Relocating to Raleigh, NC......

Originally posted by Julie,SN:

I am relocating to Raleigh, NC within the next year and would like to stay in oncology nursing. Their are so many hospitals in that area that offer great deals to attract nurses. Duke, VA Medical Center, & Rex all have cancer units. Anyone have any first hand info on these places and what criteria you would use for picking a place to work?

Thanks,

Julie M.,RN

Julie..the whole Triangle area is a full of resources for you. Since you are a recent grad? or soon to be? you might want to find out, in addition to money, what kind of educational support there is for a novice RN. HOurly rate is only one criteria you might examine. Rex is a for-profit, Duke is a charitable trust, the VA is federal, UNC Hospitals is a state institution..all with vastly different structures, goals, accommodations for new RNs. Interview with all of them, including Wake County and Durham County. Let them all know that you are interviewing all places and are pursuing the best fit with the most benefits and salary. Good luck and happy hunting. What a great place to be going! PS..i miss the triangle area...

Chas

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:) :) :)

If you will be living in Raleigh proper, I would highly recommend WakeMed. It really is a great place, large hospital with all of the trappings of a teaching hospital with none of the hassles of UNC or DUKE: ie, you do not have to pay for parking there, they have a wakebucks program for the nurses, tuition assistance etc. Rex is also a beautiful clean hospital, recently partnered (code word for bought out) by UNC. Rex is nice, but having been part of the Moses Cone buyout, I know that the staff may be unhappy.

Duke is still in a staffing crisis- for some units (surgery/neuro) but not for peds and L and D. )(thats only what i hear).

Talk to the managers, talk to the staff, find a place that looks comfortable.

If you are looking for "big name" recognition for career mobility I would go with UNC or Duke- but for a good environment, I recommend Wake or even Raleigh COmmunity ("Partnered with Duke")

Its small but the staff is great.

I won't tell you where i am at right now, because I am pretty much job hunting at the moment myself.