Ventura County

BAWILL2006 · Apr 6, 2006

DEAR ROSE,

Ventura has crime and gangs. Very busy crowded city. St Johns in Santa Monica is a nice hospital. Santa Monica is nice but very expensive. San Luis Obispo on the central coast of California is a beautiful, safe city but salaries are not as high but rent is a little lower. It is never hot and never cold, close to the ocean and very quaint. Check out Sierra Vista Hospital, French Hospital or Twin Cities Hospital in Templeton. Templeton is a lovely small town but it is hot in the summer. Atascadero, between Templeton and San Luis Obispo has a state mental facility that pays very, very well with superior benefits (the best around) but it is a hospital for the seriously ill mental patients. I have a friend who works there. Also the five cities area in San Luis Obispo county has a hospital. Five cities is an area with five small beach towns. Oceano and Grover Beach are the least nice areas near the beach. Los Osos and Morro Bay are small seaside towns that are very nice and safe. They are about 10 miles outside of San Luis Obispo. Best of luck to you.

MSUnurse · Apr 6, 2006

Thanks so much! Do you live in California? If so, where? Just wondering where you got all this great information.

Funny you should mention SLO. That happens to be another area I'm looking into. Have talked with Human Resources at Sierra Vista...guess I should also check out French. Seems like I heard some big company bought French. Do you know anything about that? Also, do you know the name of the hospital in the Five Cities area? Sure appreciate your help.

michellemybelle · Apr 7, 2006

I'm from Thousand Oaks, which is 20 minutes south of Ventura, and happens to be the city in which Los Robles Medical Center is located. Thousand Oaks is a nice community, suburb-like, but housing is extremely expensive. There are few apartments, and housing prices are astronomical--probably at least 350,000+ and that's being modest. Los Robles is planning to open their new hospital this December (06). Ventura is a nice community as well, but tends to have more crime, but is minutes away from the beach. I wouldn't consider living in Ventura unsafe. If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me.

Best of Luck!

Michelle

crazylilkelly · Apr 7, 2006

I just read today that Ventura has a lower crime rate than the national average. I was stationed in Pt. Hueneme & it seemed to me that it just depended on where you were at in Ventura that made it safe or not.

Are there a decent amount of condos in Thousand Oaks? Is there a decent public transportation system to the hospital there?

ash8181 · Apr 7, 2006

I live in Port Hueneme/ beach side about 15 minutes from Ventura. I work in Ventura. I have lived also in Ventura in the past and have many friends who live there. It is a very nice city, but of course there is crime everywhere. There are very nice places in Ventura to live. It is not bad. Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura is a good hospital i have many friends that work there. There is St. Johns in Oxnard. Also Pleasant Valley hospital in Camarillo, that is also a nice place to live. And Thousand Oaks is very nice city, I have a friend that works at Los Robles nice hospital. I have lived in Ventura County all my life and I feel it is a great place to live. Good luck.

Angel

MSUnurse · Apr 8, 2006

Thanks for the replies! When I was doing my research, I found that Ventura had a much lower crime rate than the national average...I'm hoping that's true. Still haven't made up my mind. Will know more after my visit in May.

My sister-in-law told me Camarillo was very nice. When I called St. John's in Pleasant Valley, though, I was told that it was a retirement community and they did more "skilled nursing" there. Sounds like St. John's in Oxnard is a much larger hospital. Anyone live in Oxnard who can tell me about it?

I'm a little disappointed that starting pay for new grads in San Luis Obispo and Ventura is approximately $25/hr. Just wondering if I'll be able to make it with the high cost of living. I could move to Houston, TX and make $30/hr., but I have no desire whatsoever. Gotta get out of the South!

Appreciate the help.

Rose:nurse:

ash8181 · Apr 9, 2006

Hi Rose,

I replied to you earlier, I live in Port Hueneme, which is a few minutes from Oxnard. I just wanted to let you know that St. Johns Hospital is very nice and clean. Cost of living in Ventura County is a little high. My friend is an RN, single mom of 2 and lives in a condo and does it on her own. Nice to know that us nurses will be set for life, no matter where we go.

The city of Camarillo is very nice and also Los Robles is about 20 mintes/south. Like i said in my other post also Ventura is a nice place to live and so are the other cities I also mentioned in the other post. I am an LVN new grad and my pay is $21.00 but that is SNF. I believe Los Robles in Thousand Oaks pays more for RN ....well good Luck and I wish you the best.

Angel

MSUnurse · Apr 9, 2006

Thanks, Angel. St. John's sent me a real nice packet of information, and I will definitely be looking at them when I go for my visit.

What is SNF?

MSUnurse · Apr 9, 2006

Are there any hospitals in Ventura County that anyone would advise against and, if so, why?

Thanks so much,

Rose:nurse:

ash8181 · Apr 10, 2006

Hi Rose,

SNF is skilled nursing facility....good luck

Angel;)

MSUnurse · Jun 17, 2006

Well, I'm back from my little vacation to California. I had such a great time, and now I'm depressed to be back home. Can't wait to move out there!

I'm wondering if anyone can give me some specific information about apt. complexes or townhomes in nice areas of Ventura, Camarillo, or Port Hueneme, in case I'm offered the job at St. John's in Oxnard. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Rose:nurse: