My Story / Mayo Clinic

BabyRN2Be · Mar 24, 2008

Maybe you should research Mayo a little bit on the web. You'll
see a whole different story. Mayo dosen't care about their patients. The
nurses are unprofessional. My boyfriend went to their Scottsdale location
in Phoenix. Not one of the nurses offered him any privacy while he was
changing in his room. I complained to the state board of nursing about it.
Believe me, I'm doing everything I can to get them fired! In december
of last year a 5th year general surgery resident took a pic of a male
patient's genitals was he was under anesthesia. Then show the pic to
other people. He was canned. MAYO SUCKS!!! So does their nursing staff!

I, too, encourage the OP to research Mayo. There are two sides to every story. At Mayo, as a new nurse, they want to razzle and dazzle to impress you to come to work there. As a young person, you've probably heard the "wonderful" reputation of Mayo Clinic. However, as the above poster says, it would be in your best interest to find out the good and the bad about any places where you plan to work, and make your decision based solely on it's own reputation.

In my personal opinion, Mayo Clinic is riding on the coattails of it's past. They were once the best place one could go if they had a puzzling condition, or had a life-threatening illness and given no chance for recovery. However, in the last 20 years (or maybe even more), they have lost the luster and the attraction they once had.

I have heard firsthand of so many people who were disillusioned by the Mayo system. They told my MIL that the pain she was having was all in her head. Regardless of what you've heard about the relationship with my MIL, I've heard other people say this, too. I have relatives in Rochester and flew there many times. Once, when I was leaving, someone on the plane was starting up conversation with me. She asked me if I was there for the clinic (a common question on airplanes departing from RST :chuckle). I told her no, that I was visiting family. Well, she told me what she thought of the clinic and it really tore my heart out. She was suffering, and I mean sufferingfrom her pain. She told me that she had been everywhere, and that the place to go to was Mayo Clinic for a research study. However, for some reason, she did not qualify when she got there. She was also told by Mayo that they had a treatment available for her. Again, when she got up there, she said that she was not a candidate for this treatment. She had all hope snatched away from her in the timespan of two days. She's going to live with debilitating pain for the rest of her life. This woman was in utter despair, and my heart went out to her.

This is only one of the stories I've heard about Mayo.

They may have shown you the razzle and dazzle in order to impress you, but the proof is not in the razzle-dazzle. It's in the patients who are treated and are happy with how they were treated. You want razzle-dazzle? Go to Vegas. Become a nurse there. :) But not at Mayo Clinic.

Best of luck to you, and I hope that you investigate all the courses open to you before you leap.

casi, ASN, RN · Mar 24, 2008

Go with your heart. I would also encourage you to apply to other hospitals that interest you. Rochester MN isn't a very exciting place. If your heart is set on MN (I don't know why it would be) there are a lot of good level 1 hospitals in the minneapolis/st. paul area.

Otherwise if you want to get out on your own and do your own thing, pick a city you've always wanted to live in and check out the local hospitals.

bluesnurse · Mar 24, 2008

Whoa! I have to say, my first reaction to your post is, slow down! :eek:

This is a very exciting time in your career. It sounds as if you're young, intelligent, and flexible. Enjoy having options, and don't feel as if you HAVE to make a decision *right now* that is going to set the course for the rest of your life.

This is your first nursing job. It is going to be tough no matter which path you choose, and that's OK. Check out some of the threads in the "First Year In Nursing" forum -- no matter where you start, the learning curve is steep and it's absolutely nothing like school. It's a giddy feeling to finally sign "RN" after you're name, but it's also a hair-raising amount of responsibility. IMO, if you aren't humbled by it, you're not taking it seriously enough.

Any unit or specialty can be heaven or hell. Even in the best of circumstances, it's going to feel like the latter sometimes. But a solid orientation and good teamwork is going to be your foundation. Remember that you are interviewing potential employers as much as they are interviewing you.

Again, this is just my opinion, but I think you're getting way ahead of yourself by considering med school vs. CRNA vs. NP, etc. You have worked your tail off for your BSN. Get at *least* a year, if not two, of nursing experience under your belt. Not only will it put you in a much stronger position to apply to any post-grad program, but it will give you the opportunity to see what real life is like in any of the roles you're considering. Your RN license is a front-row ticket to the reality of health care. Use it to make wise decisions that are right for you in the long term. And if the first one or two or three doesn't work, you're not alone. Just don't burn bridges!

Good luck in finding your niche, and enjoy the journey :)

buffscotty · Mar 25, 2008

Thank you very much Bluesnurse. It is great to hear words of encouragement, and that your career doesn't have to be done in a certain time span. I am getting way ahead of myself. But to be in all honestly, I feel that if push came to shove, I would choose the ER. ICU just isn't what God has me wanting to do at this time. I worked the ER at Mizzou last summer and enjoyed it. While Mayo is very prestigious, I feel the Level 1 Trauma at Mizzou great as well. I do plan on taking at least a year off from school, I want to go on, but I don't want to burn myself out... I also want to become very comfortable with wherever I am and getting settled and ready to go. I don't know why I feel in such a race to go on. It is just a very fast time and feel like I'm makeing a big decision. Thanks for the words Bluesnurse..

registeredin06 · Apr 8, 2008

Maybe you should research Mayo a little bit on the web. You'll
see a whole different story. Mayo dosen't care about their patients. The
nurses are unprofessional. My boyfriend went to their Scottsdale location
in Phoenix. Not one of the nurses offered him any privacy while he was
changing in his room. I complained to the state board of nursing about it.
Believe me, I'm doing everything I can to get them fired! In december
of last year a 5th year general surgery resident took a pic of a male
patient's genitals was he was under anesthesia. Then show the pic to
other people. He was canned. MAYO SUCKS!!! So does their nursing staff!

You are rediculous!! If it was so traumatizing to your boyfriend, why isn't he trying to get them fired? It sounds as though you were jealous of all the cute and intelligent women caring for your boyfriend. People go into the field of nursing to care for others and possibly save a life or two. Yes, it was inconsiderate and an oversight on their part, but maybe they were more focused on, let's see, his blood pressure or oxygenation!! Get a clue.

NancyPrn · Apr 10, 2008

You are rediculous!! If it was so traumatizing to your boyfriend, why isn't he trying to get them fired? It sounds as though you were jealous of all the cute and intelligent women caring for your boyfriend. People go into the field of nursing to care for others and possibly save a life or two. Yes, it was inconsiderate and an oversight on their part, but maybe they were more focused on, let's see, his blood pressure or oxygenation!! Get a clue.

The only positive aspect about Mayo is having it on your resume. I wouldn't call a nurse intelligent if she forgets to offer privacy to someone.

That's fundamental to nursing. Many a patient consider privacy

more important than the level of care they recieve. It's ingrained in the

4th amendment, the right to privacy. In essence, they see it as a personal

attack on them.

Failure to provide privacy to a patient is considered unprofessional

conduct by the nurse practice act and personally, no one is worth my

license! :twocents:

58flyer · Apr 20, 2008

You are rediculous!! If it was so traumatizing to your boyfriend, why isn't he trying to get them fired? It sounds as though you were jealous of all the cute and intelligent women caring for your boyfriend. People go into the field of nursing to care for others and possibly save a life or two. Yes, it was inconsiderate and an oversight on their part, but maybe they were more focused on, let's see, his blood pressure or oxygenation!! Get a clue.

I can't believe you said that! I don't think Erlinda is being the least bit rediculous. Providing privacy is basic, fundamental stuff. It's at the very core of earning the patient's trust. No matter how blase' a medical person feels about seeing the human body, there is no time in that person's career where they no longer have to consider privacy concerns. When someone gets to that point, it's time to retire and move on. I'll guarantee you that any nurse who is jaded about modesty, when it comes time for them to receive care, will want their privacy respected. It's a matter of treating others as you want to be treated yourself.

And I don't consider any woman intelligent who has no regard for my modesty, no matter how cute.

There is just no excuse not to provide privacy. Facilities are set up for it, with doors or curtains in any treatment area. Failure to use privacy measures is disrespectful, incompetent, and unprofessional. :madface:

whip65 · Dec 15, 2009

Assuming that the post about the lack of privacy is unbiased... In regards to the post about the pt in pain not being 'qualified' for study- people go to Mayo to get miracles, and when reality hits people can understandably get frustrated. Ever heard of Kubler-Ross??? denial-ANGER-bargaining-depression-acceptance... I think the pt might fall into the anger category in the latter case. Just an outside observation. Its difficult to hear as well as respond to these isolated negative posts.

Batman25 · Dec 15, 2009

It doesn't sound like you can go wrong either way. I always pray on these things and the answer becomes clear where I should go and what was meant to be. Let us know what you decide. :)

Batman25 · Dec 15, 2009

My boyfriend went to their Scottsdale location
in Phoenix. Not one of the nurses offered him any privacy while he was
changing in his room. I complained to the state board of nursing about it.
Believe me, I'm doing everything I can to get them fired! In december
of last year a 5th year general surgery resident took a pic of a male
patient's genitals was he was under anesthesia. Then show the pic to
other people. He was canned. MAYO SUCKS!!! So does their nursing staff!

Some patients need assistance while changing and the staff helping him would be appropriate and professional in that matter. That isn't in and of itself a privacy violation if curtains were drawn to ensure his privacy from outsiders. If he is able to advocate for himself and shares your feelings why isn't he advocating for himself here? I do think it would carry more weight coming from the actual patient versus the girlfriend if he feels his privacy was invaded.

The doctor should be fired in this case. That is a positive on behalf of Mayo that they took action. I wouldn't however udge a whole facility with hundreds if not thousands of employees on the actions of a few.

Userisme · Sep 28, 2012

As the saying goes: "the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence." Similarly, as with many other institutions the Mayo Clinic may not be all it's cracked up to be by its PR dept. You really need to do some research on the Internet about the Mayo Clinic before moving so far away from friends and family.

Good Luck!

Hello my fellow nurses. It is great to finally find a message board and be able to discuss my new career with those much wiser than I. Let me start off by saying my story and what crossroads I am approaching.
I am a student at Pittsburg State University in Kansas. I will graduate with my BSN in May and am counting down the moments. For years I had the plan to become a C.R.N.A., it was my goal and pretty much what I had my heart set on. Then, last summer, I worked as a patient care tech in an ER and loved it, as well as the doctors I worked with. About 4 weeks ago I decided I wanted to try (after school) to go back, take a few classes and go to Medical School to become a Dr. of Emergency Medicine. If this did not come to pass I wished to go for my DNP. But, thinking I was going to become a C.R.N.A. I had applied only to ICU's, but with ER really what I was striving for. I scurried and applied to an ER and was left with two choices
Thinking I wanted ER and didn't have much interest in ICU, I interviewed at University Hospital in Columbia, MO for an ER position. Having already scheduled an interview at Mayo Clinic from before, I decided to go on it, just almost to see the facilities. I was absolutely blown away by Mayo (even with not wishing to do ICU as much as I had before) I was very impressed by Mayo and how the hospital and staff worked. So (I have not been offered either job, it will be a few weeks before I know in either) I am really in a tough decision. I am between ER (which I love to practice and get great satisfaction from) at Columbia and the ICU at Mayo (which I loved, but didn't know I did until I went to see it).
Part of the appeal to me for Mayo is that I've grown up my whole life in Missouri (SW Missouri) and Minnesota is like a foreign land to me, so it is very interesting and new. I am single with no children and have an adventurous side, so Mayo takes me in that interest. On the other hand, I love Columbia and Mizzou and have a true passion for ER. I am a trauma junkie who loves the fast pace and coming to work everyday unsure of what will occur. With both schools I need to be in a position to take classes in order to try my MCAT, as well as have access to an FNP school, in case I try for my Doctorate of Nurse Practitioner.
I am sorry this was so long and given in so many details. I know in a few years I will probably look back at all of this and laugh, but as a newbie in the nursing world it is very confusing and scary getting ready to go into the big world by myself for the first time. I am just not sure what I want, and just have some strange feeling I will be forever stuck at the area I choose. Any advice or words of the wise would be appreciated. Looking forward to hearing from you all.