Former Minnesotan now in Tucson, AZ!

U.S.A. Minnesota

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Well, I was just looking at the MN forum and still basically quiet. I had posted some time ago about troubles finding a job in northern MN and had finally made the move south. We've (family) been in Tucson since June 6. I got hired at Tucson Medical Center. Very busy hospital. I was thinking today about the comparisons between Duluth/Cloquet, MN hospitals and here. All the hospitals here are full all the time. You wouldn't dream of getting sent home due to low census! I got to pick my shift (days of course) and everything is 12 hrs. No rotating shifts unless you want to. The orientation programs are very good. They generally orient you for 6-8 wks and you do not go on your own until you are finished with orientation. You can move along sooner if you wish. I am working on a cardiac/medical/tele floor and have never been so busy in my life! We get absolutely everything. In January, I'm going into the cardiac ICU with a 6 week orientation. All charting here is computerized and you take your computers (called stingers) in the rooms with you for assessments and meds. No union here but because they ALWAYS need nurses - pretty hard to get fired. Wages aren't as great starting out. I started at 20.50/hr. 17% shift diff and 2.00 increase on weekends (not sure about that though). However, you can work as much as you want here. They have E-Schedule where you online and pick the days you want to work. Schedules are made about a month in advance. Also they post what's called "Bidshifts." When they need more nurses for a shift, they will post incentives like....time and a half + $10.00/hr. Anyway it comes out to around $40/hr and up. And that's for someone like me just starting out. You do get annual increases as well. They also offer to pay for your ADN to BSN if you agree to work with them for a certain amount of time after you graduate. They have an online program for that. No manditory OT - they just offer a whole lot more $$ until someone agrees to come in.

LOVE the weather. We had one of the hottest summers on record here - 39 days of consecutive 100+ degree weather. Sounds miserable right? Wrong. There's virtually no humidity. We live in an apartment, 1350 sq ft and pay $1000/month, 3 BD, 2 BA. It has a nice pool (live somewhere with a swimming pool because you will be in it ALL the time) and a nice fitness center. We're in the foothills (PRIME real estate here!) right by the mountains and I am 20 minutes from work. It's much greener than I expected. Alot of green trees but yes, cactus and desert too. We do have tarantulas (can't spell it - those big hairy spiders) here but they're not venomous and they eat the scorpions! Seen a couple of those already. Haven't seen any snakes or scorpions yet.

The downside - it is expensive! Real estate is as pricey as the cities now. But it virtually happened overnight. Californians are buying everything here and driving the prices way up. Nothing against them, but its true. We plan on renting for a couple of years and then I don't know what. Day care is high too. For 2-3 days a week, full time we pay average $100. Maybe this doesn't sound high to other people, but when you're used to having grandma watch baby at no cost, then you have an eye opener. Plus we came from a city of 13,000 people, so obviously the cost of living was much lower. The real estate market is inflated here for the time being - we truly are in one of those "bubble" cities.

In conclusion, am I happy we came? Yes. I signed a 2-year contract with this hospital. They paid all moving expenses plus out of pocket moving expenses (driving down, hotels, meals), they arranged the moving company and it was a direct pay, also got about $6000 in bonuses. The downside of all of this is not knowing a soul. No family, no friends, nothing. However, most people that live here are "transplants" also. Alot of people from the norhtern states live here. Traffic does SUCK. In the first few months you are here - you will either: a) nearly get hit by someone else or b) get into an accident. Car theft is bad too. Get a decent alarm system on your car or it won't be in the parking lot when you leave. Sad, but true.

Well, sorry so long but now you all have a few details if anyone wants to make a move like we did. We are considering coming back to MN after the 2 yr contract is up. I just can't imagine getting used to that weather again - that would be a problem. Take care all!

Theresa

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Hi! I used to live in Tucson (originally MN then AZ now back in Northern MN). We used to live in the Catalina Foothills, very nice area, you are correct though, lots of Californians, very high prices. Foothills is also pretty much the best public school district in town (in my opinion, I also used to go there). I liked Tucson ok, too hot for me and not to mention scorpions! :eek: Good luck at TMC it's a good hospital!

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Specializes in Mental Health, MI/CD, Neurology.

Sounds like your hospital is a bit more employee friendly than most (is not all) of ours around here. I'm glad it was a good move for you. Thanks for posting---- it's interesting to hear how things are done in another area of the country.

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When your contract is up, GET OUT AND GET BACK TO MINNESOTA!

I worked in Las Vegas for almost 2 years, It was a nightmare. I worked the same units and then some that you have. Minnesota is much better!Minnesota is slow paced. Put your apps in soon and follow up. You won't get hired on the spot here. Duluth is beautiful and Miller Dwan is a very nice hospital to work at. I think Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis is the best though. If you want to burn out early, stay where you are. If you want to have a long nursing career, COME BACK HOME. Shelly

Well, I was just looking at the MN forum and still basically quiet. I had posted some time ago about troubles finding a job in northern MN and had finally made the move south. We've (family) been in Tucson since June 6. I got hired at Tucson Medical Center. Very busy hospital. I was thinking today about the comparisons between Duluth/Cloquet, MN hospitals and here. All the hospitals here are full all the time. You wouldn't dream of getting sent home due to low census! I got to pick my shift (days of course) and everything is 12 hrs. No rotating shifts unless you want to. The orientation programs are very good. They generally orient you for 6-8 wks and you do not go on your own until you are finished with orientation. You can move along sooner if you wish. I am working on a cardiac/medical/tele floor and have never been so busy in my life! We get absolutely everything. In January, I'm going into the cardiac ICU with a 6 week orientation. All charting here is computerized and you take your computers (called stingers) in the rooms with you for assessments and meds. No union here but because they ALWAYS need nurses - pretty hard to get fired. Wages aren't as great starting out. I started at 20.50/hr. 17% shift diff and 2.00 increase on weekends (not sure about that though). However, you can work as much as you want here. They have E-Schedule where you online and pick the days you want to work. Schedules are made about a month in advance. Also they post what's called "Bidshifts." When they need more nurses for a shift, they will post incentives like....time and a half + $10.00/hr. Anyway it comes out to around $40/hr and up. And that's for someone like me just starting out. You do get annual increases as well. They also offer to pay for your ADN to BSN if you agree to work with them for a certain amount of time after you graduate. They have an online program for that. No manditory OT - they just offer a whole lot more $$ until someone agrees to come in.

LOVE the weather. We had one of the hottest summers on record here - 39 days of consecutive 100+ degree weather. Sounds miserable right? Wrong. There's virtually no humidity. We live in an apartment, 1350 sq ft and pay $1000/month, 3 BD, 2 BA. It has a nice pool (live somewhere with a swimming pool because you will be in it ALL the time) and a nice fitness center. We're in the foothills (PRIME real estate here!) right by the mountains and I am 20 minutes from work. It's much greener than I expected. Alot of green trees but yes, cactus and desert too. We do have tarantulas (can't spell it - those big hairy spiders) here but they're not venomous and they eat the scorpions! Seen a couple of those already. Haven't seen any snakes or scorpions yet.

The downside - it is expensive! Real estate is as pricey as the cities now. But it virtually happened overnight. Californians are buying everything here and driving the prices way up. Nothing against them, but its true. We plan on renting for a couple of years and then I don't know what. Day care is high too. For 2-3 days a week, full time we pay average $100. Maybe this doesn't sound high to other people, but when you're used to having grandma watch baby at no cost, then you have an eye opener. Plus we came from a city of 13,000 people, so obviously the cost of living was much lower. The real estate market is inflated here for the time being - we truly are in one of those "bubble" cities.

In conclusion, am I happy we came? Yes. I signed a 2-year contract with this hospital. They paid all moving expenses plus out of pocket moving expenses (driving down, hotels, meals), they arranged the moving company and it was a direct pay, also got about $6000 in bonuses. The downside of all of this is not knowing a soul. No family, no friends, nothing. However, most people that live here are "transplants" also. Alot of people from the norhtern states live here. Traffic does SUCK. In the first few months you are here - you will either: a) nearly get hit by someone else or b) get into an accident. Car theft is bad too. Get a decent alarm system on your car or it won't be in the parking lot when you leave. Sad, but true.

Well, sorry so long but now you all have a few details if anyone wants to make a move like we did. We are considering coming back to MN after the 2 yr contract is up. I just can't imagine getting used to that weather again - that would be a problem. Take care all!

Theresa

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I hope TMC works out for you. I know several nurses who returned their sign-on bonuses from TMC so that they could quit. TMC is known for treating nurses badly.

Hopefully, they are learning.

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