Atlanta hiring new grads - Page 2

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  1. Apr 25, '11 by
    It's a business decision. Why spend the time and resources to train a new grad just so they can go back to school or to another hospital, especially the ICU. You won't get any sign on bonus as a new grad in GA, those days are gone. Hospitals are tired of getting burned by new grads especially those that would scoff at the idea of putting in 24 months in exchange for necessary training. It's that type of entitlement coupled with unprepared/unskilled new graduate nurses that today's nursing schools churn out that make hospitals not even want to bother. Good luck in your job search.
    slcharles31 likes this.
  2. Apr 25, '11 by
    Quote from Do Or Do Not
    Hey just to update on what I wrote at the top (2 months ago...seems like forever), I got hired by Grady onto a med-surg unit, and they hired a whole bunch of other new grads too! They didn't require me to sign a 2-year contract, but that may just be the policy in my unit and could be different on other more specialized units like the ER. Also, most of my colleagues from nursing school now have jobs. Actually, I only know of one of us who doesn't, and she's doing a pair of interviews next week.

    Congrats!!!
    Were you hired thru their new grad program?
    I'm only in my first semester of nursing school but would love to work at Grady when I'm finished next year. I'm hoping to get into their new grad program. Any advice? Also want to see if I can get a job there as a PCT after I'm done with second semester.
  3. Apr 25, '11 by
    Yes, I would like to know also. How did you apply ? Was it as a New Grad or Staff Nurse?
  4. Apr 25, '11 by
    Quote from D1914
    It's a business decision. Why spend the time and resources to train a new grad just so they can go back to school or to another hospital, especially the ICU. You won't get any sign on bonus as a new grad in GA, those days are gone. Hospitals are tired of getting burned by new grads especially those that would scoff at the idea of putting in 24 months in exchange for necessary training. It's that type of entitlement coupled with unprepared/unskilled new graduate nurses that today's nursing schools churn out that make hospitals not even want to bother. Good luck in your job search.
    The 2 year contracts don't exist anymore, unless you want school loan repayment... so my problem is solved. Staying somewhere for 24 months is not bad... but if you don't like it... I like the idea of changing floors/hospitals/situations... why would you 'owe' a hospital something? They are a business, in the end.
  5. Apr 27, '11 by
    The 2 year contracts don't exist anymore
    This is inaccurate.

    I like the idea of changing floors/hospitals/situations
    You can still change floors/situation, you just can't quit without penalty.

    Right now as a new grad you are useless. You cannot manage any patients on your own. You will need to be oriented which means that whoever decides to hire you will have to pair you with a seasoned nurse and thus pay 2 nurses to do one job for a specified length of time. So once you realize that you are useless as a new grad until you are properly oriented then you will be better off and in the long run you will realize that you do indeed "owe" at least some form of gratitude to whoever takes a chance on you.
    EarthwormRN and Do Or Do Not like this.
  6. Apr 30, '11 by
    Quote from southernbelle225
    Congrats!! Do or Do not...did you apply for the residency program or for a staff nurse position?
    I didn't really apply for the residency program, but they asked me if i wanted in it after i started work. for med-surg nurses it's optional b/c there's not the mandatory 2-year committment. So, to answer your question, i'm doing both
  7. Apr 30, '11 by
    Quote from mangopeach
    Congrats!!!
    Were you hired thru their new grad program?
    I'm only in my first semester of nursing school but would love to work at Grady when I'm finished next year. I'm hoping to get into their new grad program. Any advice? Also want to see if I can get a job there as a PCT after I'm done with second semester.
    I wish I could say there's some magical way I managed to get on the floor at Grady. I had a small leg up b/c one of the nurses on the floor (who just started a month ago and is also a trainee) knows me and made a good reference, but other than that I just applied online and they gave me a call like a week or two later. I work in med/surg at night, though, and it's something that a lot of new grads would pass up....I think of the 20 or so students in my class that I keep in contact with, I'm the only one who actually works in med-surg now. So the competition for med-surg is a little easier than, say, the ER or ICU, especially if you're applying towards nights. If you have the spare time to work as a PCT while in school, I HIGHLY recommend it. It really gives you an advantage at the hospital you work at.

    Quote from RESIAK1
    Yes, I would like to know also. How did you apply ? Was it as a New Grad or Staff Nurse?
    Applied on their website as a staff nurse. Grady doesn't really make the distinction between "new grad" and staff nurse. They treat them as one and the same....so if you have like a gazillion years exp on a different area (like you're ER going into ICU), they'll treat you the same as a person fresh out of nursing school.

    Quote from maryland88
    The 2 year contracts don't exist anymore, unless you want school loan repayment... so my problem is solved. Staying somewhere for 24 months is not bad... but if you don't like it... I like the idea of changing floors/hospitals/situations... why would you 'owe' a hospital something? They are a business, in the end.
    Quote from D1914
    This is inaccurate.



    You can still change floors/situation, you just can't quit without penalty.

    Right now as a new grad you are useless. You cannot manage any patients on your own. You will need to be oriented which means that whoever decides to hire you will have to pair you with a seasoned nurse and thus pay 2 nurses to do one job for a specified length of time. So once you realize that you are useless as a new grad until you are properly oriented then you will be better off and in the long run you will realize that you do indeed "owe" at least some form of gratitude to whoever takes a chance on you.
    Most Atlanta hospitals require new grads to sign 2 year contracts. Grady requires this too of all nursing specialties EXCEPT med-surg. But yeah, you're totally right. for the next 2 months they're pairing me up with a preceptor and we're doing the same patient load, so that's essentially at least some $10,000 of effort they're spending on training you.
  8. Apr 30, '11 by
    Thanks Do or Do Not. I do plan to work nights when I'm done with school. I'm single, no small kids and no life, LOL, so its not a problem. Plus I need the shift differential to help pay off my student loans! I didn't plan to work during school but I think it might give me a leg up so as soon as I'm done with 2nd semester I'm gonna start looking for a PCT job.
  9. Apr 30, '11 by
    Thanks for the input.. I will save your email to know where to look. I am hoping to be there this time next year.. do you mind sharing what the start salary in GA is? Here, in Arkansas, our start pay is between $19-$23/hr base for a new grad... similar there or not? I know Texas (next door) pays a lot more than Arkansas. Thanks for the input..
  10. Jul 22, '11 by
    Quote from maryland88
    Four figures isn't crazy... if you are desperate to move... I have heard that about Northside Hospital; I actually don't know much else about it; except that's where I was born...haha. I guess that's good to know in advance about the Atlanta hospitals.

    Two years just seems like a long time, especially when they promise you nothing back (well the job is nice...but, I'm taking that for granted if you get hired)

    Well, "They promise you nothing back" isn't exactly true. They are giving you the opportunityh to learn and get experience. It takes a while for a new nurse to get up to speed. It just does.