Vail Valley Medical Center

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

I searched this forum and others for recent information about Vail but didnt find anything current..... Does anyone here have any inside info about working here full time or seasonal? Hows the working environment? Hows the Pay? Why are there currently so many openings in a small facility? What was/is your experience working in this area/Vail.... Me and my family are all snowboarders and just got back from 10 days in southern colorado.... Cant wait to get back to the snow. We are going up to Vail for a few days in early march to look around and I plan to move up there after summer if I like the area.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Clinical Documentation Specialist.

I don't know the Vail area personally, but we have lived outside Denver since '99. In that time I have read various articles about the high cost of living in Vail (Aspen, Telluride, etc). Many people who work in the town(s) can't afford to live there. In '95, the cost of living in Vail was 25% higher than Denver and the job vacancies in the medical center may reflect that. I just did a cursory search, so you may want to look into newer numbers.

Vail Neighborhood Profile on Yahoo! Real Estate - Demographics, Cost of Living & more!

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

Vail is extremely expensive, highly seasonal, and much of the population is transient/tourist/second homeowners. That makes it hard for people to live there full time. Most people who do "live" there either have to live 30-60 minutes down valley in the bedroom communities of Edwards/Eagle/Gypsum or they will forever live in an apartment. It is pretty much impossible to find a house in the Vail Valley for less than $650K. That said, Vail has good skiing.

Sadly, that is the story for most Colorado ski areas... except in Southwest Colorado (except Tride).

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

I have found that you can get apartments in the area for $1000 or less with 6-9 month leases. I am not going to go there to make big money. Im going to snowboard with my wife and son for 6 months. :) I have also concidered Durango Mercy hospital but they have few and far between openings there. I have been going 4-5 weeks a year to pagosa springs and really like that area also. There are just more jobs available for my specialty in Vail and Denver area...... There are 9 openings at the VVMC right now, 4 are FT non seasonal..... That is what makes me wonder about the working conditions...

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

OHHHH Well then, if you are looking to go for a snow season working a 6 mo stint, plus your family supports it, could you really go wrong? ;)

It's the people who try to make a life of it in a resort community who run into the major trade offs of being poor vs their mountain environment.

Working conditions... I've really heard little, but it was good, but that was from an NP and a DO so who knows what it is like for RNs. Expect a very different pt population that a city hospital... better hygeine but much more demanding.

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

Your best bet for Vail is to get a travel assignment if you can. They will either provide housing or a stipend for that. That would allow you to try them out and see if it is a good fit for the long term.

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

I am headed up to vail in 4 weeks to check the area out. I am also looking at Frisco, its about 20 miles down the road. There is a St Anthonys facility there that has 4 openings in there OR.... Why are there so many OR openings up in this area. I would guess they are active because they update regularly.... Vail Valley still has 6 positions posted up. They are even offering up a $7500 bonus....

Im just wondering what the downfall is..... I have found apartments in the area for $1000 and an RV park for $600/month with every amenity you can imagine. Seems weird.

Any info from anyone about these hospitals that is current would be great. :)

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

I haven't worked at that facility, but I've worked for that hospital network. No complaints.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, M/S.
I am headed up to vail in 4 weeks to check the area out. I am also looking at Frisco, its about 20 miles down the road. There is a St Anthonys facility there that has 4 openings in there OR.... Why are there so many OR openings up in this area. I would guess they are active because they update regularly.... Vail Valley still has 6 positions posted up. They are even offering up a $7500 bonus....

Im just wondering what the downfall is..... I have found apartments in the area for $1000 and an RV park for $600/month with every amenity you can imagine. Seems weird.

Any info from anyone about these hospitals that is current would be great. :)

It seems like most of the OR jobs would be seasonal d/t the ski slopes.....does sound suspicious.

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

Just an update. We were up in vail a week ago, beautiful area. I have talked to the recruiter at vvmc. They would like me to start last week..... I will most likely be living in Vail starting in mid july. The pay is fair. Housing can be found at reasonable rates. Workplace sounds fast paced which is what I like. Hope all of it works out. :)

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I would love to hear more about your experience when/if you take the job. Is it year round? Are you an experienced nurse? Is your family moving with you or are you living in Vail and commuting back to the city on your off days.

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

I will keep you posted. I just got the skype phone for the interview with the dept. I plan for it to be a year round staff job. We will all be moving up there and living in vail. I like to be close to the hospitals I work at, I typically take my job pretty serious and want to be able to get to the hospital very fast for emergency cases... I am an experienced OR RN.

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