RN moving to Detroit area, 2 yrs Burn ICU experience, need advice

If you're moving to Pleasant Ridge, the closest hospitals would be William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak and St. John - Providence in Southfield. St. Joseph Mercy - Oakland is a straight shot north of Woodward Ave to the City of Pontiac. Be aware that Detroit is easily accessible from Pleasant Ridge via I-696 to I-75. Major Detroit hospitals are Detroit Medical Center, Henry Ford Hospital, and St. John Hospital. Incidentally, Detroit Receiving Hospital (part of the Detroit Medical Center) has a Burn Unit, the only one in Metro Detroit. Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital (in West Bloomfield, of course) is newly built and recently opened this Spring. It is not that close to Pleasant Ridge and is not freeway accessible. However, the word is that they are hiring RN's so that they can open additional beds to meet their projected bed capacity.

Typically, RN's in ambulatory clinics are paid less than in the hospital. There may not be much opportunities for RN's in ambulatory clinics. Pay seems to not vary too much among hospitals here (maybe 1-2 dollars an hour more here than there). However, some Metro Detroit hospitals may be on a hiring freeze at this time due to the poor economy. The latest news is that many hospital systems posted revenue losses from fiscal year 2008 and a few are actually in the red. However, since you are coming with some clinical experience, you may be able to find a job sooner than someone without any experience at all.

Good luck.

One note about home care: I worked as a WC/No fault case manager and drove all over the city and suburbs of Detroit, and I felt very safe doing it for 2 reasons. First, you work during the day - most problems in the city occur in certain areas, and at night. Secondly, ALL neighbors are very grateful for nurses doing home visits, and are always treated with respect. Even situations a young woman may have initial concerns with, in subsidized housing units, are welcomed and protected when visiting elderly residents. You do need to be alert, aware, show respect to all, and I would recommend a GPS, but I personally would not hesitate to be a home health nurse in Metro Detroit.

I worked for 5 years at the Burn ICU at Detroit Receiving Hospital and loved it. I believe they are hiring midnights and also rotating shifts (I doubt very much you will get straight days..the nurses there are pretty loyal and most have been there a long time). There is also a burn unit at Children's Hospital of Michigan (also in the DMC-Detroit Medical Center), but it is not large and I think it is a shared unit of some sort. If you have any questions, you can PM me.

Also about 30 mins away by freeway would be the University of Michigan. They have a pretty good burn unit as well. Their pay and benefits are in line with everyone else. Though it looks online the only opening is for a nurse manager.

Univ. of Michigan has a really good Trauma/Burn unit. I worked their the last year as a Tech while finishing up Nursing school (just graduated). They are not hiring anyone right now, I know this because I can't even get hired in my unit. This is due to too many Central Staff nurses and a hospital with a low census like every other hospital for the most part in the Metro area.