Relocating to NC

Check out Duke in Durham....here's a link to a story about one of the little ones the NICU saved

http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/tiniestbabies/viewrefs.cfm?Infant_ID_No=30

Wake Med also has a great unit....you'll have to check with them to find out their requirements.

Duke, in my opinion, is a good place to work. They have some big hospital problems (like paying through your nose for parking) but in general, its a good place to work. (PM me, and I will give you the name of a fabulous recruiter at Duke- he's just a super guy, and has repeatedly bent over backwards for myself or people I've sent his way.)

I have also spent time at WakeMed and agree it is very new grad friendly, it has apparently a few areas of different acuities- they start new grads out int he least acute one and move you about accordingly. (at least thats how they did it about 5 yrs ago when my friend started.

Schools? Well, the quality of a publich school education in NC can be very variable.

I would also like information on good NICUs to work at in NC. I heard that Duke was a bad place to work ? What are your opinions? Also what city is Duke close to that would be an affordable place to live for nurses with a family. Thanks in advance :) i am coming from South Dakota so I cannot wait to get out of HERE!!! :rotfl:

Abby:

So far, the new grad programs that I've been impressed with are UNC in Chapel Hill and Wake Med in Raleigh. Check out www.wakemed.org. You'll find the new grad description in thier job postings.

I'm in Clayton (Johnston County) about 25 minutes southeast of Raleigh. Real Estate tends to be a bit cheaper here than in Wake County. We moved here from Philly 7 years ago. I'll graduate from an ADN program in May.

Good luck to you!

-Kelly

Abby:

So far, the new grad programs that I've been impressed with are UNC in Chapel Hill and Wake Med in Raleigh. Check out www.wakemed.org. You'll find the new grad description in thier job postings.

I'm in Clayton (Johnston County) about 25 minutes southeast of Raleigh. Real Estate tends to be a bit cheaper here than in Wake County. We moved here from Philly 7 years ago. I'll graduate from an ADN program in May.

Good luck to you!

-Kelly

Thanks for the feedback. I am really wanting to work in the NICU so I hope that I can find something to meet my needs in NC. We will see I guess!

Duke Hospital is one of the only places in the triangle area that will hire new grads directly into NICU or other specialty areas. Wake Med, REX, UNC, and most of the others require several years of Med-Surg experience before entering a specialty.

May I ask why you are intent on NICU? Many new grads who immediately enter a specialty area later regret it, as they have lost most of their med-surg skills and don't have any other experience.

Regarding parking at Duke, it is $6 per day to park in the main parking garage, although most employees park in the "H Lot" which costs $10 per month. So it's really not that expensive if you don't mind parking a little further away.

As far as inexpensive places to live close to Duke ... West Raleigh has some good choices, and so does Wake Forest. Durham has some inexpensive places, but a higher crime rate. If you don't mind a slightly longer commute, you can also check out towns like Butner, Creedmoor, and Henderson. They are smaller towns located just north of Duke off I-85.

I plan to relocate to the Raleigh area after I graduate in May 2006 (ADN.) Can anyone recommend a facility that is "new-grad" friendly? I would really like to get into a great NICU. Do most hospitals in NC require 1+ years med-surg experience?

Also, I have three children and need an area with a good High School program.

I will be traveling to NC in January to visit the area. Any recommendations?

Thanks!

If you don't have your heart set on the Raleigh area, try New Hanover Regional Medical center (http://www.nhhn.org) in Wilmington, 2 hrs from Raleigh. A nice NICU that always hires new grads, and a new women's and childrens building in planned to open early 2008 with a NICU expansion.

A bonus... you are close to the ocean!

Thank you for the information on Wilmington. I will be visiting NC the first week of January and have put Wilmington on my "must-see" list. I also plan to visit Wake Forest and Apex.

Any recommendations for a good school system for Middle/ High Schoolers?

Also if anyone has a recommendation for a Real Estate agent, please PM me.

Thank you!

I just PMed you the name of a great real estate agent.

As for schools, you will generally find better quality schools and more choices of schools in the Raleigh-Durham area as opposed to Wilmington (based on state test scores, graduation rates, and other data). There are some really good schools in Wake County (i.e., Raleigh, Apex, Cary, Wake Forest, Morrisville to name a few towns) Are you looking for public or private?

I am currently a stay home Mom due to issues with my children but can tell you the schools in Wake County are generally good. I have tow special issues kids. I have never had a problem getting anything I need for my deaf child. He is actually why we moved here from the New Orleans area. We bought a house here based on the elementary school scores on testing to help our hearing child knowing that our deaf child would be in a school that had special programs for him even if we were out of that district. However, our other child has some serious mental health issues (bipolar/ADHD/OCD/ODD) and getting services for him has been tough. Since it is a mental issue they see it as behavior and it has been a huge battle with our local school. BUT, they have good alternative programs for him that we are starting this week. They also have good gifted programs, which he is also in.

Southern Wake County has better housing prices, but we live in the NW corner, 15 miles from Duke, 28 from UNC, 12 from REX, 18 or so from Wake Med and they have somewhat affordable housing up here in the older subdivisions. Typically, schools are best in Northern Wake and Cary.

Private message me if you need any more info.

We wanted to move to the coast area but did not due to the special services issues with schools and our deaf child.

Elaine

Hi Elaine,

One of my three children had Bipolar disorder and I am concerned about finding an appropriate school once we move. He presently is successful in a therapeutic day school.

I will be down in NC on 1/5 and look forward to visiting the area.

If there are any particular schools you think we should stay away from, please PM me. School is a very important consideration on deciding where we will locate. I don't mind driving further to work, as long as my boys as in the proper school setting.

Thank you for your help,