Wanting to move to Montana

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So, we have been looking at a little town called Hamilton. I am thinking it is something like 45ish miles from Missoula. I want to work in Missoula but am INSISTENT that we live in a VERY small, did I say small, TINY, community. I grew up in one and REALLY want to get back to that type of living. I am in FLorida on the coast now, too MANY people and TOO many SNOBBY people.

Anyone have any experience with Hamilton or Missoula hospitals? THank you in advance.

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Well I live in Missoula. There are two hospitals here, St. Pats and community medical center. In hamilton there is Marcus Daly hospital. I don't know where you are moving from, we moved here from a large city in VA. We thought we could commute the 45 miles, hey we did it there. But here it's impossible. It would take you a good 1 - 1 1/2 hours to commute from hamilton. Highway 93 is a 2 lane road with stoplights through every small town along the way from hamilton. (Victor, florence, lolo, stevensville). Plus the weather isn't the best from oct to may. Highway 93 has the leading number of fatal accidents in this state. So, Missoula has only approximately 50 - 75,000 people, a lot of them college students. The statistics for missoula county are misleading because they include lolo, frenchtown, bonner, seeley lake, and other towns. Bonner is nice as well as frenchtown and they are on interstate 90, a real highway and close - 20 min - to missoula. Let me know if you have any other questions.

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Sorry, I see you are moving from FLA, so yea, it's way different than the east coast, but we like it. Like I said Marcus Daly is in hamilton and they are hiring as well as other places in that area. Hamilton is the largest town that way. Really small is Sula, Conner, Victor, Stevensville, etc.

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Sorry, I see you are moving from FLA, so yea, it's way different than the east coast, but we like it. Like I said Marcus Daly is in hamilton and they are hiring as well as other places in that area. Hamilton is the largest town that way. Really small is Sula, Conner, Victor, Stevensville, etc.

I grew up in Oklahoma on a farm. I have only been in Florida for 2 years. I want a REALLY small town to actually physically live in. The town I grew up in had 500 or so people, more cattle that actually folks. I am a small town girl and my husband wants to live in the country as well. The only negative thing I have heard about Missoula is that there is a smog problem during the spring due to some industrial plant(s). I really want the clean air of the country. I want to work in Missoula, I just don't want to be in a city anymore, 2 years is MORE than enough. I graduate nursing school in June 2009, so I know I will have to put a year or two in at LEAST before we can move.

I REALLY appreciate the information. Thank you very much

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Let me know if you need any more information. We don't have smog, it's actually a weather inversion caused by being in the valley. The clouds get trapped in the valley causing cloudiness and increased pollution in the town from cars. They require an additive to be put in gasoline sold in the town from november to february because of that. We live on the outskirts of town, up the hill and don't have that problem, but they do in the city. One word on hamilton, it's the "in place" to be for the rich and famous wanting to live the ranch life. People like huey lewis, hank williams, jr., the family who owns costco and such have huge ranches there that are "vacation homes". There is also a community called "the stockfarm club" which is a gated community with multi-million dollar homes for the people like Charles Schwab and such. This being so, the cost of living and housing there is pretty high. Good luck in school and let me know if I can help you further.

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Let me know if you need any more information. We don't have smog, it's actually a weather inversion caused by being in the valley. The clouds get trapped in the valley causing cloudiness and increased pollution in the town from cars. They require an additive to be put in gasoline sold in the town from november to february because of that. We live on the outskirts of town, up the hill and don't have that problem, but they do in the city. One word on hamilton, it's the "in place" to be for the rich and famous wanting to live the ranch life. People like huey lewis, hank williams, jr., the family who owns costco and such have huge ranches there that are "vacation homes". There is also a community called "the stockfarm club" which is a gated community with multi-million dollar homes for the people like Charles Schwab and such. This being so, the cost of living and housing there is pretty high. Good luck in school and let me know if I can help you further.

I don't think living next to multi millionaires is my idea of cheaper or even what I would want. We want a quiet place, like a 5 acre spot with lots of trees and views of the mountains. I know that the cost is higher in Montana but it is already decided Montana is where we will be. I am not particular other than the town be small and relatively safe. Are you a nurse in Missoula? Just curious what the hospitals are like there. I want to work in the ER. So are the ER's there level I or II do you know? Anything you can think of to tell me would be great and help us in making a decision on where we might live near Missoula. I will graduate school as an RN with my Associates. I will have my BSN most likely by the time I move to Montana. Do you know how the travel companies are there? I heard the pay is low in Montana and the best way to make money there is to work as a traveler. Anyways, I won't ask too much I might drive you nuts. Thanks again for the info.

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There are other areas in Montana that have hospitals too. Billings has a large hospital as well as Kalispell and Polson. I work home health because this is such a medical town and being an lpn (working on my RN) they don't hire lpns at the hospital except in a few circumstances. I don't know about the hospital ers but we do have helicopters at each hospital and they do deal with a lot of trauma. The hospital in Spokane, WA is where they send most of the pediatric cases and transplants (heart, etc.). The hospitals here are St. Patricks and Community Medical Center. They both have websites that will help if you need more info. Missoula is a college town so that makes it a little more expensive but also adds a lot of opportunities for jobs and activities. Good luck. L

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Probably not the area you want to live in (way out on the eastern plains) but the tiny town of Baker has a tiny hospital, and the last I heard, they were desperate for nurses. i grew up on a ranch about 30 miles from there and have no desire to move back. You might be able to negotiate for a pretty good salary, though.

Baker has about 3500 people, but the town of Plevna, 13 miles down the road has a population of maybe 200 if that. It has a post office and a bar/restaurant, but no gas station. . . . .

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I used to work at Marcus Daly. Pay is substantial to Missoula. But I have to say i loved working there and it's by far one of the cleanest Hospitals I have been in. They give good care to their pts and:lol2: the pts are appreciable.

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Hi everyone! Thanks for this thread, it's great to hear about nursing in Montana.

I currently live in CA and will be graduating from my RN program in May 2009. We have always planned to move to Montana eventually, and actually we bought a house there already in Victor about 3 years ago, which we currently rent out.

I want to work at St. Pat's, or Marcus Daly in Hamilton, which is a closer commute to Hamilton than Missoula from Victor. But can you all tell me approximately what the pay is like for RNs in Western Montana? I know it will be quite shocking, since CA nurses get paid so well. But I'd like to have an idea so we can start making plans and all.

Thanks very much in advance for any responses!

Vicky :redpinkhe

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Starting pay for new grads is sad to say in the low 20's. There are shift diff with weekend diffs . Of course st pat's pays better. But the commute is over 35 miles. So you have to weigh your time and gas not to mention wear and tear on your car. There is also community hosp a bit closer than St pat's.

The move must be made with a desire for a new way of life. Great place to raise kids. Low crime. Beautiful scenery. Alls jobs are low pay not just nurses. Good luck!

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Specializes in LTC.

Are you saying new grad RNs make $11-12 per hour? Wow! I had absolutely no idea. Thanks for posting the info.

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