Hello SC Nurses!

P_RN, ADN, RN · Dec 9, 2006

Hi there. SC has at least one of every kind of weather, vacation spots, towns and sities of every size. Spartanburg/Greenville area is on the edge of the Mountains about 30 mi away. In that area are the Greenville Hospital System, Spartanburg, Mary Black, about an hour away is Anderson Medical Center.

Then in Charleston-the historic city- there are the Medical University of SC , Roper. St Francis,

Gosh there are also great facilities in Florence, Orangeburg, Sumter, Aiken (lots of horses and race horse training), there's the Augusta Medical community -though is Georgia we kind of claim them-right across the Savannah River. There is Myrtle Beach, Georgetown, Hilton Head. SImply in SC there is one of everything. Come on down to SC.

SCIway - South Carolina Information Highway - SC is the state web page.

We have beaches, sandhills, history galore. The main medical centers would be Columbia, (Palmetto Health, Providence, Moncrief (army) and the VA, Across the river is the Lexington Medical center a really nice place.

pipersjo, ADN, BSN, MSN · Dec 9, 2006

Thanks for the reply!! You have been so helpful! It sounds like no matter where I go, I should be happy.

Again, thank you!!

AuntieRN · Dec 9, 2006

Just do not be surprised when you see the starting pay for new grads. It is not like up north...although I do not know what W.Virginia is like either. But yes SC is lovely. I have been here for over 6 years now. Good luck to you!!

pipersjo, ADN, BSN, MSN · Dec 10, 2006

Just do not be surprised when you see the starting pay for new grads. It is not like up north...although I do not know what W.Virginia is like either.

Thanks AuntieRN. Here in WV the highest starting pay I have seen is $20. I have already started calling some hospitals down there, and they are fairly comparable ($18-19/hr) to what I would make here--- but most of them have little perks like sign on bonuses!

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Dec 31, 2006

Hi!

I work at Spartanburg Regional, (Spartanburg County's largest employer) in the NICU. I don't know what type of unit you are looking at, but there are openings in just about every unit. The system offers a $2500 relocation, $2500 signon bonus, and the benefits are pretty good, and start on day-of-hire. They have a nursing "PRIDE" program that gives you either a 4 or 8% bonus for participating in unit/hospital projects/committees, etc. They have a shift auction system where units post extra shifts on an ebay tupe system where RN's can bid, usually starting at $38-48 an hour, the shift goes to the lowest bidder. If you like overtime, you can make half of your base hourly rate on top of auction if it's your 4th day that week. I work lots of overtime, and it pays off. It's a very nurse-driven (read: Magnet) hospital. Greenville Memorial, St Francis, Shriners, and Mary Black are some hospitals in the area. Any are pretty good bets. Greenville Memorial's a little too "corporate" for me......

Stevern21

jamangel · Dec 31, 2006

I don't live in SC but I work in SC. I actually live in Augusta, Ga and have worked in Aiken, N. Augusta and Columbia SC. SC (as well as GA) is a wonderful place to relocate to. The weather as previously mentioned is wonderful. My hubby is from Pennsylvania, moved here in 88 and hasn't regretted not going back since.

Don't let the money sway you, what you make here (if it's less) is more than adequate to live on in these areas.

SCRN1 · Jan 15, 2007

Hi there! I live in Columbia, SC and love it here. We're 3 hours or less to almost any kind of place you'd like to vacation. Myrtle Beach is about 3 hours, Charleston is 90 minutes, Lake Murray is 10 minutes, mountains are about 3 hours, and there are lots of things to do in Columbia.

I started out working at Lexington Medical Center. I'm currently working at Providence downtown, which is a heart hospital. We also have one in the northeast area of Columbia, that's a fairly new hospital with orthopedics, labor & delivery, and a little of everything else. I'm still PRN at Palmetto Health Baptist on the orthopedic floor. Even though I don't really work there anymore, I still think it is a great hospital. The other main hospital downtown Columbia is Palmetto Health Richland. It's a Tertiary I hospital that's a teaching hospital. I haven't worked there but did some clinicals and that's the place I would definately want to be for trauma or pediatrics. I've never worked at the VA Hospital and somehow got to skip that one during nursing school in clinicals. So, I can't give any imput there.

I've heard the starting pay at most of these hospitals for a new grad is $18-something and you're right, most do give sign on bonuses. Some are even giving bonuses if you recruit someone there and they're hired.

peachesRN · Jan 18, 2007

Hey everyone! I'm also considering a move to SC (Columbia area). Does anyone have input on what I can expect as a LTC RN? Are there departments at the local hospitals that don't require recent acute care experience? From my brief internet research there seems to be so few nursing homes, I understand they pay less than hospitals, have heavy pt loads, and use med techs instead of LVNs. Also, on another topic, I've seen some houses priced in the 30,000's. Is this real!? Thanks for any feedback:flowersfo

SCRN1 · Jan 26, 2007

Around here, any house selling for $30,000 is usually a dump.

I work with an LPN at a hospital. She also works at a LTC. The one where she works, the LPN passes the meds. There's lots of LTCs around here.