[NSUNurse2b]

Hi,
I will be graduating in May 2008. I have received a job offer from UVA Hospital on PICU, but as I started to read and study more about peds, I have become more and more interested in this population, and now I want to work at a hospital that solely takes care of peds! I began looking at some Children's Hospitals, and I came across CHLA, and their new grad RN Residency program sounds like it is a winner. I am not too concerned with the money part of it (at least not at the moment) I really just want to get a good experience and a really good orientation that will allow for a lot of learning, but also making sure the new grad is ready to practice alone once the residency is finished. Does anyone know anything about CHLA? Environment? About the RN Residency? Population?
Thanks

[mercyteapot]

I graduated from USC and had clinicals at CHLA. I have received a few of the electronic RN Residency newsletters. I just looked in my email and have them stored from last July, which might be when they started publishing it. If you'd like me to forward them to you, I'd be happy to do that. PM me with your email if you're interested.

I don't have direct experience with the residency. I hope you get other replies to this request.

[nursebea02]

I worked there as a travel nurse in the CTICU. I don't know anything about the internship program, but I enjoyed working there. Good Luck.

[NSUNurse2b]

Originally Posted by nursebea02

I worked there as a travel nurse in the CTICU. I don't know anything about the internship program, but I enjoyed working there. Good Luck.

Thank you. How was CTICU? Were the nurses friendly? Do they have a lot of travelers? Really sick kids?

[nursebea02]

Originally Posted by NSUNurse2b

Thank you. How was CTICU? Were the nurses friendly? Do they have a lot of travelers? Really sick kids?

The CTICU was a good unit. Small enough to know everyone, but big enough to get the super sick kids. The nurses were friendly. They did have a lot of travelers. Several travelers stayed on for several assignments. The hospital it's self is old, but they are building a new tower. The pay is lower than other hospitals around, but you learn a lot. It's a young staff. (at least when I was there) I was going to sign on there as staff, but didn't for reasons unrelated to the hospital. I would recommend it.

[mercyteapot]

Originally Posted by nursebea02

The CTICU was a good unit. Small enough to know everyone, but big enough to get the super sick kids. The nurses were friendly. They did have a lot of travelers. Several travelers stayed on for several assignments. The hospital it's self is old, but they are building a new tower. The pay is lower than other hospitals around, but you learn a lot. It's a young staff. (at least when I was there) I was going to sign on there as staff, but didn't for reasons unrelated to the hospital. I would recommend it.

Yes, it is still a young staff. I think some of that might just be related to logistics. The surrounding neighborhoods either aren't particularly safe to live in or are prohibitively expensive, or both. Parking is really difficult, although there is the subway station right across the street. I wonder if some of these urban type hassles don't just wear on staff over the years, which would explain some of the turnover.

Also, with LA traffic being what it is, I think as people have families, they might be choosing to work somewhere closer to home.

[NSUNurse2b]

Originally Posted by nursebea02

The CTICU was a good unit. Small enough to know everyone, but big enough to get the super sick kids. The nurses were friendly. They did have a lot of travelers. Several travelers stayed on for several assignments. The hospital it's self is old, but they are building a new tower. The pay is lower than other hospitals around, but you learn a lot. It's a young staff. (at least when I was there) I was going to sign on there as staff, but didn't for reasons unrelated to the hospital. I would recommend it.

Yeah the starting pay for new grads in the residency is what I will make if I choose to stay in Virginia, and I know LA is way more expensive than Virginia Beach, so that's one of the main things I'm worried about, and like Mercyteapot said, all of the areas aren't so good or they are really expensive, and I don't want either. Its so much to think about. I want to move back home with my mom!!!! I don't know if I'm ready to be an adult in the real world yet! The closer I get, the more anxious and nervous I am!