Peds RN relocating to Richmond VA area!

secondfiddle · Apr 25, 2005

Paula -

I am not a nurse yet (hopefully entering ADN program this fall!) so I can't help you on the specific employment question. But I am originally from Richmond, and now live in Northern VA :banghead: (land of miserable traffic and ridiculous cost of living)!

You will love Richmond though - it is a great place to live. Virginia is very beautiful, IMHO. The piedmont area is probably the prettiest as you get out toward the mountains. Richmond itself doesn't have any particularly breathtaking natural features, but the weather is pretty darn nice and there are so many great places to live around the city and its environs.

There are a number of hospitals in the area besides VCU and Childrens, including St. Mary's, MCV, and Johnson-Willis. I have never heard anything negative about any of them, and my dad is an MD. Good luck with your move and relocating - wish I were you!!

pkoehler · Apr 25, 2005

thank you, it is nice to hear great things from someone who has lived there! i will be looking at the hospitals in the area and looking for a job! best of luck to you with nursing school!

thanks!

paula -
i am not a nurse yet (hopefully entering adn program this fall!) so i can't help you on the specific employment question. but i am originally from richmond, and now live in northern va (land of miserable traffic and ridiculous cost of living)!
you will love richmond though - it is a great place to live. virginia is very beautiful, imho. the piedmont area is probably the prettiest as you get out toward the mountains. richmond itself doesn't have any particularly breathtaking natural features, but the weather is pretty darn nice and there are so many great places to live around the city and its environs.
there are a number of hospitals in the area besides vcu and childrens, including st. mary's, mcv, and johnson-willis. i have never heard anything negative about any of them, and my dad is an md. good luck with your move and relocating - wish i were you!!

AuntMeggie · Apr 28, 2005

I've been in nursing school in Richmond for four years now. Woohoo graduate in May!! Anyway, I worked as an assistant in acute care peds at MCV (VCU Medical Center is the new name) and the nurses and management were not very nice. The patients are great and it's an awesome teaching hospital but I just didn't like the culture of the unit. I have friends that work in the PICU at MCV right now and love it. I'm currently applying to work at the NICU at Henrico Doctor's Hospital in Richmond. I love that hospital. I feel appreciated and it's just a nice place to work. They don't have a picu and they're peds unit is really small but it's a level III NICU and I love it there. Feel free to email me if you have any more questions.

pkoehler · Apr 28, 2005

Thanks for the info! Does Henrico's Doctor's Hospital have a special care nursery or a level II nursery? Have you checked out any salary info? I just want to compare it to Minnesota.

I've been in nursing school in Richmond for four years now. Woohoo graduate in May!! Anyway, I worked as an assistant in acute care peds at MCV (VCU Medical Center is the new name) and the nurses and management were not very nice. The patients are great and it's an awesome teaching hospital but I just didn't like the culture of the unit. I have friends that work in the PICU at MCV right now and love it. I'm currently applying to work at the NICU at Henrico Doctor's Hospital in Richmond. I love that hospital. I feel appreciated and it's just a nice place to work. They don't have a picu and they're peds unit is really small but it's a level III NICU and I love it there. Feel free to email me if you have any more questions.

AuntMeggie · Apr 28, 2005

Yes, they have what they call PCN (progressive care nursery). I think starting salary for a new graduate is about $18 or $19. Not great, but for new grads, all the area hospitals seem to do the same.