Any info on Duluth for new grad?

cmonkey · Oct 21, 2007

Gee, I wish I'd seen this a few months ago. I hope the move went well and you're adjusting to the crappy weather. :lol2:

I worked at SMDC (across the street at the clinic) for two years and it was just about the most craptastic place to be I've ever worked in. But I hear the hospital is in better shape than the clinic, so you should be okay if you end(ed) up there.

Hello!
I will be graduating in December with a BSN, and moving to Duluth right after. (Yeah, just a little stressed about MASSIVE life changes all occurring within 30 days... But after supporting me through my long school career, my husband is chomping at the bit to get back to school himself in January!)
I was wondering if anyone had any info to share about either St. Mary's or St. Luke's Hospital. I eventually want to work in the ICU, so any info specific to that area would be fabulous!
I have contacted both hospitals, and it sounds like St. Mary's will hire new grads with a permit, whereas St. Luke's requires registration and all that jazz. This makes me lean towards St. Mary's just because I will need a job PRONTO to bring home the bacon.
Thanks for your time, and for reading yet another "relocation" question!:monkeydance:

cmonkey · Jan 30, 2008

So? How did the move go? Are you here? Hot enough for you?

tootsie29 · Jan 30, 2008

Yup, I made it... and believe it or not, I LOVE the cold weather! I applied for and accepted a position at St. Mary's. So far, so good! Thanks for asking!

freezebabyRN · Jan 31, 2008

What floor are you working on at St Mary's? I worked on 7W med/surg back in 2005. I LOVED it, I worked nights and you didn't have issues between the nurses....no talking about eachother it was great. I just hated the weather up there. I grew up in Superior! It just seems like it is so welfare populated....low income people, houses are old and icky, old cars, weird people walking the streets in Duluth and Superior (I guess you see that in the bigger cities too). Don't other people go hopping down my neck for saying that....everyone has their opinions! Yes you have your nice areas, but over all I'm talking. I guess that is what you think when you grow up somewhere, and there for many years.

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I hope all is going well at St Mary's, that is about the only thing I miss being up there. I lived in Cloquet at the time (which is a much better town than Duluth/Superior I think). To be honest, I have not found a good place like SMDC to work for since I left.

I sure don't miss those numerous foggy days though! I"m all about sunshine!

cmonkey · Jan 31, 2008

Yup, I made it... and believe it or not, I LOVE the cold weather! I applied for and accepted a position at St. Mary's. So far, so good! Thanks for asking!

Woohoo! We've got the weather for you, that's for sure.

tootsie29 · Feb 1, 2008

I hear you about the cohesiveness at St. Mary's... I am on the neuroscience floor, and everyone has been GREAT-- even when things are hectic beyond belief!

Duluth itself is a strange city... It seems like there is such a huge gap between the rich and the less fortunate. High-end "luxury" condos seem to be popping up all over the place and I don't think anyone can afford to buy / rent them! Within my first week here, I was approached (for the first time in my life) by a person asking if I could spare a dollar or two for food... What a depressing situation!

freezebabyRN · Feb 1, 2008

Population back when I was growing up there in Superior for Duluth was well over 100k, now they say many people are leaving due to the lack of jobs and it is down to mid 80's. Here is what I pulled off of citydata.com: "Population (year 2000): 86,918. Estimated population in July 2006: 84,167 (-3.2% change)" It is on a slow decline; however, you are in the good field with their three hospitals plus a smaller hospital that is affiliated with SMDC over in Superior. Most cities you see an increase not a decrease in population. Personally, I have never had anyone come up to me to ask for $ for food. I never did live in Duluth actually. Hermantown I heard has a very good school district (do not know if you have kids or not), but taxes are higher there. To me Duluth is just not safe anymore no matter where you. I know back in 1998 or so my girlfriend was moving back there and she called the Duluth police department and they said DO NOT live anywhere between 27th ave East and 27th ave West, that is a HUGE area and that was almost 10 years ago.

Anyway, other than the extreme cold winters, summers can be 80 one minute and two minutes later with the wind that switches off of Lake Superior it can be 50, and the numerous foggy days where you can hardly see to drive SMDC is a good place to work with decent benefits....plus a union. I love unions! lol If you like to drink Superior is just right over the bridge and a huge drinking town. :cheers: I was never into that, but have friends that still go out partying every weekend into their thirties, and still live in Superior (never moved away).

Take care and stay warm!

sarahlh · Feb 1, 2008

From Duluth on up to the Falls(where I grew up) the population has been decreasing since the 80's

Freeze I can believe the area you mentioned.

cmonkey · Feb 1, 2008

Maybe I have a different pov since I went to high school in Chicago in the '80s, but there isn't an area in Duluth I wouldn't live in. Well, there are some I'd prefer not to live in, but only because of esthetics. I'm not particularly worried about crime.

But if you're in Canal Park in the sumer, wear a tank top underneath a lined shell because you'll need both of them. lol