Hartford Hospital vs St. Francis Hospital

U.S.A. Connecticut

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Hi all,

I'm in the interview process with Hartford Hospital and St. Francis Hospital (Yale-New Haven as well... but it's quite the commute) for medical/surgical telemetry. I've heard good and bad things about both. Any opinions on which is better to work as a nurse?? Anything would help!! I'm from Rhode Island, so I have zero knowledge on either aside from what it says on their websites...

Thanks!

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Specializes in A little of this & a little of that.

They are both excellent hospitals to work for. Like everywhere, there's good and bad. I know several St. Francis nurses who recently switched to Hartford. Three were new grads who were offered better opportunties at Hartford.

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thanks for the reply... i've heard of a few people switching as well but for some reason st. francis still peaks my interest.... anyone else have opinions one way of another?

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I think Hartford Hospital will give you a better experience. The staff I worked with was very nice too which is always a plus! (on nuero/trauma and ob) I have done my clinicals there and absolutely love it. Some of my other classes went to St. Francis and told me they did not see much and were bored often.

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Specializes in Surgical/ Trauma critical care.

hey did u end up deciding which hospital was better for you?

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Specializes in Cardiology/Telemetry.

I've had all my clinicals at ST francis, but my regular day job is at HH. I can tell you that HH has had some problems in the past few years....from the new CEO transition and the fact that they were on some kind of warning/probation period for something pretty serious, but can't remember what off the top of my head.

SF seems to have a more stable set of directors/officers. Im just about to finish nursing school and if I wasn't moving to Pitt to be with my fiance I'd be applying at SF. Hope this was helpful.

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Specializes in Med Surg!.

I just started St. Francis new grad residency program and love it. They have been wonderful in every aspect and they have many new changes coming!! I worked at Hartford Hospital as CNA and I hated it. Everyone was mean and miserable all over the hospital. Go with st.frani!!! Good luck!!

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Hi Thornbird,

This thread is similar to my current dilemma. You mentioned that the St. Francis new grads were offered better positions at Hartford. Were those better positions because they were better fits for those individuals, less acuity, just general med-surg floors, etc? The pay at hospitals is not my concern because I just want to make sure that I get a good solid training program at a hospital with supportive staff where I can stay for many years. All St. Francis units are 95% tele, so any med-surg floor is actually more of a tele floor. Do you think the "better offers" were simply less tele? I did an externship on a tele floor so I know it can be very busy....

What is your take on St. Francis for a new grad in general? The training program is 3 weeks in class and 3 weeks with a preceptor, so this is significantly less of an orientation program then other hospitals I have interviewed and received offers from. That is a big concern for me.

Any input would be wonderful. Thank you!

Julie, RN

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Hi AlertOrientedx3,

Do you by any chance remember which floor it was that they felt bored on? Honestly, in my mind that is a good thing because as a new nurse there are many components to master to gain steady footing in our careers as nurses. So a floor where students may have felt bored would actually be wonderful for a new budding nurse. Some new nurses thrive off critical care and others, like me, like the calmer environment for their first acute care jobs.

I would love to know which floor they felt this way on, because I would request to start on that floor. They have given me the ability to request a certain unit.

Any reply would be wonderful. Thank you!

Julie, RN

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Hi JJmath215,

That's wonderful news about St. Francis! My question though is, you mention "new grad residency program". I was under the impression that St. Francis doesn't have a new grad residency program. They give 3 weeks of classroom learning and then 3 weeks with a preceptor and then you're on your own. How was it for you? Did you still receive support after the 3 week preceptorship was over?

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Specializes in Med Surg!.
Hi JJmath215,

That's wonderful news about St. Francis! My question though is, you mention "new grad residency program". I was under the impression that St. Francis doesn't have a new grad residency program. They give 3 weeks of classroom learning and then 3 weeks with a preceptor and then you're on your own. How was it for you? Did you still receive support after the 3 week preceptorship was over?

That is absolutly not true!! My residency was 6 months long as a new grad!! It was amazing and very supportive! After a year I switched to a critical care area and I had another 3 month orientation with a resource after that! This hospital is very supportive and you will always feel supported by other nurses!! Good luck

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Specializes in OR-ortho, neuro, trauma.

Any OR nurses at either hospital?? I'd love to ask you some questions! I'm at another CT hospital and will be looking to be at a hospital closer to home in a few years.

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