New Grad moving to East TN....completely LOST!

[kelsey87]

oops....originally posted this in the wrong section...sorry!

Hello, I will be graduating with my BSN this coming december (2011). I currently work at Vanderbilt in Nashville in on of the ICU's as a nurse extern but am planning a move to east TN when I graduate. I am moving to be closer to my boyfriend in Rogersville TN, so anything within 1 hours drive of that area would be considered. I have no idea on any of the hospitals out there....starting pay, education opportunities, working environment, etc...and I'm afraid I might have been a bit spoiled at Vandy with all the technology etc in our brand new unit :/ ANY advice at all on good areas to live, good hospitals to work at, starting wage expectations, etc would be sooooooo appreciated. I'd really like to eventually work in peds ICU, but to start out I'd be more than happy to work in any ICU, or in an ED.

[tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN]

I would suggest Wellmont Health Systems. There are several hospitals in their system, but Wellmont Holston Valley Hospital, in Kingsport, TN, which is about 30-40 minutes from Rogersville, is larger than the one located closer to Rogersville. It has over 500 beds, a Level I trauma center, and has been named among the top 50 CV hospitals in the country by Reuters for 2011.

There are several hospitals in Knoxville, but that is more than an hour away.

[kjprice]

There are lots of opportunities in Morristown, about 35-40 minutes away. Greeneville is about 45 minutes away as well. Plus there are lots of smaller towns nearby. Kingsport will be your largest city just as the previous poster said. Good luck!