Livable wage? (St. George, Logan, Washington: school, salary, living)

[RunningRN]

Originally Posted by chahunt

Practicing as RN has absolutely NO relevancy to this post, or any at all, so very odd that you stated that. If you stated that to assert you are an authority on air quality, there's a laugh.

If STG air quality was as bad as you claim it is, people wouldn't live there. We'd hear about it on the news and in articles. There would be major changes being done to help clean up the air quality, as SLC is now contemplating.

I beg to differ. You might disagree with my assessment of St. George's air quality, but you are putting your head in the sand if you think there is no problem. If you don't think I'm an authority, how about this data from American Lung Association using EPA data:

Washington | American Lung Association

In nursing school we learn about various chronic and acute respiratory conditions. As part of my practice we treat patients who have ineffective breathing patterns and altered respiratory function. We administer medical oxygen which is a drug and provide a variety of drugs to open up the airway when a patient presents in respiratory distress. All of these conditions are made worse by the environment, such as smoking. But elevated ozone is harmful for susceptible population, which may be about 10-20% of residents in St George by demographics:

https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution/...zone-pollution

To your point about people not living in St. George because of the air quality is trending poorer, that is just not accurate. Case in point: Salt Lake County and Utah County have been growing at a torrid pace and the air quality up there has been bad for decades (and getting worse with the growth). People are often tied to an area because they have a mortgage, a job, or family ties. Inertia is a powerful force. Most people who live in St. George have roots that go deep here. It's not easy to uproot and go somewhere else, so people often just learn to adjust to less than ideal conditions. Remember the analogy of how one goes about boiling a frog? The take-away is that things get worse little by little until it's so bad that you hardly realize what's happened.

I'm not claiming that St. George's air quality is anything like many Chinese, Indian, or Mongolian cities. St. George's current ozone rating is a yellow, or moderate air quality for the past 5 days. We are something around a C on a letter grade scale. My parents spent time in Chengdu province in China teaching English and that was terrible air. St. George is pristine by comparison, but it is certainly nothing to brag about.

[Code Stemi]

Originally Posted by RunningRN

I beg to differ. You might disagree with my assessment of St. George's air quality, but you are putting your head in the sand if you think there is no problem. If you don't think I'm an authority, how about this data from American Lung Association using EPA data:

Oh brother. I went to nursing school myself. They teach about respiratory conditions in the hospital and how to TREAT them. They teach NOTHING, and I mean nothing, about air quality or how to interpret that area.
So no, RN's are absolutely NOT an authority on air quality. Not for a second.

Originally Posted by RunningRN

To your point about people not living in St. George because of the air quality is trending poorer, that is just not accurate.

Uhm, I never said that people don't live in St. George because of the air quality. What the. Reading comprehension helps. STG is going through a very big boom and growth period and that will continue, despite the "mediocre and bad air quality" that people here keep chiming about, but doesn't exist.

[RunningRN]

Originally Posted by chahunt

Circus peanuts. When a monopoly (IHC) runs the city and state, that's the sad reality. In Las Vegas I make over $60/hr as an RN.

I have been an emergency room nurse and ICU nurse for over 5 years. If you believe that the air quality in STG is bringing patients in on ambulances or through the doors, good luck to you in your career. That's way overblown. Of COURSE environmental factors play a part in our health. The air in STG does not bring many people to the hospital except the susceptible or overly sensitive patients. That can be said of anywhere. Not just So. Utah.

For someone to suggest an RN is educated on or an expert on air quality is ridiculous. Go find a pulmonologist.

I didn't realize your background as an RN. My most recent reply probably sounds a bit patronizing, but I don't disagree with your overall point in that I'm not a preeminent expert on air quality. But nor am I an uniformed scaremonger. I do know enough to know that St. George's air quality is not dire, but it's not pristine. That is all I was trying to assert. It's good for particulate matter, but average (C letter grade) for ozone, and it's getting worse with the growth. St. George and surrounding areas have a massive sprawl problem. Everyone is building single family homes in Ivins, Santa Clara, Washington, Bloomington, and St. George (especially Little Valley) and the commuting and driving is starting to add up big time. We love it here, but the traffic is getting markedly worse in the 3 years we've been here.

As an aside, do you live in St. George and commute to Vegas for work? I would be interested in which hospital system you worked for. My best friend works at the district attorney's office in Vegas and I've often thought about taking the plunge and relocating.

[RunningRN]

Originally Posted by chahunt

Uhm, I never said that people don't live in St. George because of the air quality. What the. Reading comprehension helps. STG is going through a very big boom and growth period and that will continue, despite the "mediocre and bad air quality" that people here keep chiming about, but doesn't exist.

I was responding to this statement that you said earlier:

"If STG air quality was as bad as you claim it is, people wouldn't live there. We'd hear about it on the news and in articles. There would be major changes being done to help clean up the air quality, as SLC is now contemplating."

From what I can ascertain, you were asserting that if St. George's air quality were poor, people wouldn't live here. My counterpoint is that air quality can be poor and get worse and it doesn't necessarily deter people from moving there (or leaving). All of the forecasts for Utah's growth show massive growth in Iron County, Washington County, Salt Lake County, and Utah County.

[Code Stemi]

Originally Posted by RunningRN

I do know enough to know that St. George's air quality is not dire, but it's not pristine. That is all I was trying to assert.

Fair enough. I agree with that statement as well.

Originally Posted by RunningRN

As an aside, do you live in St. George and commute to Vegas for work? I would be interested in which hospital system you worked for. My best friend works at the district attorney's office in Vegas and I've often thought about taking the plunge and relocating.

If you would like to discuss pay, hospital systems, and working conditions I am happy to have that conversation via private message with you. I live in LV and visit STG often. I was in STG 15 years prior to that.

[Code Stemi]

Originally Posted by RunningRN

From what I can ascertain, you were asserting that if St. George's air quality were poor, people wouldn't live here. My counterpoint is that air quality can be poor and get worse and it doesn't necessarily deter people from moving there (or leaving). All of the forecasts for Utah's growth show massive growth in Iron County, Washington County, Salt Lake County, and Utah County.

It's not at the point where it's poor enough to keep people away or a deterrence from moving there, except of course for those with special conditions, as mentioned prior. If it were that poor, STG would do something about it because they are very pro growth in the city and county and want to keep the area growing.

In fact, I am in favor of having STG grow and bloom. It needs it. Same to be said with Iron County, I think that will be the next boom area and am eyeing real estate in the region.

[RunningRN]

Originally Posted by chahunt

Fair enough. I agree with that statement as well.

If you would like to discuss pay, hospital systems, and working conditions I am happy to have that conversation via private message with you. I live in LV and visit STG often. I was in STG 15 years prior to that.

Very cool. I'm new to this forum (it was recommended to me by another forum that I frequent) and I just happened to stumble upon this thread. I'm on UMC's mailing list and I see their postings.

I probably come across as overly dogmatic when it comes to air quality. Truth be told, I am very outspoken on this topic as cystic fibrosis runs in my extended family. My cousin had a double lung and heart transplant about 10 years ago and she moved from So Cal to Daybreak (South Jordan, UT) years after the surgery. A couple of years ago she had a lung function test performed and her respiratory function was so poor the medical team feared her body was rejected the organs. But when she moved back to So Cal (San Diego), everything cleared up. A major reason we left Salt Lake County was because of poor air quality. I want St. George to stay where it is, so I make a stink with local politicians to think about smart planning, incorporating smart density, walkable cities, and the like. Quality of life is what brought us to St. George, and I'll feel bad if we have to leave because growth ruined it.

[Code Stemi]

I understand. Yes Salt Lake and Utah counties have terrible air quality. Let me know if you have further hospital questions.

[oldtrader]

Here is the complete report from the AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION, who are experts on air quality and what it does to people for Washington County (St George).

It rates St George, as F for the year overall for Ozone. Down on the last pages, it even tells how many people in St George are effected by the bad air. The reason people do not see the bad air and it looks clear, is St George is one of the cleanest cities in the nation for PARTICLE POLLUTION. You don't see the Ozone Pollution which is so deadly as it is a clear gas generated largely with the heavy traffic through St George.

http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-conte...DF-version.pdf

[karenSG]

I had low normal lung capacity when I moved here. Three years later, I was shocked that I had to pause on brisk walks to catch my breath even though my legs still felt strong. I thought it was the altitude difference (grasping at straws) but it was a lung difference. Summers--especially July--are the most important season for me to avoid a lung infection. At least I can take better care of myself now that I know what's wrong, and that's a relief! I had no idea about the ozone level here, so thanks all for that information. Finally finding the right box on Weather Underground was new to me. Thanks, oldtrader, for that!