[Mercy83]

Hello . I am a nursing student in Louisville and I've been browsing around this site for some time. I was told by several HR reps that the nursing shortage here in Louisville is only like 6%. My question is for all seasoned nurses and new grad nurses. What hospitals in or around the Louisville area are the best for new grad nurses as far a orientation, pay, benefits, etc.

I have a previous B.S. degree in Psychology and will be completing a BSN in the next few months. I'm concerned that without any knowledge about what other grad nurses in the are are being offered we're allowing ourselves to be taken advantage of. I've heard from people that Norton is better as far as pay, but they have layoffs. What do you think?

Thanks!!!

[NurseLKY]

I work at UL . I have been there for 7 years and love it. I think the starting pay is around $20.00. Besides pay you need to look at benefits. We have 4different types of insurance, short and long term disabilitiy, employee matched 403b, flex and sick time, multiple free health programs (yoga, kickboxing etc) and many more. There is also sign on bonuses for certin units. I have worked at private hospitals and will never go back. UL is very laid back and the nurses have very good relationships with the doctors. Hope this helps. If you need any other info just let me know

[Mercy83]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. I work for a Psych hospital and we get a lot of patients from U of L. What kind of preceptorship or orientation does U of L have for new nurses?

[NurseLKY]

I believe they have a 2 week hospital orientation. Then each unit/floor has an orientaton and they vary in lengths (4-6 weeks). If you need more they will help you out. We just wont throw you out there. If you work in critical care there is additional classes.

[RealNurseWitch]

Mercy, I'll bet you work where I work.

[Mercy83]

I probably do! THere aren't too many psych hospitals in the VILLE. GOOOOO CARDS!!!!!

[organichombre]

The Louisville VA hospital has the best benefits in town and despite what you may hear we are doing well here on Zorn. Hopefully soon the legislator will decide to build a new VA downtown and all us Vets will have a grand new facility!

[BBFRN]

Originally Posted by Mercy83

Hello . I am a nursing student in Louisville and I've been browsing around this site for some time. I was told by several HR reps that the nursing shortage here in Louisville is only like 6%. My question is for all seasoned nurses and new grad nurses. What hospitals in or around the Louisville area are the best for new grad nurses as far a orientation, pay, benefits, etc.

I have a previous B.S. degree in Psychology and will be completing a BSN in the next few months. I'm concerned that without any knowledge about what other grad nurses in the are are being offered we're allowing ourselves to be taken advantage of. I've heard from people that Norton is better as far as pay, but they have layoffs. What do you think?

Thanks!!!

I've been at Norton for over a year, and they have not had any lay offs. They did close a hospital (Norton Southwest), so maybe that's what you heard? All those people got first dibs on openings at other Norton facilities, though.
In 12 years of nursing in the area, I have never known a local hospital to lay off any one.
When I had started at Norton, I had come from 9 years at U of L Hospital. I got the same pay-for-experience that I had been receiving at U of L.

The highest paying hospital is Jewish, but their ratios suck. This was my experience, having done a short stint a la agency with them.

Norton downtown has the best ratios (5:1 med/surg, 3:1 TCU, and 1-2:1 ICU), but this is mainly because of the lay out of most of the bldg. They have mostly 9-10 bed pods, instead of units. There are a couple 16 bed TCUs where the ratio is 4:1, but this is not the norm. Also, unlike U of L, they will close beds when there is not enough staff available to care for patients. They would never have done that at U of L.

[SweetLadyJ]

Originally Posted by Mercy83

I was told by several HR reps that the nursing shortage here in Louisville is only like 6%.

6%? Are you sure? Where were the HR reps from?