big Houston Medical Center. I happened to see a R/N posting and was shocked that the pay for the full-time position with some supervisory aspect was $113,000/year. I'd say nursing pays purty good in Houston.
People are very friendly here, both the originals with good ole southern hospitality but tempered by the huge transplanted yankee, Cali, and international group. Unlike older towns with established HS cliques, MOST young people in Houston are open and seeking new friends. Like other's have mentioned, if you catch on at HMC (where salaries are highest) - stay inside the inner loop 610 - it's a VERY big city with slow rush hour traffic. Save you 6-8pm time just off work for smoozing at happy hours in midtown or Montrose, not sitting in traffic on the freeway on the way to The Woodlands or Rosenberg.
Yes VA Hospital pays top dollar for Rn Supervisor a friend of mine wifes works there she told me they started her off at 113,000 with 5 years experience.
I'm a seasonal resident of Boston and have recent experience living in the Allston/Brighton neighborhood. (I will also be living there again starting in September.)
It's HOT and HUMID here and you might never get used to it. I'm a native and every time I come back here during in the Summer, it takes me a little while to get reoriented to the weather. Even though it's usually in the 90's constantly most summers, it's been particularly hot this summer (100's many days in a row).
I can't comment on the RN part of the equation, so I hope others can help you with that.
I find what Meg said absolutely FALSE about the LACK of trees in Houston. Boston has a more attractive, integrated natural feel to it, because of land features, like the Charles River. Here, a bayou is not much more than an ugly cesspool. But if we're simply talking trees, Houston wins that one all day. It might actually have TOO many trees. You can go miles and miles without seeing a single building, just lots and lots of trees and undeveloped land. That's to be expected because the Boston area is a lot more dense and urban. And when you come from Houston, while it's better than nothing, a baby tree planted in a the middle of a packed cobblestone street isn't gonna do it for you.
I wouldn't say Houston is an outdoorsy type place, and the beaches are nicer in the NE, but if you like the outdoors, there's some place for you here.
Boston is more similar to Austin simply because of the whole college town atmosphere, but IMO Austin cannot offer the same amount of high cultural opportunities (opera, theater, dining etc.), because it is so geared to that demographic--Boston mixes refined older taste and youth quite well. Austin in itself is more like a Cambridge. If you're looking to get 'wicked hammud', well, Austin would be the place.
Crime here is often vehicle-related. (Go figure!) Most of the time, it's petty and non-violent. Obviously, Houston has more crime in the city proper, but like most people said, use common sense and you should be fine.
That all said, I like my neighborhood here (Montrose) better than the one I live in in Boston (Allston), and Montrose is less expensive than Allston; However, Montrose cannot compare to neighborhoods like the South End or Back Bay, which are IMO closer competitors.
As for vibe...in Boston, you feel like you're always in the middle of the action, because there are always so many big buildings around and things really aren't that far away. It's one of the wonders of a built environment. Whereas in Houston, you can live in a close-in neighborhood like Montrose and feel disconnected, but in reality you aren't--part of the wonders of a sprawling environment.
You can get around to places of any interest in Houston, but it won't necessarily be quick and convenient, so the car, by far, reigns supreme.
Last edited by theSUBlime; 07-09-2009 at 02:55 PM..
Yeah your car's therm is going to read much higher than it is outside of course, but that's what happens when it's parked out in the sun for any length of time in July or August.
hehe very much true but the reading was when he was parked in the shade and riding home from work with AC on! The heats fine for some but from a Northerner's point of veiw.. The heat is horrible if your not use to it.
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I've been told Austin is more fun? Nursing pay makes a difference--I hear RNs make more in Houston. Coming from Boston, which city would be more my style? I don't live in downtown Boston. I live in one of the "neighborhoods". Allston/Brighton... about 5 miles from downtown. But I do love going further into the city and walking around. I love the water and beach. There are tons of things to do around here in terms of shopping, walking, etc. Is Houston safe? What are the bad sections I would avoid looking at apartments in? Is public transportation pretty good or will I need to drive everywhere? 
We are a NICU family, both my girls were preemies due to BP and placenta issues with me. You all are amazing for doing what you do.
you will have no problem finding an RN position here. You probably won't find too much trouble getting the hours you want as you have so much experience. Definitely try the med center (Texas Childrens, Memorial Hermann, The Woman's Hospital of Texas, St. Lukes, etc) but you might want to head over to Memorial Hermann at Memorial City--they are moving L&D/NICU to the new building in the Women's Center there and it is supposedly pretty awesome. 
. Since Houston is on the gulf coast the Humidity is unbearable. My husbands thermometer in his car the other day said 124 
. I could compare Summer in Houston to the winters in Boston. There's plenty of things to do if your inside someplace but If u want to go out.... Its really too HOT to do anything..(Just like there's not much to do outside in the winter) The good thing is.... It'll be hard to find someplace without AC so its not as bad... The winters in Houston are AWESOME. It may get cold.. like.. 35..40's, in the morning or at night.. but its rare if it gets below that.. (I always get a laugh watching people walk around in puffy winter coats with fur around the hood when its like 60 outside) It'll feel like 70.. 75 with less humidity most of the time in the winters.. The suns really strong so It still feels warm in the sun. Its beautiful.... I cant stress more enough that you come to visit in the summer instead of fall, so u know exactly how hot it can get here.
and run around with big grins all the time. From there, the temps keep dropping with an occasional warm spell. It may not feel very seasonal but you find out quickly we make our holidays special nonetheless. 
