I REALLY need some direction from Mi RN's!

westieluv · Sep 17, 2011

I also find the quality of life in Phoenix appalling, to say the least. The schools are terrible. I teach 4th grade, and half my class can't read....Anyway, I miss Michigan and want to move back once I finish in about a year and a half. Did you work as a nurse in Phoenix?

No, I was in the process of getting my license to work in AZ when my dh's company let him transfer back to Michigan. We were also in the process of buying a house there, but it was a short sale and the bank was dragging their feet (thank God!) so fortunately, we never closed on the house there and were able to move back rather quickly.

Because I hadn't worked full-time here in the five years prior to our move to AZ due to staying home with our kids for a while, I had to take a refresher course and a clinical refresher course at the Mayo Clinic in north Phoenix, which was required by the AZ board of nursing for anyone applying for licensure by endorsement who hadn't accrued a certain amount of hours worked in the previous five years. I had just started the clinicals at the Mayo Clinic when we moved back. While I was at the Mayo Clinic, I had the opportunity to speak to many nurses who were either experienced nurses who couldn't find jobs and thought that taking the clinical course at the Mayo Clinic would make them more attractive to potential employers, or new grad RNs who couldn't find a job anywhere. This was in mid-2009, so the recession and housing market crash were in full swing in Phoenix and it was pretty ugly. I can remember searching the job sites for Banner Hospital System, and pretty much every other hospital system or independent hospital in the Valley and there were virtually no jobs posted. The few that were were for specialty areas like OB or ER and they wanted a lot of experience in those specific areas.

Things may have changed since I lived in Phoenix in 2009, I certainly hope that for the sake of everyone who lives there that they have. I had heard about how bad the state of public education was in Phoenix. It's sad. We lived in the Deer Valley District in North Glendale so our dd would have attended Mountain Ridge HS, which I guess is supposed to be pretty decent compared to most of the high schools in the Phoenix area, but in the end she didn't end up going there. It was way too big compared to what she was used to, which was a bit intimidating, and many of our neighbors warned us of an inordinate amount of drug use/abuse in that HS, culminating in the death of three students in the previous school year of drug/alcohol overdoses. I'm not saying that that stuff doesn't happen here, of course, but it seemed like kids in Phoenix grew up a bit faster (and not in a good way) than kids do here in Michigan.

Good luck. I know that when we moved back to Michigan it was late August and it looked so lush and green when I got off the plane at Detroit Metro that I swear I almost kissed the ground, lol. I never appreciated maple trees quite so much as I did when we came back to Michigan from Arizona. :)

ZooMommyRN, ADN, RN · Sep 27, 2011

I think it's the new grads that are having such a hard time. I started applying and sending my resume out Sept 16th, by that following Tues I had 3 phone interviews, several more calls, then 3 offers, I accepted the offer officially today with UofM Peds ER at Motts, once I am comfortable and in a set rotation I will look into a few internal agency shifts with Promedica in Toledo OH as both are equal distance from where we will live, it's been a whirlwind but in just a few months I will be back home after 7 long years in the land of no seasons lol

SpanishRyan · Apr 6, 2012

Hi MuddaMia,

I was wondering if you were still at St. Mary's. I am from Michigan but I currently live in Massachusetts where I'm finishing up a 2nd degree accelerated BSN program. I called St. Mary's yesterday and got an interview for next Wed. It's a job on 4 East. Do you know anything about this unit? Also, any idea on starting pay/differentials? Thanks so much,

Ryan

MuddaMia · Apr 12, 2012

Hi Ryan,

I do work on 4 east...good unit! Great Manager. She is tough but fair. There is a good orientation. I dont have any idea what new RNS start at. I am contingent... I know a 5 yr RN makes about 28 hr. PM me if you need to. Welcome to Mi!

SpanishRyan · Apr 13, 2012

Hi MuddaMia,

I would love to PM you, but it won't let me since I have not posted 15 times. Could you PM me? If not, I'll give you my email. I do have a few ?s for you. Thanks,

Ryan