Moving to Michigan....

U.S.A. Michigan

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I am getting married and moving to Michigan by the end of the year. I would like information on hospitals in the Detroit/Southfield area. My specialty is NICU. I've never lived anywhere except TX so I need information on how to get my Michigan license. Also what's the weather really like in Michigan??

I don't know much about Texas, nor your reasons for choosing to leave (let alone leave there to come here), but they are your reasons regardless and you are entitled to choice. I am not attempting to discourage you, just giving you my input.

I was born and raised in Detroit and the closest I've come to living elsewhere is 5 months in Ann Arbor (about 45 min away). Detroit is all that I know, and I know that I want to leave. The quality of life here is poor. The price of housing is low, but when you add to that that over 12,000 houses are abandoned, the city services are poor, the school system is in total disarray...honestly, the low price may still be too high.

Choices in education are limited because they have closed so many schools so far. In addition, at least 20 more schools are supposed to close by fall of this year and 30 more are supposed to be "restructured". You can't get a cop to come to your house in a reasonable amount of time for an emergency....and if someone steals or breaks into your car...you have to go to them to file a police report because they will not come to you. They make no effort to find a person/people who break into your home. Heck, I couldn't even get them to fill out the report, even though they were called to the scene, came and took information and looked around (and I had the nerve to be excited because they came in 45 minutes...that was quick for them). I had to make a second report 4 days later for the same incident because the first report was never done by them.

Yes, the roads are horrible. The streets are closed down for up to 2 years for reconstruction, but 3 years later have potholes galore. Steetlights may or may not work, insurance rates are at least 3 times in the city limits what they are outside. Jobs are scarce and it is gloomy outside from late October until May. At least 8 months of the year is cloudy, so even if it's not raining or snowing it doesn't mean it's sunny.

My brother left here over a year ago and moved to Texas and he loves it. He said it does get cold in the winter, but nothing like here. He wouldn't come back. I, myself, am planning on moving as well...not to Texas, but certainly out of Michigan. I am fortunate to have a job right now, but as an assistant. I graduate in May and want to work here for a year to get experience to make me a little more marketable when I leave.

Speaking of job....as a nurse here, I personally see nurse patient ratios of 1:5-1:8 at my job, but I've heard nurses talk about ratios commonly at a particular hospital of 1:10, not safe, but nurses feel trapped because they have no other options at the moment.

I just want to make sure whatever your decision, you come with your eyes wide open. Be prepared for any and everything. Blight in this city is outrageous and the mayor currently wants to demo 10,000 abandoned homes, but I don't know if that includes abandoned businesses...and who knows when or if that would even occur.

I have never feared living in my city, but I am so discouraged with the deterioration I can't take it anymore. It is hard trying to raise two boys to be good men when we have little if any options for help. Not many rec centers to keep them busy...ones that are up are not maintained. Failing schools, abandoned properties (which allow squatters and dealers to take it over), unsafe neighborhoods, lack of police presence, lack of city services, and much more have influenced my decision to leave. I used to love my city...but I love my family much more and it's time for us to have better.

Whatever you choose, be safe, be happy and be prepared.

Best wishes!

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
I am moving to Michigan next week with my 2 kids. I am driving from Texas. Is it hard to find an LVN job in Michigan. I have enough money to last for 1 month. Is it possible to find a job in a month? I started looking at Michigan job bank and other websites i can find but theres not that many openings. I am thinking maybe some openings are listed in the local newspaper. I am a little bit scared moving because I dont know anybody except for my former classmate who moved there last November. She is just renting a room. I am a filipino and hoping to find a filipino Nurse who can help me and my kids.

If anyone can give me a lead to any Nursing Home LVN opening-- i would highly appreciate it.

If anyone has a spare bedroom where i can rent for a month until i find a job, that would be very helpful.

I appreciate anyone who could help us.

Thank you.

I used to live in the Detroit area and I am also Filipino. Just as a word of advice: carefully rethink your plans. I am not going to stop you from moving as you must have your own reasons in choosing to live in Michigan. Have you already endorsed your LPN license to Michigan? if you haven't, that might be a big problem. My experience with the BON in Michigan is that it takes them a long time to process endorsement applications. BON folks themselves will tell you on the phone that they are terribly backed up with a large pile of applications. The other problem I foresee is how you'll be able to proceed with your job search. Nursing homes typically do not have websites where you can look up job openings like hospitals do. Sometimes, LPN openings in nursing homes are advertised in the newspapers such as the Detroit News or Free Press. Both these newspapers have websites with links to job opportunities. I would say the easiest way for you is to probably look up a list of nursing homes via internet search and then call each one to ask if they're hiring. I'm afraid money to last just one month might not cut it though. Michigan is badly hit by the bad economy so it might take you longer than one month to find a job.

By the way, which part of Michigan are you moving to? As someone who once called Michigan home, I will say that apart from the horrible winter, Michigan is a beautiful state with lots to offer. As a midwestern state, the people in Michigan are hard-working folks who care about keeping their neighborhoods safe while raising their children. However, there are areas where you just wouldn't want to live in just like everywhere else in the US. Detroit had its heyday and now the city is definitely facing huge problems. Detroit gets dogged all the time, and maybe for good reason, but I worked at a Detroit hospital when I lived in Michigan and that was the best place I've ever worked in hands down. The Detroit suburbs are definitely a good option as far as living and raising kids. The western and some nothern parts of the state are also good options. Again, as many have already mentioned, be prepared for the rough winters.

Thank you so much for your input and sharing your thoughts and views..... I am excited to tell you what happened with my move....

I am licensed in Michigan so I don't have any problems in endorsement. So on Feb. 21, I packed our clothes, me and my 2 kids drove up to Michigan for 3 days (of course i rested 2 nights in Arkansas and Loiusiana).....There was a big snow storm when we arrived in Lansing, Michigan. Roads bad but I am an experienced driver. We stayed in a hotel in Lansing, Michigan for 1 week while looking for a job. I started to run out of money so I drove to Chicago where i stayed with a friend for a week while applying online while looking for a place to stay in Michigan.... I found a Filipino couple who are both nurses who offered their house while im looking for a job.... So, I drove to Lake Orion, Michigan....I'm very fortunate to have met them, we belong to the same ethnic group in Phils.... I rented their spare bedroom while looking for a job.... I applied everyday, every nursing home, asked for a referral, did an online application and personal application to every nursing home and home health i can find within 50 miles..... after 3 weeks, i started to hear from them.... 5 nursing home offered me a job.... but i accepted only 2.... i work now as a full time LPN in a Rehab and Nursing Center and as a contingent in another one.... i am still living with the Filipino couple and we get along very well and i dont have any plans of renting or buying my own place....

My personal opinion with regards to Texas and Michigan... I know how cold the weather of Michigan could get, I live in Alaska for 2 years so snow does not bother me. (It may bother me maybe when I hit 50, luckily i'm still in my 30's)... I have lived in Texas for 3 years (in Houston and in Montgomery city). In Texas house is cheap but utilities are expensive. Crime rate is high. In Texas everything is spread out, so gas cost is higher and there are toll fees in Beltway 8, Sam Houston, etc and major highways (that is your only option if you want to get anywhere faster) although I would say roads are better, wider and well maintained. In Texas pay rate is cheap, LVN receives $15-$19/hr. Clothing cost is cheap and groceries are cheap.... In Michigan pay rate starts at $25/hr as an LPN. House cost cheap and utilities are cheap. No toll fees and everything is near so gas cost is lower. My only observation, roads have lots of pot holes..... Basing on my experience living in Lake Orion, Michigan-- school district is great, groceries are cheap, cost of living is cheap, crime rate is low, tax 6% compared to Texas that is tax 8.25%, a lot of community activities and school activities...So, i do not have any plans on moving back to Texas anytime soon....

Job is not hard to find if you really look hard enough and present yourself well... or maybe i just got lucky.. but comparing Texas to Michigan, I like Michigan better than Texas......

I love Michigan!!! I always think that one has to find where opportunity is, sometimes you have to take big risk.... one's experience may not be the same as anyone else... Texas is just not for me....

I'm glad you found your bliss! As I said, I just wanted to give you another perspective. I've never been to Lake Orion...Detroit is all I know. I hear negative things about where I plan on living too, but when I'm ready to leave nothing anyone says will stop me. I still want to hear the negatives though because I don't want to leave here with rose colored glasses and be in total shock.

You must always believe in yourself and trust yourself to make decisions that are right for you. If everyone were in love with the same place we would have so seriously overpopulated areas, right?

Great work with the job hunt....now just enjoy life!

I'm glad to hear that things worked out for you and your children!

I'm so happy to finally read up to date information about michigan. i may be transferring there with my husband and would like to find out everything i can especially about Holland, MI area. RN jobs? Costs of living? Life style? etc. please respond....

I'm so happy to finally read up to date information about michigan. i may be transferring there with my husband and would like to find out everything i can especially about Holland, MI area. RN jobs? Costs of living? Life style? etc. please respond....

Holland is a great area to live in (personally, I much preferred living on the west side of the state). Holland has a smaller hospital, but you are fairly close to Grand Rapids which has several larger hospitals. I'm not sure of the job situation there.

Emily

emily...thank you so much for responding! love hearing anything i can about michigan.

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

The big hospital in Southfield is Providence and it's really an excellent facility.

As has been mentioned, another fine, large hospital very close by is Beaumont in Royal Oak.

Both my kids were born at Beaumont.

As for the weather? Well. I have been to Dallas and I can tell you that it's not as hot in the summer and much, much, MUCH colder in the winter, though, as compared with, say, Minnesota, Michigan winters are more drab than REALLY cold.

The job situation is not great but is showing some signs of improving.

Another thing: people here are no where near as friendly as people in Texas. I am sure you will think us quite rude. We keep our heads down, are not prone usually to extend ourselves to others, but we take community very seriously and work very very hard. After a while though, you will begin to feel accepted once you realize that what you once mistook for rudeness was just black humor or snarkiness...

Welcome!

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

On "Last Comic Standing" the other night a comic made the joke that the economy is so bad in Detroit that houses were selling for five dollars. I winced, but I understood where he was coming from.

Detroit is also one of the most racially and economically segregated cities in the country which is another thing to consider. I really wish that the city and the suburbs got along better, it's not as though we don't need each other desperately right now, though we both are still busy pretending we don't.

Crime is not really as bad as you may have heard, but it's bad.

I lived in Seattle for seven years as a much younger man and that was very different, but in a way, it made me miss my home and as much as I think about leaving, I also know that if I did (and we may) I would miss the area and I would feel really crappy if I left and it managed, somehow, to improve radically.

I really liked everything 313RN said but especially this because I think it captures us perfectly:

We're a good bunch of people in general, but less overtly pleasant than in the south, tougher than those one the west coast, and not as hard (or brittle) as the east coast.

love the info...please keep it coming!

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

Michigan is a beautiful state, we have more fresh water shoreline than any other place in the world, we have waterfalls, and mountains (of a sort), we have wild places that are breathtaking in splendor.

Michigan is home to one of the greatest medical meccas in the world (University of Michigan), a number of highly acclaimed institutions for higher learning, and the the birthplace of the modern assembly line in manufacturing. The network marketing giant, Amway, was started here.

We are the birthplace of presidents and film producers and pop stars. Michigan is the only state with 2 pennisulas and the home of an "island out of time" (Mackinac).

We have a thriving agricultural base with some of the best fruit in the world grown right here...ever hear of the red haven peach? That variety was developed on the shores of Lake Michigan. We are becoming pretty good at making wine and produce more than a million gallons per year. We make cereal (Kelloggs) and yogurt (yoplait) and baby food (Gerber).

We can downhill ski in the winter, and swim in the water in the summer. We have autumn color shows that rival the much heralded eastern state's. Our sunrises and sunsets over the Great Lakes are every bit as beautiful as those in Hawaii, Key West, or any point in between.

Michiganders are a hard working family oriented kind of folk. We take our politics and faith seriously, just ask the local militia.

We love our sports teams and have more hockey moms than Alaska, thanks to the Red Wings.

Come on up and visit us for a spell!

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