Recommendations for Dayton, Ohio

live4today, RN · Sep 26, 2005

They have a good reputation. :) Go for it! I worked there years ago, and have a friend who currently works there on a pulmonary unit. She loves it! Good luck on your marriage. May it be blessed with much happiness, joy, peace, and the pitter patter of little feet (whether those feet belong to pets or children). :balloons:

elkpark · Sep 26, 2005

I lived in Dayton for several years not too long ago, and worked for both Kettering and for Miami Valley Hospital. I was v. happy with both as employers, and would recommend both without hesitation.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2005

I lived in Dayton for 5 years (Daytonite, get it?). Very boring place in my opinion. It is a middle class working population there. It's a nice place, don't get me wrong, but kind of straight laced mentality. I worked at Miami Valley Medical Center (MVMC) in downtown Dayton and started on one of their oncology units (lucky day for you!). They put all the new oncology unit RNs through a 40 hour oncology class. The nurse practitioner who teaches it was awesome. MVMC is the largest hospital in the area and probably pays the best. They were always funny about hiring only BSNs there, but they have Wright State University cranking out BSNs so I guess they can be picky. I've also known of ADNs they've hired who have hospital experience. They are a teaching facility with a residency program affiliated with Wright State University's medical school and I think they also take residents from med schools in Columbus and Cincinnati. They had a very nice orientation program there. My personal experience with them, I felt, was that they were kind of confused about who was responsible for what around there, but it is a pretty big place. They expected their nurses to float to other units when staffing was short. They are computerized. They were doing some 12 hour shifts, but when I was there a few years ago they were still the traditional 8 hours shifts.

Other acute hospitals are Good Samaritan also in Dayton itself and Kettering Medical Center. It is in a not so good section of the town. Good Samaritan, I believe, was bought up by the corporation that owns MVMC. Kettering Medical Center is owned by the Seventh Day Adventist church. They are known for their Cardiac care and open heart surgery. A couple of years ago the Dayton Heart Hospital opened up and are giving them a run for their money. They are located next to the old Franciscan Medical Center (run by the Franciscan nurses) which closed several years ago because they went broke. Are you getting the theme about the religious presence in this town? These aren't the only two religions with service facilities in Dayton. The other poster might be better to ask about this, but I thought that Kettering had everyone sign, or at least promise to follow their religious rules of not smoking or drinking. I'm not sure where they stand on the issue of vegetarianism (SDAs are vegetarian). I know that at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California which is also Seventh Day Adventist that they used to be strictly vegetarian for both the staff and the patients, but that may have changed over time.

There is also Middletown Hospital in Middletown, Ohio which is (you guessed it) between Dayton and Cincinnati. It is a fairly large hospital also, but is 20 miles down the highway.

When I left town 2 years ago I was paying $500 for a one bedroom apartment in the very nice yuppie suburb of Centerville that was only 7 miles from MVMC. The Kettering police were always "sitting" with radar on Far Hills Drive, one of the main roads going in to downtown Dayton. When you get to Dayton make sure you go to one of the Dorothy Lane Markets in Kettering or Centerville and get a Killer Brownie. It's the best brownie you'll ever eat--triple layer, so tall you can't open your mouth wide enough to take a full bite, have to eat it with a fork. They make 8 kinds--the German Chocolate one is my favorite. They have a website. They also sell all kinds of exotic meats (snake, rabbit, buffalo, goose). Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is in Dayton and, of course, they have their air force museum there with some very cool vintage planes on display. Mead Paper and National Cash Register are headquartered in Dayton. I never got to see the Wright Brothers Museum, but it's there. Outside of Cincinnati is a huge store called Jungle Jim's which you must visit (takes about 45 minutes to get there from Dayton) and they have imported food from all over the world as well as exotic meats and fresh vegetables. Maybe the area's not so boring afterall.

shamegs · Sep 26, 2005

Thanks to all for the input! I had a visit with a recruitor from Indy today and can't help but feel tempted to stay even though I can't; the benefits and add on's are awesome for new grads. I suppose I should just hop on over there (to Dayton) and find out which organization is right for me and not only that, but which one would be willing to take me on.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2005

Go east on I-70, Exit at I-75 South or I-675 South and come on down! Watch out for the Ohio Highway Patrol sitting all over I-70 with radar (especially close the Ohio/Indiana border). It's a speed trap. It's a nice drive. It sometimes gets a little congested on the Ohio side at the border depending on the day of the week and the time of day.

shamegs · Sep 27, 2005

Oh, yes! I know about the cops. Got a speeding ticket near Vandalia while going to see my fiance. I was not happy!

babybee3184 · Oct 2, 2005

I LOVE Miami Valley Hospital. It depends how much action you want, I suppose. Miami Valley is HUGE...Kettering tends to be smaller and quieter.

jmgrn65, RN · Oct 2, 2005

but I thought that Kettering had everyone sign, or at least promise to follow their religious rules of not smoking or drinking. I'm not sure where they stand on the issue of vegetarianism (SDAs are vegetarian). .

Hi I have lived in Dayton, Ohio for 25 years, I have worked at Kettering Medical Center for 15 years, I have to disagree with the above poster. Kettering does not make you promise or sign anything of that sort. You can't smoke any where on the property if you are an employee. I don't really think that has much to do with their religion. I am not religious,and I am not Seventh Day Adventist, I think there are alot of employees are not. The only type of food you don't find in the cafeteria is pork, and seafood. They don't cram the religion down you. I personally think it is a great place to work for. It is a very good part of town. Also it is not owned by the Seventh Day Adventist it is run by them. Charles Kettering founded it and liked the philosophy of the Seventh Day Adventist, so he asked them to run it. It is a Non porfit hospital. Also have applied for Magnet. we should know anytime if we have been awarded it or not.