Des Monies vs Iowa City

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Specializes in MSN, FNP-BC.

I could really use some advice. My husband and I are seriously looking to move to Iowa to be closer to family next year. Des Moines is right in between both of our families, literally a 3 hour drive to see either. Iowa City has the regional referal center which is like the hospital I work in now that I LOVE.

I'm looking for opinions on the different hospitals. I'm looking at Mercy in Des Moines and the University hospital in Iowa City.

A little background on me: I currently live in NM where I work for the University Hospital in the NICU and I LOVE it. We do everything (ECMO, Whole body cooling, etc) except major heart surgeries because we don't have a heart surgeon so we have to send those out.

I'm leaning more toward Iowa City for the hospital but I don't want to rule out Des Moines. It's hard because DSM is very similar in size to where I live now (Albuquerque) and I think I would love it there but I'm not so sure about working there. Iowa City has the hospital I'd like to work at but I think I'd go stir crazy in a town that small (we lived in Chicago before we moved to Albuquerque).

So I would greatly appreciate your views on either of the hospitals, especially if you know anything about the NICU's.

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I can only give you my thoughts on Des Moines. I'd look at Blank Children's Hospital for higher level NICU. Please be aware pay for MN to IA is vastly different. We are worst in the nation for nursing pay. Also Iowa city is a college town, Des Moines is the capital, we awesome suburbs! Just my two cents.

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Specializes in PICU.

Can you visit both towns? For its size, IC offers a lot because it is a college town. Of course being the Capitol, DM is much larger. I'd see how they both feel to you.

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I would avoid Mercy Iowa City at all costs.

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I would avoid Mercy Iowa City at all costs.

This kind of stuff goes on there ALOT.

http://thegazette.com/2013/04/02/former-mercy-iowa-city-nurse-va-official-gets-probation-for-stealing-patient-meds/

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Specializes in MSN, FNP-BC.

Onin2,

This happens everywhere. It's just not always publicized.

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I live in Cedar Rapids so my beef with IC is having to pay for much for parking all the time and Des Moines is foreign to me because it's so large. I can't speak for NICU's either, other than one of my instructors is a nurse there and loved it. I also have heard from others how hard it is to get hired on at UIHC even after those same people had worked there awhile as nurse assistants, so I don't know.

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Specializes in Mother Baby RN.

I live in Chicago now and went to college in Iowa City for awhile and been to DM countless times. I love Iowa City personally; the hospital, the town, all of it! I just got hired on at UIHC and it IS awfully hard to get hired on. I am not a fan of DM, but that's just my preference. Check out both cities. Also, IC is much different during summer and fall!!! If you aren't a football fan, working at UIHC between Sept-Dec will be a major pain!

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Aw, I wouldn't agree with that. I really enjoyed working there, and I worked in a lot of different areas.

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Does anyone know the rate of pay in Iowa City for a new grad RN?

Thanks!!!

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