Kansas City - Critical Care- Good Hospitals

I know you posted a ways back but I want to let you know that we have some great hospitals here.

I am in the CCU at Truman not really ICU however our SI and MI units are awesome. The CCU is great as well however it would be close to what you have already done. I think we have an opening in CCU however I would work anywhere there. I love it, it is wild and you will see stuff that you just don't see anywhere else.


I believe all floors there now do a residency where you spend time all over the hospital. My orientation was 6 months, 2 all over and 4 on CCU. I will do 6 additional weeks in the SI or MI at some point.

Hope you have already found what you were looking for and if not hope this helped.

to answer your questions as best i can

1. ku...didnt call back... yeah pretty normal, they hire from within and this city like the many others is on an unofficial freeze.
2. research ICU is the flagship of HCA a pretty hard core ICU like truman its "for profit" up side is great facility and equipment but from what I've gathered they dont like "transition" nurses, like to get you right out of school. But if your young and persistant that helps.
3. sure you could but like anything just saying days only could cut your chances in half since CC likes to start new peeps on night.
4. pay is varied. i do know that HCA(research, overland park ect.) is the only area hospitals that actually gave raises to staff during this ression.
Sign-on bonuses are hard to come by but i did see some for 8k ones for med surg as recent as last fall.
low to mid 20's to start with differentials possibly taking it to close $30 for HCA.
VA has amazing benefits after 3 years you basically get benefits as if you yourself served.
heard mixed things about pay from KU and St lukes.

p.s. dont look at their websites just call and ask, try to get to the directors if possible alot of times by the time it gets to the website the job is already filled and just doing it for protical to say they advertized it.

I'd like to edit: i meant like Truman a hardcore icu, not like Truman a "for profit" without the missing comma it reads differently

I would highly recommend TRUMAN, hands down! I work there and I'm a new grad, and I got hired for the MICU. I am in their New Grad Residency Program, where I will spend 4 weeks on a Med-Surg unit, 4 weeks in ER, 2 weeks spending time in the Cath Lab, Wound Care, Infection Control, OR, PACU, GI Lab, and Diabetes Educator (spending one 12 hour shift with each). Then I'll have 12 weeks in the MICU with my preceptor. Also, I will have some classroom time as well.

Truman is a Level I Teaching Trauma hospital on the Missouri side. KU is the Level I Teaching Trauma (also Magnet and union) on the Kansas side. Only at Truman you will see some things that make you think you are in the twilight zone, but I wouldnt have it any other way.

Research is a Level II Trauma Center, but they are HCA and they are for profit, while Truman is non for profit. There is a HUGE difference between working for a HCA facility and a non for profit AND teaching facility.

I did apply to KU before I graduated, but was told they were only hiring new grads from within their own nursing school (which is something Research should have done), but to apply back once I get some experience. I plan on staying at Truman and learning all I can so I can be marketable anywhere in the country.