Best NC town/hospital in your opinion and why?

djv · Feb 11, 2006

Hello, I want to know the pros and cons of your NC city. Any North Carolina city, big or small that you have lived in or reside in now. Also where you have worked in a hospital or other healthcare facility...doing what? What were the pros of the facility?
I have friends that live in Rocky Mount, NC currently and they would like my fiance and I to think about moving down there. I would like to keep my options open. I would like to base my relocation more on place of employment and the city's aspects.
Thanks for all of your help...:cheers:
Sims,SN

The towns: High Point, Winston Salem, Greensboro, all big city towns. Out of these three towns the best hospital is High Point. Have a number of small towns close by like Lexington, hospital is a band-aid fix, and you have to pick a number to be seen, (just a joke). Over all not a bad area to live and play, three hours from the beach and mountains. Have VA medical hospital close by as well. If I can be of any further help come a knocking.

djv

MelRNNC · Feb 12, 2006

Rocky Mount is quite boring... my husband's family lives there and wanted us to move there... NO WAY! Although it would be easy for you to find work there, the job market is quite challenging for those in other careers. We live in the triad. There are some really good hospitals here - Baptist, Forsyth, and Moses Cone are excellent. I have to disagree with djv about High Point's hospital- I did some clinicals there when I was in nursing school and was NOT impressed at all. As far as the area goes, there is lots to do, and the three major cities are not that far from each other, plus there are little towns in the outskirts that are good to settle in. I've also heard good things about the triangle area hospitals, especially WakeMed and Duke (obviously).

Hope this helps.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Feb 14, 2006

Greenville, Edenton, Washington - all great towns, beautiful scenery, low cost of living, plenty of nursing jobs available.

djv · Feb 15, 2006

Rocky Mount is quite boring... my husband's family lives there and wanted us to move there... NO WAY! Although it would be easy for you to find work there, the job market is quite challenging for those in other careers. We live in the triad. There are some really good hospitals here - Baptist, Forsyth, and Moses Cone are excellent. I have to disagree with djv about High Point's hospital- I did some clinicals there when I was in nursing school and was NOT impressed at all. As far as the area goes, there is lots to do, and the three major cities are not that far from each other, plus there are little towns in the outskirts that are good to settle in. I've also heard good things about the triangle area hospitals, especially WakeMed and Duke (obviously).
Hope this helps.

Hate you have to disagree with me about High Point, the reason I say that its the best is because they save my life, other then that as far as I know the rest of the hospital is ok. But you are also right with the other ones that you advised, I can recall Cone being the #1 in the state back in the 60's.

So I lost this one LOL have a good day.

RNratched · Feb 17, 2006

Yeah, I kind of thought that Rocky Mount didn't have as much to offer as I would like, which is why I was seeking more opinions. It did seem to be about the same size as the city I live in now, but I was only there for a couple of weeks.

I don't mind a small town as long as there is culture, art, activities, sports, and nature, but I do not want to live in a really big city on the other hand. I sure don't ask for a lot, do I? I will definitely look into the cities that everyone has suggested and hospitals as well.

Thanks, SimsSN

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2006

Yeah, I kind of thought that Rocky Mount didn't have as much to offer as I would like, which is why I was seeking more opinions. It did seem to be about the same size as the city I live in now, but I was only there for a couple of weeks.
I don't mind a small town as long as there is culture, art, activities, sports, and nature, but I do not want to live in a really big city on the other hand. I sure don't ask for a lot, do I? I will definitely look into the cities that everyone has suggested and hospitals as well.
Thanks, SimsSN

Purely opinion here - having lived in and out of NC for the last twenty-eight years (more in than out!), I don't really think we have a big city. Yes, yes, I know Charlotte is big, and I know Raleigh is big, and I know Winston is big...but we don't have a Chicago or a Dallas or a San Francisco.

To me, that's one of the big appeals of this state. We have incredible things that happen here (Research Triangle Park, with IBM, GlaxoSmithKline, and countless clinical research organizations; Duke University Medical Center, known worldwide for its medical research; UNC-CH and NC State, two highly-regarded public universities, known for medicine and agriculture/biotechnological research respectively) and yet I think the state is remarkably unimpressed with itself. In fact, I think a lot of us are a bit shocked sometimes!

It's always amazed me that a state that is constantly sneered at for being 48th in SATs is home to the region with the highest average IQ (RTP, right here in good old Durham....) :clown:

We have an incredibly reasonable cost of living, access to some of the brightest minds in the world, and are the home to some of the best-known universities in the country. I'm quite happy here!

missnurse01, MSN, RN · Mar 13, 2006

Thanks everyone for posting! I am another that is looking at coming your way in 3 or 4 years. Looking at Duke's lifeflight program, hoping to live not in the city...but not to far of a drive either! Been looking at a lot of online demographic comparison's to try to help decide! Keep posting everyone!

FrustratedLPN · Mar 27, 2006

DJV, couldn't help but laugh at your reply to this thread.. My fiance is from Lexington, although he's currently living with me in Tennessee. I've been an LPN for 16 years plus, and it seems that LPN positions close to Lexington, N.C. are few and far between. I'd love to move to that area, but am concerned about positions available.

Could you tell me about your state tax? What percentage on the dollar? We don't have a state income tax in Tennessee. Seems S.E. Tennessee is becoming deluged with LPN's and RN's. Most hospitals only want RNs now, and LTC have them standing in line to work.

Thanks...

Nurseboy1 · Mar 29, 2006

I was born in Rocky Mount, and let me tell ya, I moved away 14 years ago and it isn't the same town that I remember.

I currently reside in the Durham area, and I love working at Duke. To me it is a great facility and I have the opportunity to see interesting cases that I won't see anywhere else and work with top-notch doctors and nurses.

Just my:twocents: .

ayneday · Apr 19, 2006

Well, if you are looking for generally good people and pleasant surroundings I think the Triangle area is the best. I must warn you that Wake County the county of NC state, Research Triangle Park and IBM is growing extremely fast and schools cannot be built fast enough to keep up. If you have children I suggest either private schools or Living in areas like Apex, Zebulon or Knightdale where growth is not as fast. Cary is a wonderful place to live, but relatively expensive in comparison to other triangle areas. Cary is also pet friendly , good for outdoor sports and lots of summer camps and activities for children. There are two University Hospitals, Duke and UNC Chapel Hill, and some secondary reputable hospitals, Wake Med, Wake med Cary, Raleigh Community. There are tons of jobs but the pay sort of suits the area. Avoid the hicks and stagnant folks and the place is quite nice.