Tell me about Grand Rapids...

U.S.A. Michigan

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Specializes in Burn/Trauma PCU.

hi all!

currently i'm down south in florida right now, but my husband is wanting to move back to mi around grand rapids, where he grew up. anybody work in or around grand rapids? i don't know anything about the hospital network up there... right now i'm in nursing school and looking to do my externship in a critical care step-down unit, so hopefully critical care/icu is where my focus will be.

hubby tells me it's quite a change from florida! lake-effect snow, long and cold winters, spectacular summers... i think i can handle all of that. i just wanted to hear what the nursing scene is like up there, and if anyone had any "pointers" or tips.

thanks in advance!

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Specializes in L&D.

Hi there! Welcome! I live in the Grand Rapids area (1/2 hour southwest actually - but work in Grand Rapids). There are 3 major hospitals in the area: Spectrum Heath being the biggest, Metro Health, and Saint Mary's. I work at Spectrum and I really like it. What kind of questions do you have?

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Specializes in Burn/Trauma PCU.

thanks jen!

actually, you just answered two: how many hospitals in the area and how much you liked working at yours :wink2:

this may sound silly, but i come from a state where snow comes out of a can and gets sprayed on fake trees for decoration: is it difficult getting around in winter? schools and other businesses may shut down because of snow, but not the hospital - how do you work around that when there's a foot of snow on the ground and you have to be at work?

also, what kind of salary range do rns make there? i couldn't seem to find it anywhere when i looked it up.

and finally, do you like grand rapids as a city? (i'm guessing you do :p ) my husband grew up there and loved it - he grew up in rockford on 20 acres of farm and talks about it all the time:rolleyes: - it must be pretty great!

thanks... i appreciate any comments about the area. we're hoping to make a visit next summer ('06) so i can see the area for myself.

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Grand Rapids is in a snow belt, meaning quite a bit of snow. And the schools get snow days, if you have children.

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Specializes in L&D.
thanks jen!

actually, you just answered two: how many hospitals in the area and how much you liked working at yours :wink2:

this may sound silly, but i come from a state where snow comes out of a can and gets sprayed on fake trees for decoration: is it difficult getting around in winter? schools and other businesses may shut down because of snow, but not the hospital - how do you work around that when there's a foot of snow on the ground and you have to be at work?

also, what kind of salary range do rns make there? i couldn't seem to find it anywhere when i looked it up.

and finally, do you like grand rapids as a city? (i'm guessing you do :p ) my husband grew up there and loved it - he grew up in rockford on 20 acres of farm and talks about it all the time:rolleyes: - it must be pretty great!

thanks... i appreciate any comments about the area. we're hoping to make a visit next summer ('06) so i can see the area for myself.

i believe the spectrum health website tells our salary. it starts at $20.something and goes up from there (shift differential, experience etc.)

i am not too fond of the city itself, but that's because i live in a upper-middle class area. i'm not fond of the city life downtown. i live about 30 minutes south. rockford is also a nice place to live. i believe you'd like it there.

snow, you betcha! you just have to leave early and drive carefully. four-wheel-drive isn't a bad idea either, lol!

good luck! i do like it here!

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I live about 1/2 hour straight south of Grand Rapids (about 1/2 way between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, actually).

I don't work in Grand Rapids, I work at a hospital in Kalamazoo...

Where I work, I believe that RNs start out at about $22.00/hour..

Hope this helps! (oh, and it's COLD here!!):chuckle

:Snow:

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Specializes in Burn/Trauma PCU.
i believe the spectrum health website tells our salary. it starts at $20.something and goes up from there (shift differential, experience etc.)

i am not too fond of the city itself, but that's because i live in a upper-middle class area. i'm not fond of the city life downtown. i live about 30 minutes south. rockford is also a nice place to live. i believe you'd like it there.

snow, you betcha! you just have to leave early and drive carefully. four-wheel-drive isn't a bad idea either, lol!

good luck! i do like it here!

i went on to the spectrum website... and there was the salary range, right there in plain view. yup. where was my brain the first time? :rolleyes:

i'm not much of a city life girl myself, either. dh grew up in rockford, and my best friend also grew up in grand haven, and both speak very fondly of their hometowns, though they both did not care too much for the city life itself.

i'm glad you like it there! i spent a year living up north (nj) and i still much prefer the cold - even biting cold - over the sweltering heat and constant threat of hurricanes like we have here. of course, i hear people up north wish all the time to be in a "tropical oasis" like where i am (heh!). guess the grass is always greener, isn't it?

thanks again! i really appreciate all the feedback from everyone.

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