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by starcandy

Has anyone ever worked for Harper hospital or any of the major hospitals in Southeastern Michigan? I was thinking of working as a nurse extern at Harper and was very impressed with the Nephrology unit. I would like any info you guys can give me? I wil be graduating in May 04 and except clinical, I do not know anything about the hospitals in this area. What are the better hospitals to work in your opinion?

[lmkrn]

Hi! I also did clinical rotations at Harper but went on to work at another area hospital. The BIG players here are Henry Ford, Detroit Medical Center,St. John Hospital, Oakwood Hospital and finally Beaumont Hospital. All of these are health systems which have multiple smaller sattelite hospitals ,clinics and surgery centers. These systems all have good reputations and would be a great starting point. The pay (from what I hear ) is competitve amongst the big systems . Financially DMC ,St Johns and Henry Ford all have reported strain with DMC the most severe . All three of these hospitals provide a significant amount of care that is poorly reimbursed Medicare, Medicaid or fully uninsured. While it is unlikely any of them would go under completely some have "restructured" by closing some smaller hospitials in their systems. The safest bet would be main campus at one of these facilities . Good Luck!

[jenrninmi]

I used to work for William Beaumont - Troy. I loved it there. I don't personally know anything about Harper hospital except I don't think it's a very good area because it's in Detroit. I've also worked at Mt. Clemens General. I liked it there, but if give a choice, I would choose Beaumont.

[JACALA_CL]

I HAVE WORKED FOR THE DMC @ GRACE AND RECEIVING - BOTH GREAT HOSPITALS.
I WORKED AT GARDEN CITY HOSPITAL AND LOVED IT!

[starcandy]

[quote]Originally posted by JACALA_CL
[b]I HAVE WORKED FOR THE DMC @ GRACE AND RECEIVING - BOTH GREAT HOSPITALS.
I WORKED AT GARDEN CITY HOSPITAL AND LOVED IT! [/B

What specific things did you like about the hospitals?? I am trying to figure out what would be the best for me when I graduate in May. I am considering a nurse extern position at Harper. I noticed that the nurse extern and PCA's have a lot of duties. This is good for me because I will learn a lot. What were your nursing responsiblities, patient load and were you able to complete your duties in timely manner? Thanks

[JACALA_CL]

WHAT I LIKED MOST ABOUT WORKING FOR THE DMC WAS THE AMOUNT OF EDUCATION YOU WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE. THE DMC ENCOURAGES NURSES TO TAKE EXTRA TRAINING OR COURSES. (BLS, ACLS, TNCC, PALS, ENPC ETC.). WORKING FOR THE DMC AS AN EXTERN CAN GREATLY INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF A FULL TIME RN POSITION AFTER GRADUATION. YOU CAN TRANSFER BETWEEN DMC FACILITIES WITHOUT LOSING SENIORITY.
WHAT I LIKED MOST ABOUT GARDEN CITY HOSPITAL WAS THE FEELING OF COMMUNITY. NURSES WERE MORE THAN CO-WORKERS, THEY WERE FRIENDS. THIS IS TRUE OF ALL STAFF, NO MATTER THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION. THE DOCTORS ARE FABULOUS. THEY ARE ALL VERY APPROACHABLE AND WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION. THEY ENCOURAGE RN'S TO POSE TOPICS FOR MINI INSERVICES/EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.

HOPE THIS HELPS

[starcandy]

Thank you describing your experiences. I am thinking of maybe a neuro floor woould be good, but not ICU . I do not think I am ready for that yet. Thanks again.

[w8imp@yahoo.com]

"I don't personally know anything about Harper hospital except I don't think it's a very good area because it's in Detroit."

Don't pay the slightest attention to another Detroit basher. What do you mean by good area? I was born I a Detroit hospital in 1946. I worked in the main DMC campus for forteen years, all the while doing full-time volunteer work at my church, which is wilthin walking distance of my day job. For the past 20 years, I have walked around the "crime-ridden" Cass Corridor day and night, and the worst crime I have seen is "Hey man, got a quarter, cigarette, ect." or prositutes plying their wares. DMC hospitals are the best in the state in every specialty. I worked at Receiving ER for 14yrs, and then went to UofM ER for two years. U of M is world-renouned as a trauma center, although I can tell I can tell you some real horror stories in truama care there. U of M folks will be the last to tell you (since DMC is their biggest competitor) that Recieving is a regional burn center or that it was the first (and maybe the only) ATS certified Level I Trauma Center in the state.
If you are considering Neuro ICU, you couldn't do better than Harper without relocating!
I'm so sick of suburbanites saying anything in Detroit must be bad! I have lived and worked in Detroit (and yes, I am white) for over 20 years. According to FBI uniform crime statistics my chances of being mugged or car-jacked increase when I cross 8 Mile into Southfield.
Jon in Detroit.

[starcandy]

If you are considering Neuro ICU, you couldn't do better than Harper without relocating!

I noticed this also but choose to ignore it because I was trying to get to the bigger picture of experiences at Harper hospital. I realize it was probably ignorance of Detroit and the whole Detroit Medical Center. As a lifelong Detroiter thanks for your support.
By the way I am starting soon on a cardiovascular floor. Hopefully I will transfer to the neuro floor. Thanks for the support

[foxfire65]

Originally Posted by w8imp@yahoo.com

"I don't personally know anything about Harper hospital except I don't think it's a very good area because it's in Detroit."

Don't pay the slightest attention to another Detroit basher. What do you mean by good area? I was born I a Detroit hospital in 1946. I worked in the main DMC campus for forteen years, all the while doing full-time volunteer work at my church, which is wilthin walking distance of my day job. For the past 20 years, I have walked around the "crime-ridden" Cass Corridor day and night, and the worst crime I have seen is "Hey man, got a quarter, cigarette, ect." or prositutes plying their wares. DMC hospitals are the best in the state in every specialty. I worked at Receiving ER for 14yrs, and then went to UofM ER for two years. U of M is world-renouned as a trauma center, although I can tell I can tell you some real horror stories in truama care there. U of M folks will be the last to tell you (since DMC is their biggest competitor) that Recieving is a regional burn center or that it was the first (and maybe the only) ATS certified Level I Trauma Center in the state.
If you are considering Neuro ICU, you couldn't do better than Harper without relocating!
I'm so sick of suburbanites saying anything in Detroit must be bad! I have lived and worked in Detroit (and yes, I am white) for over 20 years. According to FBI uniform crime statistics my chances of being mugged or car-jacked increase when I cross 8 Mile into Southfield.
Jon in Detroit.

I agree the DMC is awesome, however I was considering going to school at Wayne State U and my professors at Wayne County Community College advised me not to. They all went to graduate school there and said people were robbed, mugged, carjacked etc. right on campus and even in some cases right in the schools hallways. That was scary to me.