I am starting nursing school next Wed (01-17-07) and I am going through Research College of Nursing. I have no hospital experience and I am taking the plunge of leaving the corporate world and going to nursing school. I have heard nothing but bad things about HCA hospitals in the area. I've been told by more than one person that HCA is the WORST place to work as a nurse and they treat their employees terrible. Well, let me tell you, I currently work at a major telecommunications company and I've been through the ringer and I can just as well say my current company treats all their employees terrible. I am committed to work 3 years in the HCA division at a hospital (of my choice) in the area after school. However, since I've never worked in the medical field before, I have no basis to compare HCA hospitals to other hospitals in the area. Can anyone explain why HCA has such a horrible reputation? I also hear that they are unionized and I currently work with the support of a union, so I really don't see this as being a bad thing. But I don't know how unions are in a hospital setting. Can someone, anyone please provide a comparison to HCA hospitals (Research, Independence Regional, Baptist) to Truman, St Lukes, Liberty, KU, etc? Pay for new grads? Specific examples would be great! Thanks!

I can't help much, but I will try. I only have experience with one HCA hospital, during clinical. It was by far my least favorite clinical site. The rooms were tiny, hospital floor was disorganized, and hated the computer system that they used. A lot of the nurses on the floor were agency or PRN there and worked full time for another hospital.

I would only take this with a grain of salt since, as I said, this was my clinical experience and actually working there may be completely different.

I believe if you google HCAmidwest, you will find a report on the job satisfaction of nurses at HCA facilities. The report is not pretty unfortunately:(

Hope this helps and good luck to you,

TL

Thanks HospitalStaph, I aperciate your input! I couldnt find the report on Google that you mentioned.

I don't graduate until 05-2009 so hopefully by the time I enter the working force, conditions would have improved. *Keeping hope alive*

Here is the link to that report:

http://www.aft.org/healthcare/news/downloads/HCAMidwest.pdf

TL

Here is the link to that report:

http://www.aft.org/healthcare/news/downloads/HCAMidwest.pdf

TL

Thanks for posting the link. It seems to me the same complaints in this report is about the same complaints I hear about nursing in general. Mostly about the nursing shortage and the working 12 hours without a break, along with doing other non-related nursing duties, as well as floating nursing. I know a LPN that works at Truman and she pretty much have the same complaints. If the HCA is unionized, it seems to me they are working to protect the rights of the employee. At least that what I assume. I notice this report is dated 2004. Hopefully, patient to nurse ratio would be reasonable once I graduate in 2009. Like I said, keeping hope alive.