thinking of moving to vermont ? about bon

[blondnursey]

hi

i am thinking of moving to vermont (from ohio valley).

was wondering how long it takes the bon to get you your license? i see from other posts it shouldnt take long. (too late to change my title sorry)

whats the weather in the northern/southern part of the state like?

is there a big difference between the two?

and what do you do for fun when you arent working?

are there a lot of seasonal things to do? points of interest?

thanks

:bowingpur

[wrennightwind]

They are very fast ! I took my NCLEX on a Wednesday. By the next morning my license status had changed from pending to active on the state website and I had my actual paper license in the mail on Saturday !

The weather is very similar from North to South, but Winter lasts a little longer the farther north you go and the snow comes earlier.

I don't ski myself, but it's a big thing up here because ski season lasts so long. Especially now that most ski areas make their own snow as soon as it's cold enough. It gets warm enough for swimming in the summer and fall is great for hiking. It's beautiful country, but you are never far from town/city living if that's what you prefer. Not as "exciting" as some places, but overall a nice place to live.

[abbyann]

I grew up in Vermont, moved away 15 years ago and am planning to move back when I finish school.

Maybe not as exciting and fast paced as some places (i live in Orange county, CA), but in my opinion it's a great place to live and raise a family. Still very small towney in a lot of ways. My children are living there with my mom right now,and they LOVE it. I feel like it's a more wholesome, healthy atmosphere than CA.

If you like the outdoor life, there is a lot to do. Even if you have to brave some cold weather. Hiking, skiing, biking, even sledding (I miss that!).

The one thing i will miss about here is the varitey of ethnic food. But I hate everything else - the cost of living, freeways, air pollution.....

Burlington is an awesome city, but a little expensive. We're probably going to move to White River Jct. I'd like to get a job with the VA, or at Dartmouth Hitchcock.

Sorry to go on....I desperately want to go home

[SmithH75]

Hello All,

I am so happy to be reading this blog... I am a nurse from the UK and moved to NZ nearly 6 yrs ago, i have two boys aged 1yr and 2.5 yrs. I am so very homesick for my family, but don't want to move back to the UK, but live nearer to my family (takes about 30hrs flight time in total to see my parents) so my husband has finally agreed to move to Vermont. We know nothing about this state, just small bits of info from Google (we lived for 3 ski seasons in Colorado before I started nursing), so I know some stuff about USA - but it's great to read how beautiful it is and about the weather. (oh and one of my brothers lives in IN with his wife and two kids)

I was wondering if anyone had time to communicate with me about hospitals and services in Vermont, what kind of specialities it has, being a winter sport state does it have a lot of Orthopedic hospitals/ facilities?

I am currently working in a small ER in the north island of NZ - but I don't think I want to do ER forever. My heart is with cancer patients.

Is schooling good in Vermont? Are the people friendly? Is housing expensive?

Wish me luck for the NCLEX.

H.

[abbyann]

Congratulations!! I will be moving back there next spring. Can't wait. I desperately want to go home.

Schooling: Like anwhere, a lot does depend on where you live. My children are in East Montpelier, and their school is AMAZING! My son's class has only 18 kids, my daughter's has 14 (here in CA, my son's kindergarten class had 30 kids!).

Healthcare: One of the major reasons I'm moving back there. It is possible to buy very, very good group health insurance through the state, if you don't have insurance. My daughter is diabetic, and my mom pays NOTHING extra for her care.

The people: Again, it depends on where you are. In the poorer parts, like the Northeast Kingdom, people are likely to be less welcoming of newcomers. But in Burlington (my favorite city!) the people are very, very friendly. Also, there are a lot of nursing jobs in Burlington. Especially for a nurse with your experience. I don't know specifically, since I haven't worked as a nurse there.

Housing is pretty reasonable. Burlington is more expensive, but IMO definitely worth paying a little more to live there.

Sorry I can't give you more info on the specialties available. But it's a wonderful, wonderful place to live and a terrific place to raise children. My children don't want to come back to California.

Good luck!

Julie

[maryguy]

VTs BON is on top of things. I got my temporary and then permanent license very quickly. (Within one month of moving there)

Schooling is interesting here. You can choose your child's school here more readily than in other areas of the US because Vermont's overall population is so small. There are schools here that are tiny (less than 100 students). I think sending your kid to school in a state like Vermont (even public school), your child would be at an advantage.

The largest hospital in Vermont is Fletcher Allen in Burlington. There are smaller major hospitals in St. Albans, Barre/Berlin, and Rutland. I don't think there are many more ortho oriented facilities here than what you'd expect to find at any modern hospital.

Dartmouth is located in New Hampshire, and not very far from White River Junction, VT. It is a major hospital facility, and it's not uncommon for people to come across state lines to work there. It is on par with Fletcher Allen for quality; both are level I trauma centers.

Compared to other cities I've been, Burlington is ridiculously expensive. Expect to pay 1000 monthly (nothing included) for a one bedroom apartment in a "nice" area, more if heat or snow removal are included. It's an exclusive state to live in for several reasons.

[KimSmith911]

Go to Dartmouth, FAHC is awful. The staff is good, but the administration is not up to par. I work there and can't wait to leave.

[louieb]

hi guys i posted sommething that i have read!!! are you aware of this??

update on ca nclex endorsement to vt prior to expiration

in this climate of immigration retrogression, it was recommended that california nclex nurses endorse to vermont prior to the expiration of the 3-year window of opportunity to provide ssa numbers to the ca state board of nursing. the vt state board reports that it has experienced an increase in endorsement requests as a result of this issue, leading them to review their policy and make some procedural changes, as follows:

vt requires the official nclex exam results. for example if you took the exam through ca; you will need to contact the california board of nursing and request a “certified copy of test results with photo” to be sent to the state of vermont board of nursing. california’s fee for this is $10.00. (if you’ve already completed this step please proceed to step 2)

vt will need to have the verification of education form completed by your school and your official transcripts sent to them. you can print the verification of education form from their website http://www.vtprofessionals.org on pages 5 and 6 of the international nurse application.

vt requires the license verification form completed for your original nursing license and your most current nursing license. you can print this form from their website http://www.vtprofessionals.org on page 7 of the international nurse application.

note: for nurses in the united kingdom: vt can verify the license online. you need to fill out the verification form by putting in the caller code and pin number so that they can access your information from the nmc website.

once vt receives this information, they will then be able to process your application for licensure through the state of vermont.

as mentioned previously, please be aware when you start the re-endorsement process, that the ca board of nursing will have considered your application abandoned and your file will no longer be active. thus, it will be necessary for you to submit all educational credentials a second time to ca. while it will be inconvenient to do so, it will protect you from having to re-take the nclex-rn exam.

[color=#3b5998]vermont secretary of state - office of professional regulation

www.vtprofessionals.org

1. now my question is, does this mean they're requiring ca nclex nurses to endorse their papers to vermont?? because if they require it, im gonna endorse it to vermont and just to protect my nclex from expiring.., because until now i still dont have employer in california for me to be able to get the license. so is it a smart idea if i endorse it to vermont?

2. if ever im now a license holder at vermont,, can i endorse it to any state that i want? like for example if the time comes that i'll be able to find an employer to that specific state.

3. if the processing of the application to vermont is done,, and confirmed that im already a license holder at vermont.. are they gonna issue or send me a license card???

thanks guys

[lumbarpain, ADN, RN]

I recently moved to Vermont from NJ. I have been looking for a nice residence for 7 years here and finally found one. If you have pets its very hard. One pet is not bad, more than 2 a problem when looking for a place. Anyhoo......I was in the NYC metro area, close to Manhattan and it was a culture shock coming here. I get homesick often. But it IS nice. Winter has been terrifically brutal here this year. GET READY TO BATTLE THOSE RURAL ROADS if you move here.!!! MUD SEASON is almost as bad as snow season.

People are friendly and helpful. Very laid back. If you come from a urban type area it will be definitely tough. But the weather is definitely cooler. I know Ohio is pretty much equal in latitude as NJ. But Vermont is Vermont more North.....great for tree huggers, gardeners, people who quilt, read, and like events that are community based. Takes a while for Vermonters to get accustomed to flat landers. (term given for people that dont live in the mountains) I would read up on Vermont and be prepared. If you like to drive this is the place for you, unless you live in Brattleboro, Bennington, (southern vermont) then you can walk to most stores otherwise you need good transportation. Rutland is ok, more northwest from here. If you are moving alone, it will be tough. If you have a spouse, kids. Thats better for you. All in all I like it here. But I got somewhat acclimated through visits I made from 2003 to now. Good luck.

[julyemrn]

how is the job market in vermont, esp. for those without clinical experience?

[GAYA3]

hi all,

im a foreign nurse on l2b with EAD. I jus received my EAD,i live in California but i have an active RN in vermont, was looking for jobs in Vermont, but haven had any luck, how is the job opportunities in vermont???? PLS HELP, dunno how to apply, have been trying to apply for jobs online.. but no reponse so far....pls help

thank y'all.

[lumbarpain, ADN, RN]

Gaya3. I dont know what living situation you are in now, but if you still reside in California your chances of getting a job in Vermont a super slim. I did that a short while back. But I wasnt 3.000 miles away like you are. I lived 2 states away and had the opportunity to come up to Vermont and snoop around for possible employment. Trouble was, that when I returned to my homestate I was getting interviews for Vermont and that wasnt feasible. I live here now and have been searching for quite some time without luck. But my situation is different than yours. I havent been active in Nursing for 2 years now and this may be hurting me even though I have 17 years of being a Charge Nurse behind me.

Are you planning to move here? If so, I think your chances may be better that way. hope this helps. lumbarpain.