Anyone from the South Suburbs of Chicago?

frann · Feb 28, 2002

My friend Roxy Young just moved up there to chicago last fall. Have you seen her? She is so much fun. We really do miss her.

She's a great nurse.

TracyB,RN, RN · Feb 28, 2002

Hey there. I live in the South 'burbs. No personal experience with Ingalls or Munster, a friend of mine works at St.James (OR registry) & really enjoys it. But OR is a different type of nursing than floor nursing, so it's probably difficult to compare working conditions. Another friend has had patient experience at St.James. It's liek any other hospital, opinions vary with each person. But I hear it's not a bad place to work. Hope this helps a little bit.

Hooligan · Feb 28, 2002

Thanks! I currently live in Chicago Heights and work at the University of Illinois at Chicago...that's quite a haul during rush hour...it takes an hour and ten minutes on a good day!! Ugh! Anyway, that's one of the many reasons I decided to go into nursing...I'm sick of the commute!!!! It seems like there are so few options for decent paying jobs in the south suburbs! I can't wait till I finish school! Anyway, thanks again for the info...St. James would be so nice...it would seriously only take 5 minutes to get there...o.k. maybe 10 if I hit all the traffic lights!!

~Bean

EXOTIC NURSE, RN · Feb 28, 2002

Chicagoan South Burber here too........I currently work in the south burbs and I am stressed at my job I have heard bad things about Ingalls but everyone has their own opinion and definition of bad ........There are two ST James Hospitals one on Pulaski near Olympia Fields Hospital and one in Chicago Heights I was going to explore the one on Pulaski to see how it is but I know for sure I do not want to travel to ST James in Chicago Heights as it is kind of too far for me to deal with. I do not know about the pay but from what I understood was that University of Chicago was the highest paying hospital in Illinois.......not University of IL of Chicago there is a difference; University of Chicago is located near Hyde Park off of Cottage Grove. I wish you well on your endeavors to find whatever you are looking for as I am going to start looking myself....lol................

Hooligan · Feb 28, 2002

Thanks Everyone!

Exotic Nurse: Don't forget the parking issues...I currently work and UIC and parking runs me $38.25 a month...Now I've heart that University of Chicago (I think that's where he said he worked) charged $80 somthing a month for parking. That may be partly why they pay more. Also don't forget about the value of your time...unless you work 3rd shift, the time spent in traffic is horrible!!!! Also gas and wear and tear on your car. I guess I am ideally looking for somewhere where I don't have a huge commute...that has become VERY important to me! I have no idea how my father (or anybody for that matter) did it for virtually his whole working career. Anyway...these are just things I'm taking into consideration. Of course...job satifaction and working conditions do take priority...I definately don't want to work somewhere where I'm going to be miserable...I don't care how close it is!!! THanks for responding!

TracyB,RN, RN · Feb 28, 2002

Hey, but if you work nights, you get free parking :) I am actually thinking of the opposite & trying the commute. I am starting to get a little exasperated with the politics of the hospitals here in the "burbs" I want to work surgery & of course, having no surg experience, doesn't get you in the OR in the burbs if you don't know the right person. Chicago hospitals seem like they have better tuition benefits. I am just starting to explore this, so I could be wrong.

Bean, have you checked out St.James website yet? They are affiliated with Olympia Fields, now. Maybe you can call the recruiter & ask to shadow for a day in the units you are interested in. I hear what you are saying about working conditions. I am 10 minutes from one hospital & 15 from the other, & I REFUSE to go to either one b/c of working conditions. I figure, if I hated it during clinical, chances are good that I won't enjoy working there, either.

GOOD LUCK

Hooligan · Feb 28, 2002

TracyB: Free parking on nights...really? That does seem better! Thanks for the suggestion of shaddowing! I'm a long way off from actually narrowing down a postion though. I'm still doing my pre-requisites and won't be officially in the nursing program till Fall 2003. God that's such a source of irritation for me!! I so want to quit my job now and start the program full on but finances dictate otherwise! Oh, also...I more than likely will get a chance to see what Ingalls is like since I'm pretty sure that that's where our clinicals are out of. Thanks for the suggestions!

~Bean

skap · Mar 2, 2002

Bean-

I live in the suburbs of Chicago, I work at Children's in Chicago and really enjoy it. Work nights, traffic is good 35-45 min on a good day, free parking, good pt to nurse ratio. I went to school out in in the burbs...where are you going? A lot of graduates from our year went to work at St. James and at that time Olympia Fields Osteo, and South Suburban. Granted the commute would be great working in the suburbs, but I've heard the patient to nurse ratio at St. James is bad...made one of my friends leave. Good luck in your decision. Skap

Hooligan · Mar 2, 2002

Skap,

Thanks for the info. I currently go to South Suburban Community College. I'm going the ADN route since I already have a BA in english. Thanks for the info on St. James! 35 - 45 minutes isn't that bad... expecially for Children's...are you referiing to Children's Memorial in Evanston? That IS quite a haul from the burbs...and if it only takes you 35 -45 that's really not bad! Thanks again!

judy ann · Mar 12, 2002

I lived in the south burbs many years ago and worked at St James in the Heights for 20 years. It was a nice place then, and I understand it still is. My sister is a nurse and lives in Peotone, so I keep in touch. The one on Pulaski was South Suburban when I was there and we didn't "talk about it. " Ingalls had a somewhat "tainted" reputation then, but I understand that they have cleaned it up. (Their reputation that is) Hope this helps. There is also a St. Somebody in Indiana that always got good reports, but I don't remember who or where it is.

BigC · Mar 12, 2002

I live in NW Indiana and know munster community hospital......had my daughter there.....nice hopsital, actually I'm interviewing next month for a nursing externship there. Good Luck