[pinksugar]

Originally Posted by Flagellum Dei

I've found the pay better than average, and the benefits in the top tier for the area. [For Example: we have a fully-funded pension - pretty rare these days.] The nursing management states that they have a mandate to be in the top 5% of area hospitals in salary for nurses. When I started five years ago JHH offered more than any other. There was a time when the management rode the "priviledge" thing too far. They found themselves with a large number of agency nurses and a reputation for parsimony that made recruitment difficult. Those days are largely in the past.

I think it's a great place to work. Aside from competitive pay and benefits, there exists at a place like JHH, almost unlimited potential for personal growth. There are nursing jobs in just about every conceivable specialty and subspecialty. The care is cutting-edge. And nurses are well-supported within the institution. For new grads there is a special orientation program that provides more general mentoring and most units have pretty good orientations.

There are downsides. The local area is not the nicest. The physical plant reminds me of St. Elsewhere (but new buildings are going up). It is a LARGE organization, and it can feel that way at times (the salary system is a bit byzantine). Within many areas a new-grad nurse might find himself overwhelmed (being number one isn't supposed to be easy), but if one unit doesn't work out, you can always try another.

I hope this helps. PM me if you have more questions. I'm not involved in recruitment so it's all "on background".

Good Luck,

Pete Fitzpatrick
RN, CFRN, EMT-P
Writing from the Ninth Circle

I hope what you say is true. I'd love to work there someday if the pay is good and I don't catch note of the arrogance. I had a great experience there in clinical. The patients were very interesting and I found that the hospital was very well-run and organized. However, many of the nurses on my floor complained about pay, benefits, and rotating shifts. Some of the nurses also said that they expected you to work a certain amount of time over 36 hours per week (without extra pay of course, since from my understanding they are salaried). That may be something that varies from unit-to-unit. This was less than a year ago.

Then there's the parking. Oy vey. You have to get lucky on Orleans St. or pay for parking, right? When I had clinical it was $10/day!

[Flagellum Dei]

I think you'll find it rare to hear a nurse say something like: "The pay here is really great, and my schedule is too easy." Complaining about pay and schedules is as old at the hats, whites and the lamp.

Is it still considered arrogance if you really are the best?

Pete

[gnursetobe]

Originally Posted by Flagellum Dei

Is it still considered arrogance if you really are the best?

Pete

I'm going to say no to that......

[pinksugar]

Originally Posted by Flagellum Dei

I think you'll find it rare to hear a nurse say something like: "The pay here is really great, and my schedule is too easy." Complaining about pay and schedules is as old at the hats, whites and the lamp.

Is it still considered arrogance if you really are the best?

Pete

No, technically it isn't. I don't really have a beef with the fact that they are the best. My beef is with that air of 'oh, it is a privilege to work here'. Now if it isn't like that anymore, well - that's cool. Like I said, I did have a truly great clinical experience there. I am doing critical care now and I would be lying through my teeth if I said that I wasn't the slightest bit interested in the beautiful critical care tower they are building.

You didn't say anything about the parking situation. Do you mind me asking where you park around there and how much you spend per week? We were only at the clinical site for 6-7 hours per day and it was $10/day to park in the garage.

I just want to say that I am not trying to be flip with you at all, Pete. I am interested in what you have to say about JHH and there were a few things that have put me off of it in the past. Debunk what I am saying all you want. One day you may have me as a co-worker.

[Flagellum Dei]

I really don't think the "priviledge" thing still exists throughout the institution. Like I said, it once was the norm, but it was found to be destructive. Some of that might still live in individual units. Hopkins is like a big city with lots of small neighborhoods - each unit has its own feel and personality.

Parking for nurses is, I think, about $60 a month. [Nurses get parking at half the price of the rest of the staff - please don't remind them.] Parking is taken out pretax, so it works out to less than that. Parking in Baltimore, I'm told, runs about $100 - $150 a month, so, in those terms, it's a pretty good deal.

The new critical care towers are, in fact, the largest hospital construction project currently ongoing in the US. They'll have a shared base, which will include the new main entrance, OR's, and vastly expanded adult and pediatric ED's. As they split, one will be the new Womens and Children's Center (with a 40-bed PICU), the other will be the ICU's. It will vastly change the hospital for the better, like I said before, the physical plant needs work.

Here some more on that:

http://www.jhu.edu/gazette/2006/12jun06/12ground.html

Did I miss anything?

Pete

[pinksugar]

Originally Posted by Flagellum Dei

Did I miss anything?

Pete

Nope! Thanks a lot for all of the info.

[dunurse007]

Hello,

I am a nursing student who will be graduating in 4 months and I have an interview with JHH in March, I was wondering if you could give me any sort of tips- I am a little anxious because I have heard different things. Can anyone explain to me what the "share time" means and how long it is? I am coming from out of state and I didn't get a time on how long that would be- b/c I need to schedule my flight. Also after you interview, what are the chances that you will get the job? lol I mean b/c JHH is one of the top in country. If anyone could give me any sort of insight, I would greatly appreciate it!

Vicki

[angel75]

I recently graduated from nursing school in Dec and will be taking boards at the end of this month. My husband has a strong possibility of getting an assignment to Fort Meade (May time frame). I am very interested in working for JH and any information about this facility would be greatly appreciated. Are there any other facilities that anyone would recommend in the Baltimore area (competitive salary, benefits etc.)?? Also, what is the starting salary for a new grad in the Baltimore area?? Thanks!!