Destination: Raleigh & Durham
Don Vaughan

Over the years, Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina have become so conjoined in the public eye that it’s easy to forget they’re two separate and very distinct cities, each with its own heart, soul, and unique career opportunities for nurses.

Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina. It was founded in 1792 and named for Sir Walter Raleigh, who attempted to establish the first English colony on the shores of the new world in the 1580s. Raleigh’s founding fathers called it “The City of Oaks,” and several massive oak trees planted during the city’s inception still provide comforting shade in Moore Square Park, home of Raleigh’s signature copper acorn.

With a population of more than 311,000, Raleigh is the largest city in Wake County and, with Durham and Chapel Hill, comprises what is commonly referred to as the Triangle.

Known as the “City Of Medicine, USA,” Durham is also home to Research Triangle Park, Duke University, and North Carolina Central University. Photo by Flying Fotos, courtesy of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau

Although it’s a large and flourishing municipality, Raleigh has lost none of its Southern charm and hospitality — a factor that makes it a wonderful place to live and work. In recent years, the city has received many accolades, including Best Business Climate (Site Selection, November 2001-November 2002), Best City in the South for Entrepreneurs (Entrepreneur, October 2002), Healthiest Place to Live (Outlook, July/August 2002), and Best Place to Live and Work (Employment Review, June 2002). But that’s not all. In 2003, Forbes magazine rated Raleigh/Durham the third-best place for business and careers in the US.

Durham, which lies approximately 25 miles northwest of Raleigh, has evolved over the years from a small tobacco town to a thriving municipality with a population of 234,000 and international renown for state-of-the-art healthcare and medical research. This should come as no surprise considering that Durham is home to Research Triangle Park, Duke University Medical Center, and Duke University and North Carolina Central University. As a result, Durham proudly refers to itself as “The City of Medicine” and “A County With Merit” (medicine, education, research, industry, and technology).

Durham has a long and rich history. Before European settlers arrived, it was home to two Native American tribes — the Eno and the Occoneechi. Its beauty was first chronicled in 1701 by explorer John Lawson, and by the mid 1700s Scottish, Irish, and English colonists settled on land granted to John Carteret, Earl of Granville, by King Charles I.

The town of Durham was established in 1853, and it soon became known for its tobacco production. John Green of the Blackwell Tobacco Company named his product Bull Durham Tobacco and ultimately gave Durham its nickname — the Bull City. In 1890, James B. Duke formed the American Tobacco Company, which made him quite wealthy. In his later years, eager for a legacy, Duke donated millions of dollars to Trinity College, which in 1924 renamed itself Duke University, now one of the world’s foremost institutions of higher learning.

The weather in Raleigh and Durham is fairly moderate, boasting warm, sunny summers, cool falls highlighted by stunning foliage, and brisk winters that see an average of three to five inches of snow. According to the National Weather Service, the average high in January is 50 F and the average low is 9 F. In June, the average high is 85 F and the average low is 62 F.

On Duty

Because the Raleigh/Durham region is so attuned to healthcare and medical research, the nursing shortage there is not as severe as it is in other parts of the country. “Based on conversations throughout the area, the nursing shortage [in the Raleigh/Durham area] has cautiously lifted, at least temporarily, except in emergency and critical-care nursing areas,” says Linda Horton, RN, workforce initiatives coordinator with the North Carolina Hospital Association. “We currently have a large number of qualified nursing school applicants waiting to get into training programs.”

According to a 2002 study conducted by the North Carolina Center for Nursing, the average vacancy rate for RN positions in the Raleigh/Durham area is approximately 14%, compared to 8.5% for North Carolina’s coastal region and 11.1% in the Fayetteville area. And nursing salaries in North Carolina are competitive with other regions of the Southeast, Horton says, although some hospitals also offer incentive bonuses to attract nurses to hard-to-fill vacancies.

It should be noted that North Carolina is a member of the Interstate Compact Agreement, which means that nurses working in other Compact states with unrestricted licenses can also work in North Carolina. The nearest Compact state is Virginia, and nurses there often cross the border to work 12-hour shifts in short-staffed North Carolina hospitals.

North Carolina is home to five hospitals with Magnet designation. Although there are none in Raleigh or Durham, Horton says several are considering applying for Magnet designation. Of special note, however, is Duke University Medical Center in Durham. The hospital was ranked sixth by U.S. News & World Report in its 2003 America’s Best Hospitals survey, scoring high in 12 specialties, including cancer, digestive disorders, geriatrics, and gynecology.

Nurses looking for additional education — or the opportunity to mentor a student nurse — have many excellent nursing programs from which to choose. Watts School of

Nursing in Durham offers a diploma nursing program. Graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN and receive their RN license upon successful completion and satisfaction of other licensure requirements.

Duke University and North Carolina Central University, both located in Durham, and the University of North Carolina in nearby Chapel Hill, offer four-year BSN nursing programs. Those seeking an associate degree can choose from Durham Technical Community College or Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh. Graduates of these schools’ approved associate/applied science programs earn a college degree and are eligible to take NCLEX-RN.

Off Duty

Raleigh and Durham are distinctly separate cities, but they are close enough geographically that they offer a remarkable array of nightlife, culture, and amusement. Due to the large number of colleges and universities in and around the Triangle, much of the area’s social scene is geared toward those in their 20s and early 30s, but don’t let that keep you home — there is still plenty to do if your college years are long behind you.

Fabulous food. North Carolina is renowned for its delicious cuisine, and Raleigh and Durham offer more than their share of fine dining experiences. Barbecue, of course, is one of the state’s proudest traditions. In Raleigh, some of the best can be found at the Barbecue Lodge, Cooper’s Barbecue, Don Murray’s BBQ, and Red Hot and Blue. In Durham, barbecue aficionados satisfy their cravings at Bullock’s Bar-B-Que, Byrd’s Bar-B-Que, and Danny’s Bar-B-Que. If you’re new in town, be aware that North Carolina boasts two distinct kinds of barbecue — the traditional smoked barbecue with a tangy tomato-based sauce, and Eastern Carolina barbecue, which is chopped pork with a spicy, vinegar-based sauce. Most restaurants serve the latter on a bun, often with a dollop of coleslaw on top.

If you’re in the mood for good, old-fashioned American cuisine, Raleigh hosts a wide variety of establishments, including the Carolina Ale House, Gregory’s at Peachtree Market, Lucky 32, Stonewood’s Grill and Tavern, and Michael Dean’s. Durham also has its share of fine American restaurants, including Babette’s, Bluz Eatery and Spirits, Devine’s Restaurant and Sports Bar, Green’s Grill, and Joe & Jo’s Downtown.

It’s a common misconception that North Carolinians eschew any food that isn’t fried. In truth, Raleigh and Durham are home to a spectacular array of international restaurants, ranging from Blue Nile Ethiopian Cuisine and Trin B’ago Caribbean Restaurant (both in Durham) to Café Momo, Taj Mahal, and Ristorante Cinelli in Raleigh. Whatever your gastronomic craving, the two cities can satisfy it.

Sports aplenty. Sports in Raleigh and Durham isn’t just a pastime, it’s practically a religion. This is especially true when it comes to college athletics, where age-old football and basketball rivalries are bitter and hard fought. But you don’t have to be a Duke or North Carolina State grad to feed your sports addiction.

Baseball fans have two home teams to cheer for — the Durham Bulls and the Carolina Mudcats. The Durham Bulls, made famous in the 1988 movie Bull Durham that starred Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon, are the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Bulls are the current International League champions, and they play at the stunning Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which is referred to by the locals as the DBAP.

The Carolina Mudcats are the Double-A affiliate of the world champion Florida Marlins. The team plays at Five-County Stadium in nearby Zebulon, a throwback to the era of old-time baseball when a hot dog didn’t require a bank loan and you sat so close to the field you could actually hear the crack of the bat.

Hockey fans go wild for the Carolina Hurricanes. This exciting NHL team plays at the RBC Center in Raleigh, a state-of-the-art venue that’s usually packed to the rafters with screaming Caniacs.

If golf is more your game, you’re in luck because Raleigh and Durham boast some of the finest public and private courses in the South, with degrees of difficulty for every player and greens fees for every budget. And because of the region’s moderate climate, you can usually play well into the fall months.

North Carolina’s capitol in Raleigh is at the center of a six-acre park that also offers statues, park benches, and shaded walkways. Photo courtesy of the Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Cool culture. As two modern cities steeped in Old South heritage, Raleigh and Durham are extraordinarily rich in history and culture. A complete listing would require another entire article, but some of the City of Oak’s cultural and historical attractions include the state capitol, the North Carolina Museum of Art, Historic Oakwood, and the African-American Cultural Complex.

Durham is also deservedly proud of its cultural and historical attractions. Among the most impressive are Bennett Place State Historic Site; Historic Stagville; Duke University Museum of Art; and Duke University Chapel, which writer Aldous Huxley cited as “the most beautiful and successful experiment in neogothic form in the world.

The Duke University Chapel is the neogothic centerpiece of the school’s west campus. Photo by Flying Fotos, courtesy of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Living Well

The cities of Raleigh and Durham offer almost everything someone looking to relocate could want, including affordable housing, close proximity to several renowned colleges and universities, numerous churches, and an effective public transportation system.

The cost of housing in Raleigh and Durham is lower than many other regions of the country, making the cities desirable destinations for retirees and others. A 1998 study of housing costs conducted by Ernst & Young LLP ranked Raleigh-Durham fifth in the nation among affordable housing markets, and the depressed economy has kept home prices relatively stable. In Durham, condominiums and townhouses can be had for less than $100,000, and three-bedroom, single-family homes can be found in the $150,000 range, according www.ncrealtyguide.com. Similar homes in Raleigh cost slightly more, depending on the part of town, but nice homes can be found for almost any budget. In addition, affordable apartments are plentiful, with many apartment complexes offering financial incentives to lure new renters.

Public transportation in Raleigh is provided by Capital Area Transit (CAT), which provides bus service throughout the city from early morning until late at night. However, unlike many large cities, bus service is unavailable on Sundays and major holidays. The Durham Area Transit Authority (DATA) manages bus service in Durham.

The Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) is a regional public transportation provider that offers transit services to the greater Triangle area and outlying counties. Its services include a regional bus line with connector shuttles, vanpool service that brings commuters into the major work centers, and a rideshare matching service. The TTA is currently investigating the feasibility of a regional rail system that would link the Triangle together, but it won’t be available for a few years if the project is undertaken.

What You Can See for a C-Note

You’ve had a busy week at work, but now you finally have a day off. Better yet, you have $100 to spend on yourself! What is there to do in Raleigh and Durham for that c-note? Much more than you ever anticipated.

Let’s get up early and have a quick breakfast at Courtney’s, a Raleigh favorite known for its filling and inexpensive breakfasts ($10). From there, we’ll head downtown where, like Washington, DC, many of the coolest things are free. We’ll start at the North Carolina Museum of History, where the state’s past is vividly brought to life (free). Across the street is the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, where exhibits range from the state’s indigenous flora and fauna to the dinosaurs that called it home long before man arrived. The museum is free, but there is usually an admission for special exhibits.

Just down the street we can tour the state capitol, a national historic landmark built in the 1830s and revered as a remarkable example of the Greek Revival architectural style. After that, we’ll check out the North Carolina Executive Mansion, which President Franklin D. Roosevelt called “the most beautiful governor’s mansion [interior] in America.” Both attractions are free, but you’ll need to make reservations a week in advance for a guided tour of the North Carolina Executive Mansion.

History can be tiring, so let’s break for lunch at The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, where we can wash down a yummy meal with one of 80 different beers on tap and 120 in bottles ($20).

After lunch, it’s a quick trip to Durham via I-40 and the Durham Freeway. We’ll start with the Duke Homestead State Historic Site and Tobacco Museum, a national historic landmark that features the Duke family’s mid-1800s home, tobacco barns, and original factory. A special highlight is the living history demonstrations of life on a typical yeoman farm in the 1800s (free).

Next up is a visit to the Duke University Primate Center, a unique research and study facility that’s home to 260 endangered prosimian primates, which include lemurs and Coquerel’s Sifakas. Visitors can take an outside walking tour then go inside to view nocturnal prosimians. Tours are $6 and given by appointment only.

It’s getting late, so let’s treat ourselves to dinner at Bennett Pointe Grill, a local hangout where the service is as good as the food ($25). We’d better hurry up, though because we don’t want to miss the first pitch of the evening’s Durham Bulls game at the DBAP, where you can purchase great seats for just $8.50 (plus we’ll spend $15 for snacks and a program). After the game, we’ll take a leisurely drive back to downtown Raleigh for a nightcap at Tir Na Nog, a popular Irish pub where the beer is cold but the company is warm and friendly ($15).

Raleigh and Durham offer big-city living with Old South charm. But it’s the Triangle region’s emphasis on health and medicine that makes it the perfect destination for nurses in search of new and challenging career opportunities.