Any Rochester area nurses?

U.S.A. New York

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My fiance will be looking into University of Rochester for grad school, and I was curious what RN's typically make in the area. I'll have a little over a years worth of experience by the time we would be moving there. Also, what are some opinions about local hospitals and working conditions?

I checked salary.com already, and the 25th percentile is listed at $46k. Does this sound accurate?

Also, what do you think of Rochester? I've been on various websites, and it looks absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! What's the downtown area like? Is there a lot of culture (ie museums, ecclectic shooping districts etc).

Thanks so much!!

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Specializes in Psychiatric, Geriatric, Cardiac.

It's ok here. Would rather be back down south (came from NC).

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Specializes in Neuro, Acute, Geriatrics, Rehab, Oncology.

I am a NY native and I think Rochester is grand.Yes to museums, parks and culture!!! There are many festivals as well as nearby nature, lakes and even skiing in a reasonable distance. It is a forward moving city unlike Syracuse which has stagnated.The salary figure seems about right. If you work at Strong memorial there is a tuition program for you and dependance to U of R.

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My fiance will be looking into University of Rochester for grad school, and I was curious what RN's typically make in the area. I'll have a little over a years worth of experience by the time we would be moving there. Also, what are some opinions about local hospitals and working conditions?

I checked salary.com already, and the 25th percentile is listed at $46k. Does this sound accurate?

Also, what do you think of Rochester? I've been on various websites, and it looks absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! What's the downtown area like? Is there a lot of culture (ie museums, ecclectic shooping districts etc).

Thanks so much!!

I"m born and bred in Rochester and I am starting as a GN @ 19.50/hr base. Its the same at all the local hospitals for new grads. I am not sure what the starting pay is for nurses with experience. UofR/Strong is a huge teaching hospital. Rochester General is probably the second largest and has a great cardiac program. Next is Highland, where I am going to work, which is smaller but also very very good and under the umbrella of Strong Health which also includes Strong Memorial (U of R). Then there is Parkridge which is much smaller and no peds but a very family-like atmosphere. Genesse hospital was closed down maybe 10 years ago and is now mostly empty but for the doctor's building which still is open. St. Mary's hospital is now rehab/dialysis/psych and does not have an ED anymore.

There is culture---Eastman theater, Dryden theater, Rochester Museum and Science Center, The Strong Museum which is mostly for kids but has a great doll exhibit, the Planetarium and more. The Auditorium theater shows tons of plays--the Lion King just finished 6 sold-out weeks ( Garth fagan is local here) Rent is coming later this year as well as 5 or 6 other plays that I can't remember. Seneca Park Zoo is pretty nice. They just built a large elephant exhibit for the two elephants. We have a few malls, but they are more in the suburbs. Park Ave/Monroe ave is rather eclectic and artsy. The Lilac Festival in Highland Park (Near U of R)every May is a big draw and the LPGA comes every year as well.

We have the Blue Cross Arena which hosts Hockey, Basketball, as well as various events like the circus and other stuff like that.

However that said, there are some weird things too like the Fast Ferry, which was just sold out of the country. If you want a good look, google our newspaper, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. We have a high crime/murder rate in the 'crescent' area of town, but its mostly our young kids killing each other. THere is gang activity but I don't know how much and its not on a big-scale. The paper today said there is only one meth lab. If you are looking to move here permanently and are thinking of having kids, the city district is nice,,sort of.. but you want suburbs most likely. (I work in the city district and my kids are in suburbs)

Which suburb is a whole 'nother story lol.

How you view it depends on where you live. Around U of R is pretty nice, borderline to downtown and near the Westside. As far as suburbs go they are all pretty good, some pricier than others of course.

We get a lot of snow most years. Not sure where you are coming from but its gotta be quite a blizzard to shut things down. It can get pretty hot in the summer to, with a few days at least hitting 90. If you live closer to the lake, its easier.

We have Seabreeze amusement park down by the lake (I live thataway) and its a pretty good park with an original wooden roller coaster as well as a waterpark and other rides. Again, you can probably google it to get more info.

I know I sound like a travelogue.

Would I live here if I had the choice? Maybe. I don't like the kids killing kids. They are talking of a curfew but they've been talking about that a lot. I knew two of the kids who were killed last year so maybe I am a bit burned out.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
I"m born and bred in Rochester and I am starting as a GN @ 19.50/hr base. Its the same at all the local hospitals for new grads. I am not sure what the starting pay is for nurses with experience. UofR/Strong is a huge teaching hospital. Rochester General is probably the second largest and has a great cardiac program. Next is Highland, where I am going to work, which is smaller but also very very good and under the umbrella of Strong Health which also includes Strong Memorial (U of R). Then there is Parkridge which is much smaller and no peds but a very family-like atmosphere. Genesse hospital was closed down maybe 10 years ago and is now mostly empty but for the doctor's building which still is open. St. Mary's hospital is now rehab/dialysis/psych and does not have an ED anymore.

There is culture---Eastman theater, Dryden theater, Rochester Museum and Science Center, The Strong Museum which is mostly for kids but has a great doll exhibit, the Planetarium and more. The Auditorium theater shows tons of plays--the Lion King just finished 6 sold-out weeks ( Garth fagan is local here) Rent is coming later this year as well as 5 or 6 other plays that I can't remember. Seneca Park Zoo is pretty nice. They just built a large elephant exhibit for the two elephants. We have a few malls, but they are more in the suburbs. Park Ave/Monroe ave is rather eclectic and artsy. The Lilac Festival in Highland Park (Near U of R)every May is a big draw and the LPGA comes every year as well.

We have the Blue Cross Arena which hosts Hockey, Basketball, as well as various events like the circus and other stuff like that.

However that said, there are some weird things too like the Fast Ferry, which was just sold out of the country. If you want a good look, google our newspaper, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. We have a high crime/murder rate in the 'crescent' area of town, but its mostly our young kids killing each other. THere is gang activity but I don't know how much and its not on a big-scale. The paper today said there is only one meth lab. If you are looking to move here permanently and are thinking of having kids, the city district is nice,,sort of.. but you want suburbs most likely. (I work in the city district and my kids are in suburbs)

Which suburb is a whole 'nother story lol.

How you view it depends on where you live. Around U of R is pretty nice, borderline to downtown and near the Westside. As far as suburbs go they are all pretty good, some pricier than others of course.

We get a lot of snow most years. Not sure where you are coming from but its gotta be quite a blizzard to shut things down. It can get pretty hot in the summer to, with a few days at least hitting 90. If you live closer to the lake, its easier.

We have Seabreeze amusement park down by the lake (I live thataway) and its a pretty good park with an original wooden roller coaster as well as a waterpark and other rides. Again, you can probably google it to get more info.

I know I sound like a travelogue.

Would I live here if I had the choice? Maybe. I don't like the kids killing kids. They are talking of a curfew but they've been talking about that a lot. I knew two of the kids who were killed last year so maybe I am a bit burned out.

Just to piggy back on this excellent post, St. Mary's Campus (hospital) is part of the Unity Health System which includes Park Ridge. St Mary's campus has an excellent brain injury unit. They started a vent unit about two years ago that is growing and pretty good too. I don't know the starting pay for an RN, I worked there as an LPN so I am not a good judge, but I can attest that the Unity system is a great system to work for-no matter what department/facility you work in. I believe salary.com is about correct with the estimate, my good friend has her BSN and started at Strong Memorial at $19.75 an hour. Another thing worth mentioning is the NYS Medicaid program. You apply for a Medicaid provider number and do your own private duty cases and get paid directly by Medicaid. Unlike some other states, there aren't too many hoops to jump through to get started. I don't know about RNs, but I will be working a peds case making $23 an hour. It is a good thing for me because I am working on my dual majors (healthcare administration/associate of nursing) and will need all the studying time I can get.:lol2: I'm not expert, but I also recommend Strong. After getting my RN I hope to work at Highland so I can get my BSN through U of R for free... Welcome to the area!

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Is Cato very far from there? My fiance wants to move to the area "someday".

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