Published Nov 5, 2011
ChristyRN08
2 Posts
Hi! So my boyfriend is in the Air Force and his next assignment is Andrews AFB. We will be moving around April 2012. I'll be searching for a good hospital to work at. I'm currently a nurse in a fairly large hospital in the ICU. I also worked in the ER for three years prior to working in the ICU. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on 1. Where to live, and 2. Which hospitals have good hourly rates and excellent critical care floors. I'm moving from Albuquerque, NM where I work three 12 hour night shifts a week. If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate it.
klstaley
78 Posts
My husband is in the Navy and stationed in Suitland which is a little farther then Andrews AFB and we live in Annapolis. He said his drive into work isn't bad at all because traffic keeps moving on 50 the whole way to 495. We love Annapolis and wouldn't want to live anywhere else while being stationed here, but that's just our opinion. As far as which hospital to work at and hourly rates and such, I can't be of much help as I'll just be starting Nursing School in January.
zoetravers1992
10 Posts
Hi Christy!
I am not a nurse yet but can answer some of your questions about where to live and the surrounding hospitals. I currently live about 20 minutes south of Andrews & my dad was stationed there for many years before retiring. A lot of people live in Calvert county (where I live) in towns such as Dunkirk, Owings, and Huntingtown and commute up route 4 to Andrews Air Force Base. I have five or six people off the top of my head that I know who commute there. Calvert is very safe, unlike the areas that are adjacent to the base. We have a great hospital which is Calvert Memorial Hospital, located in Prince Frederick. The website is: http://www.calverthospital.com/default.cfm. They have many nursing openings listed.
If you want to live closer to base, there is Southern Maryland Hospital. This is their website: http://www.southernmarylandhospital.com/web/page/344/sectionid/344/pagelevel/1/parentid/344/interior.asp.
You could live in Charles County, which is still relatively safe, in a town like Brandywine.
If you do not mind riding the metro, you could always go into D.C. and work at one of their hospitals, such as the national Children's Hospital, Washington Hospital Center or George Washington Medical Center. But I do not recommend living in D.C. because prices are outrageous.
Good luck!
~Zoe
MBRN74
49 Posts
Hello christy,
If you are used to a large hospital and good ICU departments please look at George Washington University Hospital. It's a great place and you can take the metro straight to the front doors. Washington hospital center is also great and is a level one trauma center with more ICU than GW. GWU is a bit more smaller but is also level one but just has been redone so a bit newer. I have the names of people you can talk to at either hospital for potential positions if you privately IM me. I also knowof a well seasoned nurse who left WHC and went to Southern MD hospital center for a higher position. She really likes it. There is also Georgetown University Hosptial, Howard U Hospital, Sibley Memorial, Providence.....all of these are in DC and I think you will find them rewarding no matter which one you pick. If you decide to work on the VA side which isn't that far from Andrews, then you have Inova Alexandria and Mt. Vernon which are all close to the woodrow wilson bridge and easy connect back into Maryland. Less traffic issues i think. The ER's in GWU and WHC are very busy places for sure if you do ER. GWU pays a little more than WHC but you pay more for the parking at GWU, it's like 200 a month and they give you an 80 stipend for it from the last i heard but hey you can catch the metro there too. The parking fee at WHC is like 25 a month but they also have union dues of about 45 a month. Either of them you would find to be great places to work as they are teaching institutions and would welcome your experience. I have the contacts for both departments of interest. HOpe this helps you.