I am an Army wife and a nurse. My DH and I are trying to make the best decision regarding our next duty station with one of the choices being Ft Lewis, WA. I have a few questions and would like any input I can get.
1) I have an ADN and by the time I move will have about 1 year of nursing under my belt. Do hospitals in WA hire ADNs? If so, what is the avg starting rate?
2) What are the schools like? Not only school for me to continue to the BSN level, but schools for the kids? My oldest son will be going into 7th grade and my youngest will be going into 2nd grade.
Ditto er nurse23. Best housing value and schools are south and east of tacoma. (except lakewood as mentioned.)
We moved to Tumwater last month... and love the Tumwater/Olympia area. Susan starts orientation Monday for the Stepdown Unit at Providence St Peters Hospital. I started/completed In-Processing at Ft Lewis this past week. I will start the Phase II Critical Care course at Madigan Army Medical Center on the 23rd.
sara610 - Have ya'll found out if getting PCS'd to Ft Lewis, yet?
I live to the south of Ft Lewis. Rainier and Yelm are smaller towns that have excellent schools. Staying away from Tacoma area is advisable I think. Rainier and Yelm have close access to Olympia ... Madigan might be a bit of a commute though. There are a LOT of militarty in the Yelm/Rainier area .. still rural, but developing. I love it here :) Good luck to you!
I live in Tumwater just off I-5 exit 104. For me, it is about a 20 minute commute to Ft Lewis [exit 120 off I-5] & Madigan is exit 122. It is a beautiful drive with only a couple of traffic lights. My wife will be working at St Peters, which is less than a 10 minute commute for her. Again, we are really pleased with the Tumwater/Olympia area with most all commercial conveniences within a 5 minute drive from our home.
As it turns out, DH is going to WOCS and then to Korea...if we can't get command sponsorship, I'll just go back to the San Antonio area to be close to the family.
A.W.
I'm confused
Your post reads as if your the OP of this Thread, yet sara610 started this Thread?
Corvette Guy
1,505 Posts
We moved to Tumwater last month... and love the Tumwater/Olympia area. Susan starts orientation Monday for the Stepdown Unit at Providence St Peters Hospital. I started/completed In-Processing at Ft Lewis this past week. I will start the Phase II Critical Care course at Madigan Army Medical Center on the 23rd.
sara610 - Have ya'll found out if getting PCS'd to Ft Lewis, yet?