RN Hiring @ SUNY Downstate in 2014

U.S.A. New York

Published

Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

I know there was a hiring freeze at this hospital for the last couple of years, but does anyone know the current status of RN hiring now? What is it like to work there given the recent budget issues and issues with LICH?

Sent from my iPad using allnurses.com

I know as of last fall there was a furlough, and I've only seen one new hire on the floor as of recently. So I don't believe they are doing a lot of hiring at the moment.

Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

Thanks! I was hoping for a turnaround being that I could just change over to keep my state pension going but I think I will be better off going to a big private hospital.

Thanks! I was hoping for a turnaround being that I could just change over to keep my state pension going but I think I will be better off going to a big private hospital.

Just mentioning because I know you work at Stony Brook (where I went to school and did all my clinicals/capstone)

I recently ended up at Mather (private community hospital) and although ive only been there about 8~ weeks the difference is pretty significant from stony brook.

Its far more personal, patients generally have significantly higher acuity than they did at SBU, and theres a huge sense of community throughout the hospital. Part of that is just raw size of the hospital (Stony Brook is HUGE, 20 + floors, Mather is 3)

Even the way things are done is generally different from what I was used to at Stony Brook.

Overall I think youd be pretty happy going to a private hospital from stony brook, I truly think the quality of life will be better. Youll have to be smart and invest your money (403b) without a state pension but youll end up making more and have much more freedom to do what you want.

The one thing you will almost certainly miss though going to a private hospital (especiallyif its not a HUGE one) is most of these smaller private hospitals (i know both Mather and St Charles fit this bill) have pretty bleh EMR/computer systems. And is a huge step backwards from Stony Brook in quality.

Youll likely also have to get used to not having residents on the floors and dealing with many local community physicians, which means youll be taking plenty of phone/verbal orders (which I never did at SBU)

Its definitely way different then what I experienced in school, but I love it. Best of luck with the transition !

Also out of curiosity if you dont mind me asking, whyd you decide to leave Stony?

(also the hospitals I mentioned were outeast, from what you mentioned sounds like youre looking out west. I was just pointing out the stark differences I noticed going from Stony Brook to smaller private hospitals)

Specializes in MedSurg, PACU, Maternal/Child Health.

I work at the city hospital (Kings County) across the street from Downstate and we have agency nurses on our floor and all units. Some of them also do agency RN work at Downstate and they told us Downstate has downsized (laid off a lot of staff including nurses aides) so the RNs there are overworked and the hospital is not hiring so some RNs from Downstate are leaving Downstate and going elsewhere where their job is more secure. Google Downstate and LICH, there are a lot of news stories on the issue...their finances are in danger.

Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

Thanks for all feedback. I'm pretty sure at this point I won't be pursuing Downstate, it's clearly a very unstable place based on most recent reports here, the media, and through the unions. Keeping a pension is not enough of a sole reason to go that route. I'm still at SB but I'm definitely looking west because my personal ties to NYC are stronger than in Suffolk County. The only reason I took a job at SB was because it was easier to get one right out of school than elsewhere on a networking level. With experience now, I have more opportunities.

Right now, I am definitely looking at private university medical centers for my primary job, but open to per diem work at the community hospital level. Let's see what pans out this year!

Well a settlement has been reached on all sides regarding SUNY Downstate and LICH, so there is light at the end of that tunnel.

Bottom line is by May or sooner Downstate will be rid of LICH so that means it can concentrate on it's main campus and hospital.

+ Add a Comment