Pros
There's a sense of community and support that you don't always find in workplaces that have such a large number of employees, which lessons the heavy burden of the difficult (but usually rewarding) work that we all do. I have no hesitation about recommending to friends and family that they visit our ED over another area hospital, because I see the hard work and compassionate care that is provided in the department. Good benefits, kind and understanding department managers, and I personally find the food in the cafeteria to be pretty good 90% of the time. I'd also like to include a little shout out for how quickly the hospital responded to and adjusted daily operations to prepare for the arrival of covid-19 in Hampden County, implementing changes before any other area hospital. Overall I'm happy working at the hospital, I enjoy the people I work with, and I'm happy with the work I do.
Cons
Acknowledging the barriers that exist in the healthcare system, the pay is lower than comparable facilities in the local area, which is the downside of relying heavily on Medicare and Medicaid for reimbursement and less on private/commercial insurance providers (but not working for a corporation is nice, since the hospital is an independent entity under the Valley Health Systems umbrella). The employee handbook could benefit from a close review and revisions, particularly with how some articles within are worded (notably the shift differential pay section). There is a lack of accountability at times, particularly with how some issues are addressed, particularly with employee "seniority" seemingly playing a role. I can't speak to whether this is the case throughout the hospital, but I've observed it in some departments.