Kootenai Medical Center?

[PMFB-RN]

Hello Folks

I am an Idaho native currently living in Wisconsin. I live here because after I got out of the army I was offered a full ride scholarship to a nursing school in exchange for a contract with the hospital I currently work at. My contract will be up soon and my wife and I want to move back to Idaho. However I haven't lived in Idaho for about 15 years. I know the state has changed and that real estate prices have risen dramatically and that the northern area of the state is growing rapidly. I am from the south eastern part of the state and we are interested in moving to the northern part of Idaho. I am an ICU/ER nurse and would like to stay in ICU or ER. I am interested in the Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d'Alene, or another hospital in the area.

Does anyone have any insight as to what this place is like to work? Any idea what RN pay is there? Any comments about the area? Your help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[RNJoe]

I just recently inquired. The Sacred Heart pays for new grads start at $24.59. As far as what is the good area to buy home is then I would say Spokane Valley, Greenacres. for couple resons the area has good schools, easy freeway acess to Cour D'arlene or Spokane downtown. Also nice view of the mountains and valley and more reasonable in utilities and housing prices compare to Liberty Lake and Veradale.

[BooksNCoffee]

I worked for Kootenai for many years (in the ICU). I ran, yes ran when management decided it was OK for surgical nurses with no critical care experience to work in the ICU because they were so short staffed. When questioned regarding the monitors, the surgical nurse was told "the charge nurse will take care of the monitors for you." Safety issues have driven many experieced critical care nurses away from this facility.

Also, regarding the Magnet status-I believe that Kootenai is on a probation period and didn't receive renewal due to low numbers of BSN nurses in their critical care.

Yes, there are nursing schools in the same city, but that school produces ADN nurses and Kootenai is only interested in BSN nurses for Critical Care and has made that very clear to their VERY experienced ADN nurses. Do yourself a favor, wait until Kootenai's management issues blow over. Once they do, it is a great place to work, but you don't want to step face first into that cow pie!!!

Go into Washington...

[PMFB-RN, RN]

i worked for kootenai for many years (in the icu). i ran, yes ran when management decided it was ok for surgical nurses with no critical care experience to work in the icu because they were so short staffed. when questioned regarding the monitors, the surgical nurse was told "the charge nurse will take care of the monitors for you."

*** wow! scary, and obviously unsafe.

safety issues have driven many experieced critical care nurses away from this facility.

also, regarding the magnet status-i believe that kootenai is on a probation period and didn't receive renewal due to low numbers of bsn nurses in their critical care.

*** no offence but i very much doubt that could be the case. my hospital is magnet and has been re certified twice and they will only hire new grad adns into their critical care nurse residency for the sicu. i say on my hospital

s "journey to magnet" committee. and there was no requirement for there to be enough bsn rns in any particular unit.

[BooksNCoffee]

That is good to know regarding Magnet status. This is simply information we were told at one time. Perhaps as a push towards BSN ??? Thanks for the info.