Best Place to Live/Work in Virginia

This is just my personal opinion: I have traveled through the US for the past 14 years as a consultant for a global company doing educational programs for RN's.

I've had significant experience in nurse education, and would love a job like yours. I'm an empty nester and free and a very experienced global traveler.

Virginia would be my first choice to relocate for a nursing position for several reasons, one being the climate summers are unbearably hot and humid (for me), also the economy is in decent shape, Richmond has been getting back on its feet, but suffered greatly before the current Mayor....and is centrally located on the east coast and an easy drive

to the DC area. Having been at all the Sentara Hospitals in the Va. Beach, Hampton and Norfolk areas
People who I know, say the DC commute is horrendous, even from Maryland and especially in northern VA areas. The highway 64 corridor is a nightmare, most times and especially near the tunnel from Hampton to Norfolk, which flooded not long ago, and still has water piping that is questionnable!!

I found the hospitals administration of high standards related to patients and staff. Sorry, I have to intervene here. I've been a patient at Sentara Williamsburg, and found the care abominable and catered food lousy.

My RN ran from room to room without changing gloves or washing her hands. When I reported that, (after discussing the policy there with her - and received a rebuke for it, the Infection Control Nurse made no effort to talk to me about it when I asked to see her, and when I told Risk Management about that and the fact that upon admission, the chance for a bleeding scan was lost (I was hemorrhaging from somewhere in my lower GI tract, for the second time in two years, and that scan is only applicable during heavy blood loss, which I had when the ambulance brought me to their ED, gave their report to a nurse, and then I was left on a guerney behind a curtain, sleeping for two + hours before anyone saw me.

Three hours later I was taken to the telemetry floor, transfused with two units, (after the blood count that was finally taken, revealand dangerously low RBCs and Hgb and Hct). On day 3 the bleeding seemed to slow, so the opportunity to know the location of the bleeding has never been found since, even with the swallowed camera. Upon discharge the hospitalist (a FP) said that my K was critically low, and I needed high doses of it, that would be prescribed. I asked for the prescription as I was wheeled by the nurses' station, and they said no prescription had been given, but the order was in my chart and the hospitalist was unavailable. They said to ask my PCP for it, but he told me to get it OTC...... I reported all that to the Risk Manager, who did nothing about anything..... It seemed to me that the thinking was that my age of 70 was an ideal time to leave this world....they'd have fewer complaints if all oldsters left.
Maybe my experience there was the exception, proving that hospital care at Sentara's many facilities is great.....

Roanoke is another area, not as easy to get in and out of as the airport is small, however I did enjoy the hospitals. My personal choice is Winchester VA. the Hospital is well positioned financially. Will funds be as freely allocated there, after the Reform of Health Care bill is passed?
The nurses were of high caliber, and were treated very well by administration. Upon what was that opinion based?
The ICU's are very busy, well staffed with a ratio of? and state of the art equipment! Again these are my assessments and personal preference. I would suggest if you plan on relocating to VA. Winchester is a must to visit. Winchester is an area that is growing but still has that old town feeling with the historic districts and tree lined street neighborhoods. Good Luck, and congratulations!