Perspective of an RN: Most days I feel I must put my license on the line to meet the needs/provide basic patient care.
Pros
Available overtime for those who need it, Varying shift options to meet most schedules, Generous shift diff, Decent health insurance for a long time (BCBS) but recently switched to United Health Care in many hospitals which may soon becom a "con". Opportunity to relocate. Flexible schedule for nurses when time off or schedule change is needed. Friendly staff for the most part and taff works together well as a team most of the time. Ideal location and nice campus- Grounds as a whole have the potential to look much nicer and add amenities that would make it a more desirable place to choose. FSA Account, Vision, Dental, decent benefits options (though would expect a company of this size to contribute more).
Cons
Poor hospital management- cares more about filling beds than if it is safe to do so, dangerously high nurse-to-patient ratios, Dangerously short staffing total number (lacking a sufficient number of both nurses and technicians), Very high turnover. Lack of supplies and equipment to properly and safely do your job, Poor technology utilization- Most floors do not even have a computer. All nursing paperwork must be written by hand on every patient. Not even a computer to use a a resource (medications, patient care info, looking up phone numbers, etc.) Very poor investment in employees such as advancement, certifications, education. No reimbursement for things the company/hospital could benefit from (TB certification, board certification in specialized areas, continuing education, ACLS/PALS, etc. Accepts high acuity patients but does not prepare staff to care for them with neither skills nor adequate medical equipment.
