Possible TN relocation

[lisa23]

Hello - I just have a few questions that I am hoping someone can help with. Me and my husband are considering a move to Eastern TN (Maryville, Farragut, or Loudon areas). Just wondering what hospitals are nice to work for down there. I did see Blount Memorial and University of Tenn Medical Center - any feedback on these? Also, what is the RN pay - I have been an RN for 5 years in Michigan and make around $25 without shift diff on a step down telemetry floor. What are the typical RN to patient ratios, are there any unionized facilities? Also, if anyone has any feedback on the Maryville area as far as moving there goes, that would be great too! We do plan on coming down next spring to drive around and check things out, just trying to do my homewoork first before I get too excited about moving! Thanks for the help!

[LPMRN]

Hey lisa23,

Maryville and Loudon are great areas to live in. I have never lived in Farragut. Covenant Health (Fort Sanders)has about 4 hospitals in the area(1 in Lenoir city/Loudon, 2 in Knoxville and 1 in Severville). Baptist Health system in Knoxville has just merged with St. Mary's Hospital also. They both have 2 hospitals in Knoxville. UT medical center is a big hospital. Children's Hospital is also in Knoxville. I'm not sure about the RN pay. The only union hospital that I am aware of is Methodist Hospital in Oak Ridge. I was an LPN at Blount Memorial about 2 yrs ago. The normal pt ratio was roughly 1:6.

Be prepared for a big climate change here. Winters are very mild(1 inch of snow can close down the schools) and summers are extremely hot and humid(high 90's in June, July and August). The Smoky Mtns are incredable! There is always something goin on in Gatlinburg and Pigeonforge. I lived in Battlecreek for 2 yrs back in the 80's. I loved playin in the snow, and the black squirrels were so cute.

You might want to look on the Blount County and Loudon Co websites for more info.

Hope this helped, let me know if you need anything else.

[pincush23]

New BSN grad here...I moved to Hawaii after grad in TN and took boards here in Hawaii. I have not worked as a RN here and want to transfer back to TN...Does anyone (generally) know how the process works to transfer a license in a timely manner? TNBON was not much help in this matter...

Aloha!

[cstep]

Hello Lisa- I moved to East Tennessee from the downriver area of Michigan a few years ago. Tennessee is beautiful but was a culture shock for me. I worked for the Henry Ford Health system before moving and with shift diff. I was making close to $27 hour; I worked for about a year for the state of Tennessee at a little over $20 hour on the day shift but with decent state benefits; I now work in a clinic for even less than that but I have the weekends and holidays off. Cost of living is much cheaper here and they don't have state income tax (so get ready to pay tax on food and don't look forward to a "state" return at tax time); folks here are very loyal to their vols and are proud to be called "big orange country",although I am loyal to the maize & blue, no matter their current record!! Winters are not like ours up north and their roads are sooooo smooth!!! It took me awhile to adjust to how their traffic lights work( the left turn light doesn't blink red so we can turn when clear, etc) but after awhile I got it! Like LPM stated, Methodist is the only unionized hospital that I know of in the area; I do not think TN is as pro-union as MI (The Big 3 is not prominent here); you can also look into the new Ben Atchley VA hospital that is here in East TN but you have to go to the federal website to apply. Good luck in your search and hope you enjoy it down here.