[txgrad]

I am graduating in December and I am starting to look at what jobs are available. I have a 3.6 GPA and have 36 hours towards my bachelors, which I plan on finishing while working. Ultimately I am looking to be a anesthetist so I want to go straight to ICU from school. I live in Houston and would consider relocating in if it made since to do so but given the large medical center here I am hoping to find something. What salary should I expect along with benefits etc. I have an offer in Phoenix, AZ for 23.00 an hour + benefits. A little help from the established nurses would be greatly appreciated!

[usnrjim]

Wow, you are really gung ho with your career. My advise to you is to forget about the money and the pot of gold at the end of your rainbow. Nothing is more valuable than experience. Get a job at a teaching institution first. This way you will be trained in the latest technology and nursing interventions of today. The disease process will be repeated to you just about every day, making you aware of what interventions are required for each disease.Once you have gained at least 2 years of experience, go on to broader horizons. I have seen many senior student nurses fail because they are out for the money. As a matter of fact, some of my friends are still trying to find the right job. I speak from the experience I gained at a local teaching facility in Texas. 3 plus years of SICU, Dialysis, and floor nursing. I hope this helps.

[txgrad]

Thank you for your quick reply! I did not explain the position well intially, the job offer is at a teaching hospital. I am going to be working there so I doubt I will run out of money plus they offer tuition reimbursement. I was hoping that someone would be willing to point me in the right direction as far as other recruiters I could contact and if the offer received was good (as far as pay-rate) I have to have 2 years in the ICU before I will be accepted into my masters for the CRNA program. I was hoping I could do these 2 years right off the bat. So out of school I would do my 2 years in ICU and have my BSN.
At that point I would have all the pre-req's for the Masters CRNA program.

Thanks for your help I hope you will know where to point me as far as recruiters and what is a good pay-rate etc.