Any one working in Barstow as a nurse.

trulara · Dec 27, 2009

wow, I'm really going to the middle of no where. Why me??? Is there anyone out there?? Any hospitals near that area.. I work at a Trauma I/ Teaching Hosp in central texas right now, with 678 beds.. the biggest hospital in the area of cali we are going is maybe 180 something beds and get this, it is more than 90 min commute from the base!!! I'm beginning to feel sorry for myself!

Snwbdr · Dec 27, 2009

yea Barstow is out in the middle of nowhere....there might be a decent size hospital in the high desert, or you could try getting a job at the hospital on base....but it really is remote....the area is in the desert, surrounded by other military bases....

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 28, 2009

Barstow is a one-hospital town, and that hospital isn't particularly hiring nurses right now. The High Desert region of California is very economically depressed at the present time with a bleak job outlook for nurses.

Cyn2school · Dec 29, 2009

I dont work work in Barstow but it is a unique place. More than a few of us in southern California consider Barstow the "br break" driving to Las Vegas. As a kid I my family camped there a couple of times a year and found incredible fossils and rocks, spring wildflowers etc. and enjoyed its high desert beauty. Expect to drive there. Reeeeeal far. It's called the "high desert" and has loads of retirees in the Apple Valley area of Victorville. Lots of desert horse country.

On base jobs are likely to be the best option. If you can live off base and have HIM do a little commuting, you may be happier. If you live in Victorville you can commute to the San Bernardino area. If he'll commute farther, Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana may remind you of Texas. Rosamund, Mojave and Edwards AFB ... Palmdale/ Lancaster may have something for you, giving you the option of Santa Clarita. If you have kids, Santa Clarita has the better schools. Best of Luck to you.

OB6658 · Dec 29, 2009

Wow! I feel awful for your circumstances. There's not much in way of hospitals within a reasonable driving time out there in the high desert. As you already checked into, it would be 1 - 1/2 hour drive (3 hours a day)to and from the base to Barstow Community Hospital.

If you went into the next closest area: Victorville/Apple Valley...it would be a 2 hour drive each way. (4 hours a day) Don't know about your stamina, but I could not do 12+ hour shifts with 3-4+ hours travel time on work days.

There are 3 hospitals in Victorville/Apple Valley - Victor Valley Community, St. Marys Medical, and Desert Valley Hospital. However, all are under 200 beds and not Trauma.

You also have to consider traffic here in CA. It won't be as bad out in the high desert, however the main interstate ( I-15) can get bustled depending on your shift.

Also, lots of weekenders from LA, Riverside County etc... travel the I-15 to Vegas, which sometimes makes it a fairly busy road from Fri-Sun/Mon.

One other poster suggested having your husband stay off base and commute part way from Victorville so that you can proceed farther into the bigger hospitals in San Bernardino County. Good idea, but don't think it would be too good for him to travel 2 hours to the base and 2 hours home.

Maybe there are other places other than hospitals nearer the base that utilizes a Nurse. Surely there must be some Medical field jobs on the military base itself?

Sorry, I can't help in telling you how it is working in Barstow Community or the others... But I wish you alot of luck and hope you find work and a solution that works out for both you and your husband.