The pay grades are determined on a yearly experience basis, but I wasn't making what someone who had 3 yrs experience when hired would be making after three years of working there. At least one employee cried every single shift I worked, staffing is set at absolute minimum number without consideration for the individual "neediness" of patient conditions, staffing matrix followed to the "T" when we were overstaffed, but totally overlooked if we were understaffed, patients who needed more care got only half of the time we should be spending with them while more independent patients were basically ignored, Physician orders were sometimes literally not possible, but expected nonetheless, I remember the very first day I worked after training (on my own), I had the entire floor to myself as a PCT (that's 24 patients), The stress was totally unbearable most of the time (hence the crying), when six people are on their call lights at once, and you still have all your standing orders to finish, and almost each call light you answer involves some half-hour task (typically involving either bodily fluids, or some totally asinine request like "up higher, no, too, high, oh no just a little lower, no, too low") If you work in health care don't expect a break to eat anything over a twelve hour shift. And despite that body mechanics and posture are rammed down your throat, don't be surprised if you are asked to move a 300+lb patient on your own, etc.etc.etc.