Sentara Hospitals (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News: crime rate, home, safest area)

[ihrtmoosen]

Hey. I'm graduating in a few months and considering moving to the area from Roanoke. I'm interested in the network of hospitals through Sentara (Norfolk/VA Beach area). I'll be working as a MT (some call it lab technologist or clinical lab scientist). If anyone is familiar with the hospitals and where the best place for a new MT would be please let me know!

I'm a little worried about the crime rate in Norfolk and the traffic in both areas.

Hands-down if you were a 20 something graduate with no strings attached which area and hospital would you choose?

Thanks!

[lmjohnson123]

Sentara is a great palce to work for. I worked for them part time and they have great 401K, lots of hosptial locations in case you don't like Norfolk General. There are other hosiptals but I doubt they have as good benefits and pay.

A new location opened in Suffolk (OBICI). very nice and new.

[Wi_Girl]

I dont know much about the jobs there but I stayed at the Williamsburg Sentara when I had back surgery and the hospital was AWESOME. Great people, great atmosphere. Williamsburg is also a great location. I'd check there as well. Good luck!

[lespev]

I've worked at CHKD for the last 5 years. I work evening shift and love it. I've never worked at any other hospital but Sentara Norfolk is right next to us and a few MT at CHKD work there PT or PRN. A lot of people at CHKD have also once worked for Sentara. Yes Sentara does pay a little more and the benefits are supposedly better. From what I've been told the work load is a lot more. We keep on going back and forth on start pay...currently CHKD start pay is 18.00 an hour for MT....3.00 evening shift diff.....and I think 5 dollar night shift diff....not positive on that one though...We also get 2.00 and hour weekend shift diff which I know Sentara does not offer. I don't know Sentara's shift diffs. So you have to compare all things.....I am not sure what start pay at Sentara is for a new MT but it may be 18.50? We keep on increasing our start pay at CHKD to try and match Sentara so it may go up even more. When I started 5 years ago at CHKD start pay was only 14.25 and now is 18.00 so we've come up some.

As for the Norfolk area...downtown Norfolk that is...it is really nice and not all that much crime. There is MacArthur Mall close by, a lot of bars (Granby street is a cool place to hang out, Waterside has some night life, and Colley Street has some cool places to eat, hang out). I always feel safe and there are parking garages at CHKD/Sentara that have security. I live in VA Beach and the commute to work is about 25 min. but I go to work at 2pm when there isn't much traffic. If you work day shift traffic, is a lot heavier. But if you lived in Downtown Norfolk you wouldn't have to worry about that.

Hope this helped.

Leslie

[Erma]

Originally Posted by ihrtmoosen

Hey. I'm graduating in a few months and considering moving to the area from Roanoke. I'm interested in the network of hospitals through Sentara (Norfolk/VA Beach area). I'll be working as a MT (some call it lab technologist or clinical lab scientist). If anyone is familiar with the hospitals and where the best place for a new MT would be please let me know!

I'm a little worried about the crime rate in Norfolk and the traffic in both areas.

Hands-down if you were a 20 something graduate with no strings attached which area and hospital would you choose?

Thanks!

Sentara Leigh and Virginia Beach General would be your best bet if you want to stay in the VABeach/Norfolk area without going to Norfolk General.

[gallowsCalibrator]

From my experiences with many hospitals in this area, I'd really have to say that I like Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News.

It all depends on where you want to be and what you want nearby.

[Trevor92]

I really wouldn't worry about your safety at Norfolk General, the medical complex there has very good security and it's located in Ghent, one of the safest areas of Norfolk. Also Hampton Roads is consistently rated as one of the metro areas with the least traffic backups/stops in the nation. But yeah, rush hour heading into work and back home can get on your nerves if you let it.

As for working at the hospital itself, and I've talked to many people that do, in several of the hospitals, many members of the staff were much happier years ago before the Sentara takeover of local healthcare, especially in Suffolk. Though they're generally professional enough so to only speak highly of the takeover around patients. Community-run hospitals are generally much less profit-driven and much more patient-centered than larger chains. Though most of those are disappearing for the chains like Sentara. But being a MT, you may never notice this in your job. I would also agree with lespev, CHKD, right next to Norfolk General may provide a much better atmosphere in general. And you should get paid very well and have access to the latest technology, which is a plus of larger chains. Overall, if you want to work in a larger city, you would probably be very happy with your options in Hampton Roads with all the possibilities of working locations and the cities themself. But I do want to prepare you for some of the downsides, which a job anywhere would have.

[Bong477]

For a single person, work at CHKD or Norfolk General and live in Ghent. It's a nice area with a lot to do. Safety shouldn't be a daily concern beyond locking your doors, etc. There's plenty of people your age in the area and there is nightlife within walking distance on Colley Ave and you are right next to downtown which has even more nightlife and things to do (walking distance as well in theory... but a little farther and through an area that is not somewhere I'd recommend walking at 2am a little drunk), MacArthur center mall, etc.

Make sure you can afford it first though, it is a little expensive. I'm not sure if your $40k'ish a year will provide for a comfortable enough lifestyle... check out the rents and stuff first.