How is Banner Good Sam and the area it's in? (Phoenix: health insurance, high crime)

[carrie123]

Just wondering about downtown Phoenix in general, I'm traveling to the area for work (I'm a nurse) and was wondering if anyone had any input on the hospitals in the area and also how safe it is in the areas they are in.

[WantingoutofAz]

I haven't lived in Central Phoenix for many years (my parents still do) but my husband always jokes that on our first date he heard gunfire while dropping me off and that was in 1993. My parents live in a very nice historical neighborhood that is surrounded by not very nice/high crime areas. I don't think there is anything wrong with Good Sam as a hospital. It has a very good reputation. I stayed there for one month with my first pregnancy and had no complaints about the hospital. However, if I were to work there I would live somewhere else, not in central phoenix. The biltmore is a very nice upscale area that is probably only 10-12 minutes from Good Sam. Personally I would look into Thunderbird or Arrowhead hospital in the northwest valley as that is where I am and it is a nice area. Banner Estrella on the west side of town is a brand new hospital and supposed to be very nice. There are many nicer areas of phoenix to live and still work at many of our hospitals. There are very nice areas of central phoenix but they are all surrounded by cruddy areas and the nice areas are VERY expensive.

[carrie123]

I was thinking of living in Scottsdale, but I was concerned about working at Banner Good Sam if it wasn't a safe area (I'd have to walk in the area after dark alone). Plus I just want to feel safe caring for patients while working too. I'm looking into Thunderbird, but it's about 30 min away from scottsdale. I'm young and single and have heard Scottsdale is the place to be!

[LGub]

My wife worked at Good Sam when we lived in Gilbert, AZ. Good hospital, very bad area. I used to visit her at night while she was working her night shift and didn't feel safe at all while in the direct vicinity of the hospital (stoplight, parking lot, etc).

[daaver]

Originally Posted by carrie123

I was thinking of living in Scottsdale, but I was concerned about working at Banner Good Sam if it wasn't a safe area (I'd have to walk in the area after dark alone). Plus I just want to feel safe caring for patients while working too. I'm looking into Thunderbird, but it's about 30 min away from scottsdale. I'm young and single and have heard Scottsdale is the place to be!

The hospital is very good, the area, not so good. They have an attached parking structure and security though, so I'm not sure you would need to be wandering the area alone at night.

[steve22]

Originally Posted by daaver

The hospital is very good, the area, not so good. They have an attached parking structure and security though, so I'm not sure you would need to be wandering the area alone at night.

I've also spent some time working at Good Sam, and I agree- great hospital. Bad, bad part of town. In fact, I'm not aware of any stretch of McDowell, other than possibly nearer to Scottsdale, that would be considered in any way a "safe" or "nice" place to live.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by steve22

I've also spent some time working at Good Sam, and I agree- great hospital. Bad, bad part of town. In fact, I'm not aware of any stretch of McDowell, other than possibly nearer to Scottsdale, that would be considered in any way a "safe" or "nice" place to live.

Well that is just not correct. There are several of Phoenix's most beautiful old historic neighborhoods in this general area including Encanto-Palmcroft and Willo. There are charming brick and stucco homes in all kinds of architectural styles all over north and S of McDowell. Many of the residents in these homes are affluent, younger, professionals who are restoring their houses and neighborhoods. Homes nearer the main streets have been converted to legal and medical offices. I'm not sure historic restoration is the life for the OP, but it is hard to beat the charm and character of these older areas.

[steve22]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Well that is just not correct. There are several of Phoenix's most beautiful old historic neighborhoods in this general area including Encanto-Palmcroft and Willo. There are charming brick and stucco homes in all kinds of architectural styles all over north and S of McDowell. Many of the residents in these homes are affluent, younger, professionals who are restoring their houses and neighborhoods. Homes nearer the main streets have been converted to legal and medical offices. I'm not sure historic restoration is the life for the OP, but it is hard to beat the charm and character of these older areas.

Heh. I'm sorry, but "beautiful" and "historic" in Phoenix do not translate to "safe". Willo and Encanto are islands in the middle of some of the most crime-ridden and dangerous areas of the Valley, and residents of those areas are often victimized by thefts and property crime. I should know, I have about a half-dozen co-workers and friends who have lived in those neighborhoods. Take a drive through Willo sometime in the near future, and just count the for-sale signs. Crime-weary wanna-be urban dwellers are trying like mad to get out of there, partly because of the crime, and partly because they've found that there isn't much upside to living in the central core of a city that doesn't have any real sense of a downtown or urban vibe. The fact is, there's not much of a "there" there to be close to, as compared with virtually any other major American city with a real downtown, so there isn't much of an upside to living in those neighborhoods.

[genie555m]

Moved away from Phoenix in '95 so this may be a bit dated. I lived at 14th and Thomas and worked at both Good Sam and St. Joe's. As far as both hospitals are concerned, I loved working for them both. As far as the area...well it really sucks. I worked the night shift and so moved from north phoenix to be closer to work. I never felt safe in the area after I moved. Couple of years later, I moved out of state and took a job elsewhere. I realize now that I really should have just moved to another part of the city and kept my job at St. Joe's and Good Sam. In my opinion, better to live elsewhere and drive in.

[Prescott Valley mom]

I have been a nurse at Banner Good Sam. I would not recommend walking any where but from the parking lot. Even that's scary especially after dark. They do have security around. But stuff happens. Be armed with at least a mace type spray if not a small gun (and know how to use them). It's a good hospital to work at, interesting patients. Banner good management, good health insurance. My husband had a CABG only cost us $200. I would recommend working there but do be very careful. Try to buddy up with someone for the drive and walking in. My daughters husband was involved with crystal meth. One of his main supply houses was next to a park just north and I think east of the hospital. Just BE AWARE and careful of surroundings.