Thinking of relocating...

U.S.A. Arizona

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Hi all...

I'm seriously considering a move to AZ when I finish RN school - I am SICK of Michigan winters!!!

I recently got a recruitment flyer from the Yuma Regional Med Center, and thought that it sounded good - except that I know nothing about Yuma - but then I saw the thread below about how Yuma is "hell on earth" :eek:

So... I'll ask the experts: Where, in your opinion, is a nice place to live in your warm, sunny state? Somewhere that's nice for a family with young kids... not too crowded, etc? Where the winters are mild but the summers aren't scorchingly hot? And lastly, a great hospital to work at would be nice to know about, too! ;)

Oh yeah... and how bad are the creepy-crawlers down there? I'm talking about scorpions, tarantulas, rattlesnakes... that stuff could be a deal breaker, lol...

Thanks!

~Laurie

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Yuma is unbearably hot. Even people who live in Phoenix think it's hot.

Tucson is nice, but really, it's hot here too in the summer.

Sedona is nice; lovely in the summertime. I honestly don't know how it is in the winter. Flagstaff is also nice in the summer, but it is at an elavation of 7000 feet, so it does definitely get cold there in the winter and snows.

You could always take a travel assignment to see which places suit your fancy!

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Specializes in NICU.
So... I'll ask the experts: Where, in your opinion, is a nice place to live in your warm, sunny state? Somewhere that's nice for a family with young kids... not too crowded, etc? Where the winters are mild but the summers aren't scorchingly hot? And lastly, a great hospital to work at would be nice to know about, too! ;)

Oh yeah... and how bad are the creepy-crawlers down there? I'm talking about scorpions, tarantulas, rattlesnakes... that stuff could be a deal breaker, lol...

If you find a place like that, let me know!!!! lol

But no seriously, there's gonna be good and not-so-good things about all different parts of the state, just like any other place. I've lived here all my life and there are things I love about it (obviously, since I'm still here!) and things I don't love about it.

Sure we have awesome winters, but that means we have hellish summers. And I don't mean when you open the front door you say "oh it's kinda warm out today". I mean you open the front door and say "oh my God did I just open the oven door??" You actually burn your hands when you get in the car and touch the steering wheel. And we're lucky if it cools down to 100 on those July and August nights.

I'm in Tempe (part of the greater Phx area) and we have those terribly hot days for about 2 months (July and August). So if you don't want scorchingly hot summers, then you definitely don't want the Phx valley, Tucson, Yuma, Lake Havasu, Bullhead City, etc.

Up north is nice (i.e. Flagstaff), but I'm not sure how the hospitals and schools are up there. Not as crowded up there, smaller towns, colder winters with snow, but great summers. It's more expensive to live up there.

Rattlesnakes, spiders, and scorpions? I've never seen any of those in my house or around my house ..... but then again I live in Tempe, which is smack dab in the middle of the HUGE Phx metroplex, so only lots of concrete around here and not much space for the creepy crawlies to hang out. Now if you live in the outer areas or around the mountains, then definitely expect to see some.

I agree with the above poster in that a travel assignment would be a good idea.

Good luck to you!

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Thanks for the info!

I hear what you're saying about the Sedona area being pricey - I was browsing thru listings at realtor.com and... :eek:

Extreme heat doesn't sound bad to me today as I look out at the snow covering everything outside.... ugh.

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Specializes in NICU.

Sedona is a great place to visit :)

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I have a friend who lives in Sedona....and she's been driven out of her house a few times in the last couple of years by flooding in the winter. She also has her phone service wiped out too. But I LOVE Sedona (to visit).

I live in California....am going to relocate to the Tucson area....I need some space, a reasonably priced place to live, and I'm just plain sick of California. Never thought I'd say that, having grown up in Canada....but I've been living in the LA/San Diego/Santa Cruz areas for the last 30 years....and feel like I need some peace in my life. Plus some relief from my mold allergies. I've been to Phoenix for a lot of swim meets with my kids and don't like it there at all.

I do know that Yuma is hellish, though, or at least been told that by a close friend.

Does anyone have any input on Tucson Medical Center? Thanks guys!

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Just a word to the lady in Michigan, struggling through nursing school....best of luck and it's worth the struggles. I went back to school and graduated from UCLA at 45 years old with 3 kids and a rotten divorce. I grew up in Toronto, so I know Michigan and the winters up there. Yuck.

San Diego is a beautiful place to live, weather-wise, but competitive and expensive. Lots of "perfect people" there. Or at least they look that way!

Don't give up, my respect for your struggles, and any help you need, just drop an email. Since I graduated, I've been in forensics, psych, home health, ER, corrections, private ambulatory surgery facility, etc., etc....lots of fun! I just wanted to make up for lost time....went to school originally in Canada way back when ..... we were making linseed poultices for abd. gas then and had glass syringes.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Does anyone have any input on Tucson Medical Center? Thanks guys!

Ugh...:stone

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Ugh? Any specifics? And living in Tucson, do I have to worry about these bark scorpions attacking my dogs? You know how dog lovers worry about their pets....

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I will vote for either Tucson or Sierra Vista. I have never lived in Tucson, but went up frequently for Sam's Club, Costco, and Trader Joe's. We lived in Sierra Vista which is much cooler than Phoenix and generally about 7-10 degrees F. than Tucson. Nice hospital with great co-workers. I will have a hard time going to any other hospital, because while it was definately hard work, we were always treated fairly. Houses are more there than when we first arrived, but I hear there are deals to be had if you can find someone that actually needs to sell. Ft. Huachuca, Border Patrol and retirees are much of the population. It is not your typical military base. It is relatively small with a high percentage of officers in training for military intelligence/signal. Daughter attended First Baptist Christian Academy and STILL talks about that school!!!

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Oh, just wanted to add a couple of things. I never saw a scorpion in Tucson or Sierra Vista. When we lived in El Paso, TX we saw them IN OUR HOUSE fairly frequently. Also, if you can take a trip to Tucson during the summer, you can priceline resorts for the $50-65 range and stay in quite nice accomodations. Our last trip was at the Omni and we had a room overlooking the driving range, great pool, nice restaurants, and BEAUTIFUL, HUGE bathroom/closet. Phoenix also has great priceline deals during the summer. We used to stay in the Wyndham Buttes resort for about $58 on Priceline. Might be worth a trip!;)

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Specializes in Cardiac.
. We used to stay in the Wyndham Buttes resort for about $58 on Priceline. Might be worth a trip!;)

Wow! Gonga deal.

About TMC, what kind of nursing do you do? Do you have a specific floor in mind? Have you spoken with any TMC recruiters yet?

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