Are there nurses here who have worked for Kindred Hospitals?

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2005

I have done agency at Kindred. What state are you in because they are called Vencor now here in Texas. I remember having 7 patients or so all with IV's and treatments. I liked it because you had to keep going to get it all done. Then just about when you are about to drop dead ,your relief comes.

Hello nurses:)
I'm searching hospitals on the website, and monster.com sent me emails about Kindred Hospitals. I have never heard of Kindred, and would like some input from those of you who have. What are they like to work for? How's their staffing ratios? How do they treat their nurses?
Thanks for any input you can share with me, or "PM" me.
Renee:)

suzanne4, RN · Jul 20, 2005

It is a rehab type facility, not an acute care hospital. Most of the patients are vent dependent and the RT is your new best friend. You will work in tandem with them on most cases.

Mulan · Jul 20, 2005

I saw an ad of theirs a couple of days ago, they were offering a $6000.00 sign on bonus, so I figured it must not be a very good place to work.

live4today, RN · Jul 20, 2005

Hmmm...doesn't sound like a place I'd be comfortable in, so guess I won't give it a shot. :uhoh21: Thanks for the input everyone. :)

zacarias, ASN, RN · Jul 20, 2005

There's a Kindred here locally and I would never work there because I can't imagine long-term acute care. Many are stroke victims or quadroplegics and it takes a special person to work day in and day out with that population.

A fellow nursing student worked as a nurse tech there and then later a nurse after graduation. I'm not sure why she stayed so long but finally after a six months she left stating it was horrible place.

I think it's great they have those type of facilities but I think the nurses who work their get the short end of the stick.

peruviannurse25 · Jul 20, 2005

Hi,

I work PRN for Kindred in Arlington TX, and I have nothing but good things to report. I have been there only 3 weeks, but just from the thorough orientation I recieved, I feel so comfortable with my daily nursing duties. I read a post that said RT are your "new best friends" and I think that is true. RN's, LVN's, PT, RT, OT all work closely and well together. The work is intense as the patients are sick. But, the learning is good. (and so is the money!)

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Jul 20, 2005

I thought the Arlington and Mansfield Texas Kindred's seemed like good facilities. I took a different job, but did spend some time at both and they seemed good.

Nurseinthemaking · Jul 20, 2005

Hi,
I work PRN for Kindred in Arlington TX, and I have nothing but good things to report. I have been there only 3 weeks, but just from the thorough orientation I recieved, I feel so comfortable with my daily nursing duties. I read a post that said RT are your "new best friends" and I think that is true. RN's, LVN's, PT, RT, OT all work closely and well together. The work is intense as the patients are sick. But, the learning is good. (and so is the money!)

Hi Peruvian Nurse, I am in North Ft. Worth, do you know if they hire GVN's? I have been looking into Kindred, I hear people say they don't like it, but stroke victims and quad's need nurses too. There is a Kindred in Downtown Ft. Worth, I am going to run by there before I go to Clinicals at Cook's today, maybe something will come of it.

3 weeks to go!!!!!! Yeehaw!!!

MOnurse · Jul 20, 2005

I work agency here in MO and staff two Kindred locations. The downtown hospital is a nightmare, of course this is my job security. They are always understaffed, call offs/no shows everyday, I have seen a nurse walk out twice, disorganized and not 'pro' nurse. It needs total reconstruction. The South county Kindred is a new facility and so far is more organized, a little more nurse friendly. Still busy busy busy-acute care, all vents, 90% contact isolation, most full code, etc. But again, job security.

MoNurse :)

live4today, RN · Jul 20, 2005

Hmmmm.....Alrighty then! Definitely doesn't sound like a place I should work and risk my license at. :rolleyes: Thanks for all the replies. I've been out of the loop so long, I really need feedback about where I should take my "aging nurse self". :rotfl:

I spoke to my daughter (nurse in TX) who told me she has never had any positive feedback about the Kindred facilities in TX....only "stay farrrr away" replies. So...don't have to tell me to stay away more than thrice. :)

RN34TX · Jul 22, 2005

I worked for one of their facilities when I lived in Dallas. I could write a book but here's a small glimpse:

A nursing supervisor physically pushed a CNA up against the wall and screamed at her for calling her when a patient fell. The incident was swept under the rug because the supervisor's partner was the assistant administrator. The only people who witnessed it were agency nurses. The only one allowed back to work there said she didn't see anything (she was protecting herself obviously.)

This supervisor routinely screamed at us in front of family members at the nurse's station and kicked trash cans, threw things at us, total temper tantrums but she had full protection from her partner in administration.

In addition, they were very closeted and wanted to keep it a secret so when they found out that another gay supervisor recognized them from somewhere, they got rid of him. When they figured out that yet another supervisor was gay, they got rid of him too.

A family member threatened to beat up my co-worker and said she didn't care if she went to prison for it. My co-worker had to be escorted to her car out of fear for her safety. The next day the same family member was welcomed back and administration apologized to her for having such a bad experience with the nursing staff. My co-worker was horrified to see her the next day and asked to be assigned to another floor but management refused and she had to stay there for 12 hours while the same family member continued to taunt her.

Another day I worked in ICU and a family member threatened to beat up a night nurse. When we told administration the assistant administrator said "I just talked to him on the phone and he seemed like a nice person to me so what's the problem?"

The last straw was when another co-worker was falsely reported to the TX BON for drug diversion. They had no proof so the charges were dropped but it made her life a living hell with board hearings and legal fees for an entire year. They did it out of spite.

A handful of other nurses were falsely reported to Group One and they can no longer work at any DFW hospitals because of them.

I was a well liked employee by administration and left under good circumstances so this info is not coming from some bitter ex-employee trying to slander them but feared that I might be next so I left.

The pay, shift diffs, and bonuses were unbeatable at the time for DFW hospitals but many payed a dear price for taking a job there.