How is living in Long Beach??

[babynurse06]

I have been looking all over CA for places to start working, I am a new grad and have my heart set on NICU nursing. I am actually traveling to Long Beach in about a week to visit Millers Children's Hospital. Does anyone have any input on how it is to live in long beach?? expensive? stuff to do? weather, how are the beaches there?? How hard would it be to commute from a more southern beach, like maybe Huntington?? Perhaps as you can see my main two goals, NICU and a nice beach!

[furgas]

congrats on the job!! I have lived in Huntington almost 20 years, and it is among the safest in that area. look into Sunset Beach, it's at the north end of Huntington, before Seal Beach. you can get a studio apt for around 900. a mo. and the best part is that its on PCH (US 1) and the beach is right there, 30 sec to 1 min walk from your door. Huntington is cool too, but do yourself a favor and look into Sunset. good luck!

[babynurse06]

Thanks Fergus I appreciate all of your help!

[rpv_rn]

Could also try Westminster area. Congratulations on your new job. Your contract sounds typical. Training by hospital with a 1 - 2 yr commitment to work at facility. The hospital wants some return from their investment. I can't blame them. Good luck.

[fergus51]

3 years is a long time to be commited to a hospital. What happens if you want to leave early? They have a lot of turnover there.

As far as apartments, anything in Belmont heights or Belmont Shore is nice. You can usually just drive around and see little red for rent signs. One bedrooms start around 900 a month. I wouldn't want to live right around the hospital if I were you (not the nicest area).

[babynurse06]

OOH ok, to make things more complicated, I have now also been offered a job at UCI Medical Center at Irvine...def. seems like a safer area the staff at the hosptial, werent' "as nice" and i would be making a little bit less money...but they still sound ok too...no contract, which i like. If any of you have an opinion on the comparrison of Millers Childrens in Long Beach and UCI Medical Center in Irvine I would appreciate it.....it will be so nice to finally just know where i'm going! Thanks guys!

[babynurse06]

again this is for the NICU

[fergus51]

I would take UCI without the contract. If you don't like it there, you could always take a job at Millers after. By then you would have experience and so you wouldn't require the orientation or the long commitment. I know a nurse working at MCH on a 2 year commitment and she regrets doing it. 2 years is a long time.

[pedPICCnurse]

Long Beach is great fun, but seriously go for UCI!!!! I was a traveler at MCH and the NICU was ok but the rest of the hospital was SCARY!!!! I worried about my license daily. Go to UCI!!!!