Being an LPN in SC - Whats the Real Deal?

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What types of jobs can I get in this area? I had hoped to do hospital work for the benefits/shift options/advancement opportunities (want to go on for my RN) but it doesnt seem like there are any hospitals using LPNs anymore. I would like to avoid working in a LTC facility and I need to make more than $12 p/hr / 40hrs a week just to afford child care/loan payback/living expenses.

I can travel to Georgetown/Conway/Myrtle Beach/Florence areas. Any advice from seasoned pros?

THanks in advance! I cant wait to begin my nursing career. I just hope that it is not going to put me into debt to do something I love. (I am not in SC for the atmosphere unfortunately, just for my husband's job, so its hard for me to think about the "benefits of living in this area" when my house payment is $1100 p/mo for a $92k house due to taxes going sky high this year and I had to leave my family and beautiful surroundings in Florida to come here)

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Not quite sure where you live, but Newberry County Memorial hires LPN, I am not sure what the pay is but if it is close by check it out. Very small hospital, everybody knows everybody which is strange at first, but great place to work at, alot of students work there while in nursing school. Good luck

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

http://www.sciway.net/med/inst.html

Try this. It's the SC information page for the whole state. I must say your opinion of our state does show in your post. We do have a beautiful state, and we quite enjoy it here. Have you much experience as an LPN? Have you an SC license or a compact license?

Where does your husband work?

Good luck in your search.

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I'm sorry that my "opinion of the state" is showing.... I mean no disrespect. I am living in a small town that is very segregated and has very heavy religious overtones, both of which are hard for me to understand, coming from a part of Florida that is a lot more private and diverse religiously and a lot more accepting of racial and cultural differences than my experience here. I'm sure the whole state is not like this, but I have 3 children ranging from 7 mos to 13 yrs, and its hard to enjoy it here when my son is beginning to dislike people of different backgrounds than him (to my horror) because he is targeted for violence and discrimination because his skin is not the right color or his religious beliefs do not mirror their own.

Needless to say, its been a severe culture shock for me, living here. I miss my family in Florida very much, as well as the weather, the "fun stuff to do", the city we lived in, and I guess Florida is just in my blood. I only mentioned that I was not here for the scenery because I had seen comments that there was a paycut to come here but that it evened out because its a beautiful place to live. If I had come from Seattle or Upstate NY or whatnot I'm sure I would go crazy for the South Carolina living experience.

South Carolina is beautiful, don't get me wrong. The beach, although too far for me to see often, is beautiful and we go out and spend a day outdoors every weekend as a family, if we can. Last weekend we went camping up in the mountains at one of the state parks and it was so peaceful it was near euphoric. Its just culturally foreign to me still after 3 yrs and while beautiful, I guess its not such a huge bonus to me because I have always lived in "vacation spots" having grown up in Florida.

I don't have my license as I'm currently in nursing school, but I have just been concerned about job availability because I'm putting everything on the line to get my education and will be in a lot of trouble if I cannot find a job to pay back the loans I had to take to get this far.

My husband has a job working for county government as a Computer Programmer (specifically GIS/web applications and database management) and its the reason that we moved here. I had to leave my field because this is not a technological hub (and if he lost his job for whatever reason we would have to leave again because there are very very few if any other jobs like his in this area) While I wish I was closer to my family, his job is absolutely perfect, both in content to make him happy and benefits for our family, so I am trying very hard to make this work for me and for our kids. We're moving once I finish school to be closer to a larger metro area (either Myrtle Beach or Florence depending on job availability for me) in hopes that that will alleviate some of the problems I and my kids are having and be in a better school district.

Sorry to go on so. I just didn't want it to seem like I think South Carolina is horrific or anything. I think most of my issues with SC are because of the very poor rural area that I live in. I'm living in one of the (at one point it was THE) poorest counties in the state (my husband does not work for this county).

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and thank you for that link... that site is fantastic. I had no idea anything like that existed. That definitely helps a ton.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Is there a reason you couldn't move to a more friendly county. I was raised in Columbia though-and I do know what you mean. What county does your husband work in. Perhaps his coworkers could suggest a better environment.

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My husband works for Horry County where Myrtle Beach is. We actually moved to this little town because it was so "cute" when we were househunting and the crime rate was much lower than Horry County (which I think may be a typo or something, lol). There's an area between Myrtle Beach and Conway thats supposed to be really nice and have a good school system (I never used to realize how important that was until my son had to go through some varying qualities of school!)

I really hope that I can find a good enjoyable place to work and still make it work for my kids and my husband (who is crossing his fingers that I dont make him drive even further to work, lol)

For some reason when I posted I didnt see many LPN positions, but this week there are a lot more. I guess it was just an off week or something.

Thank you all for reading and for your patience with me. :) I'm not "young" persay, but very new to this, and I have a billion and one questions and more every single day.

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Hi, I worked in Hospitalsa up north,(from Ohio) Long term care here for a while sence 1996. Then up-graded to acute-care/re-hab. LPN's any were from $19 to 23 an hour. More if you work 3-11 or 11-7. Look for sign on bonus and shift diff. Some pay more /some pay less. Try to find some-one to chat with that works there.

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My husband works for Horry County where Myrtle Beach is. We actually moved to this little town because it was so "cute" when we were househunting and the crime rate was much lower than Horry County (which I think may be a typo or something, lol). There's an area between Myrtle Beach and Conway thats supposed to be really nice and have a good school system (I never used to realize how important that was until my son had to go through some varying qualities of school!)

I really hope that I can find a good enjoyable place to work and still make it work for my kids and my husband (who is crossing his fingers that I dont make him drive even further to work, lol)

For some reason when I posted I didnt see many LPN positions, but this week there are a lot more. I guess it was just an off week or something.

Thank you all for reading and for your patience with me. :) I'm not "young" persay, but very new to this, and I have a billion and one questions and more every single day.

i moved to Horry County in december and simply love it here, i live in little river and even tho i have to work (hubby retired) i feel like i am on vacation every day, i hope you find peace here.

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Move out of Marion County should make your life easier. Actually, I would recomend you Husband try to find a job with one of the State COGs (council of governments). They usually have GIS departments and great benefits. The upstate local governments mostly have GIS departments that are pretty advanced. (Greenville city, county and many others) The Greenville im more diverse based on what you have said. Maybe a move would meet your needs. My wife is a GIS profesional has been for many years in SC. Im a brand new nurse. OK enough stream of consiousness. Good luck in school and on your job hunt.

Blueferral RN

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thank you so much for the encouragement :)

My husband's job in Horry Cty is really fantastic, enough that we're living in SC just for his job (my family is in Fla and I miss them terribly)

Good luck with your career. How interesting that we have the same GIS/Nurse dynamics :)

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Hello everyone...I was wondering if anyone could help me with info on salary for new grad LPNs in the Charleston, Columbia, Sumter, and/or Florence area. My husband and I have decided to move to SC and I was trying to find out what the job market and salary is in these areas. Any info on any type of healthcare setting would be appreciated. It doesn't matter if it's the hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hsopice, you name it I welcome all info...Thanks!

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