Thinking of Moving

Ex-Dilbert · Sep 24, 2003

Hi!

I'm just a nursing student right now, but I've volunteered in hospitals and know quite a few nurses in the area. Portland has a really strong medical community, and the great thing is, there are a lot of hospitals in a fairly close area, so there's a lot to choose from.

Everyone that I've met who works at Emmanuel Hospital (a Legacy Health hospital) is really happy there. It's a big hospital, and it is considered inner city, so some areas can be tough to work in. I volunteered there for several months, and all of the nurses I worked with enjoyed their jobs (which says a lot about the environment!). I don't know if they have a union.

OHSU (Oregon Health and Sciences Univ.) does have a union, but they just went through a strike a couple of years ago, and I know there are some hard feelings left over. However, it's a teaching hospital, and they do lots of research, which the nurses I know really like.

There are so many hospitals in Portland and the suburbs of Portland it's hard to know which ones to tell you about.

I believe that most of the hospitals here are unionized, but don't quote me on that!

I don't know any nurses in labor/ delivery, so I'm afraid I can't be more specific.

Does your daughter live in Portland, or in a suburb?

It would be super easy for me to find out more info if you need it - just let me know!

rn 2b lnc · Oct 10, 2003

Hi! Small world... I'm also mulling over a move, to be DON in LTC. I have a friend who lives in Portland. Basically, I think I just want out of MI winters, and the recruiter has almost promised me that snow is rare and short-lived! Is this true? And I really do love the ocean...

Ex-Dilbert · Oct 12, 2003

Hi, rn2b;

It is true, and the thing I like about Portland is we don't get much snow here, but it's not that far away if you like to ski or snowboard. We're about 2 hours away from the coast, which is great for daytrips and weekends.

The only complaint most people have about the weather is the rain. It's not as cold as MI, but the rain lasts forever. I like it, but some people find the constant cloudiness kind of gloomy.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Oct 13, 2003

Yeah.....if you're prone to seasonal affective disorder, don't move here! Our summers are wonderful, spring and fall are lovely, but winter really sucks---it's cold and damp most, if not all of the time. It's true, there's not much snow, and when it does snow it's usually a small amount and it all goes away in a day or two. (It's funny though, people around here go into disaster mode if a snowstorm hits......they go to the store and buy a month's worth of supplies, the schools close down if there's more than a couple of inches on the ground, and everybody drives in the snow like Californians do in the rain!!)

I live in the mid-Willamette Valley, and the hospitals here are unionized. If I were to work in Portland, I would probably choose OHSU because it is a teaching hospital AND has a union. They are considered THE cutting edge hospital in the state, although Emanuel and Legacy hospitals also have good reputations. There's a lot of jobs to choose from, and salaries in Portland are relatively high compared with the rest of the state (average wage here in the Valley is around $22/hr. while Portland's is, I think, somewhere around $27-28/hr.).

Good luck to you, and let us know how your job search goes!

MsZurlo · Nov 5, 2003

How about LPN's? What are the opportunities? Mainly LTC, acute, etc... Anybody know the salary of LPN's? Thanks!

mandykatrn · Nov 5, 2003

I'm an LPN at a regional medical center in the Willamette Valley. The LPN salary range here is $14.54 - $20.36 not including any differencial pay of course. I don't know about LTC. Good luck!

~j

alaskansunbeam · Nov 29, 2003

Hi! I'm in a BSN program in Anchorage. I am graduating in August and want to move to Oregon as soon as I can. What do you know about signing up for the NCLEX? Can graduated students work as nurses before they pass? I am also interested in getting a feel for the hospitals down there. I am thinking of moving close to the "gorge" around Corbit (sp?). I would like a hospital which has 12 hour shifts and isn't as busy as Providence. (At least the one up here is pretty overloaded.) Is there one in that area that has a quieter atmosphere? What about psychiatric hospitals? Thanks so much for your help!

By the way, if you are prone to SADD, try living with 5 hours of light a day for a couple of months! I've heard it is pretty bad in Oregon. At least here we do get clear skys often enough. I found a SADD light for $150.00 if anyone is interested.

ethelbsnrn · Apr 27, 2004

How is the cost of living in Portland, with salaries of $27-29?