Cleveland Clinic

codered · Mar 23, 2007

I cannot promise anything but, from my expierence, the clinic almost always rotates except if you are willing to work night shift then you can get a permanent shift. The problem is, everyone wants days or at least 7a-7p therefore senority ranks if there is a permanent position available. They rotate so no one can complain about other staff getting on a permanent day shift position. Nursing homes however do offer permanent shift if you are willing to go that route. Im right there with ya about slleping. I chose to work the 7p-7a shift permanently just so my body gets adjusted to something. Eveyone at the clinic that I know hates the rotating shifts because by the time they get used to nights they switch to days and are all messed up again. Nursing is a rough career for normalcy. Health carenever closes so we have lots of options but those of us with liitle or no senority sometimes get stomped on. Nights isnt that bad. You really do adjust and you still have a pretty normal life. Hope what your looking for is out there

jaylynn67 · Mar 23, 2007

Oh no. Do you think all hospitals have rotating shifts, or is it just the clinic? Does anyone know about UH? I would work 7a - 7p or a second shift, but i cannot see working nights, no way.

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Mar 28, 2007

I believe UH has straight eves and night shifts. My friend works over at Metro and they do on some of the floors. There ICU's are rotating though. Day shifts aren't easy to walk into, you have to do some rotating or a straight off shift.

island40 · Jul 1, 2007

I am an RN and will be a patient at the CC later this month. Thanks for the heads-up on staffing. Facilities that "use up" thier nursing staff (partially because the area has a large supply) put their patients at risk- rotating 7-7 causes a lot of medicaiton errors.

lilbug · Jul 1, 2007

jaylynn67 and others wondering about UH,

UH does rotating shifts too! 2 weeks days then 2 weeks nights. Same as the Clinic. I interviewed at both hospitals for the NICU and was offered a position at UH (Rainbow Babies). HOWEVER, for the NICU at UH, the nurse manager wanted me to do 2 eights and 2 twelves for the 1st year to get more experience. So that's 2 weeks days doing 2 eights and 2 twelves then 2 weeks nights doing 2 eights and 2 twelves. After the first year I can switch to 3 twelves (still rotating d/n though) but because UH is salary, you have to work 1 extra 12 each month to equal out working 36 hours/week (add 4 hours each week = 1 extra 12 hour shift/month). Salary means you have to work 40 hours/week so I believe overtime is hard to get. They were trying to explain to me that if they need you to cover an extra shift, they will try to take those hours off another day you work to make it equal. Needless to say, I don't think I could do that kind of shift and still be alive so I took another job.

Also, I do believe you have to pay for parking at both places...UH and Clinic. I have some classmates who will be working at the Clinic and they have to pay to park and get shuttled in to the hospital (this is main campus). At UH, I was never told what the fee was but was told by some nurses that although you pay, the lot is pretty close and is a very short walking distance.

Pay is comparable at both places. UH offered me a great starting salary which was more per hour (but salary) than the Clinic. The Clinic starts at 23.50/hr (for BSN only I think). Clinic also offers student loan repayment and will pay up to $10,000 for 2 year commitment with proof of loans that are up to $10,000. They divide that amount into 24 months and give you some of it in each paycheck. And I heard from a classmate that if you quit before 2 years is up, you don't have to pay back anything you have received so far. Also, the white uniform rumor is true. All nurses have to wear white and only white!

As for sign on bonuses, I was never offered one at UH and have not heard of anyone getting any...maybe it depends on the unit! Though they should because their HR sucks. They are really slow. It took me from the time I applied to interviewing to the job offer, 3 months. And I was lucky to get an interview (at least in NICU) because a nurse I knew told the manager who I was so I got the interview. I know a couple classmates of mine who applied and never heard anything...no interview or nothing! Another thing that bothered me about UH was that they never told me what my benefits were...I guess I could've asked but it would have been nice to be told then when one gets an offer. The Clinic's HR is awesome. They called me right away, gave me tons of info up front, scheduled interview fast, etc. I just had a better experience with them (HR).

I'm not trying to be biased or anything here! I'm gonna be a new grad and have looked into these hospitals, interviewed and even offered a job at one so I only know what I've been told. I think both hospitals are awesome and have great reputations for being among the best in the country! However, you have to consider everything, pros and cons. When it came down to it for me, I couldn't chose the money over my health and sanity or working those horrible shifts. Hope this helps!!!

zozzy777 · Jul 5, 2007

Hello to all the new grads or soon to be new grads. Most hospitals you will have to pay for parking. No matter where you work, so don't let that surprise you. Not all hospitals do rotating shifts, but as a new nurse, you need to except the fact you will most likely be working night shift:uhoh21:. Day shift is a hot comodity and those of us who have been doing this a long time want those shifts. We all did our time on nights:nono:. It is just a fact of being a new nurse. Good luck to you all and hope you get what you want!!:balloons:

NightshiftRN69 · Jul 31, 2007

I've worked at the CC for the past year and I feel it has it's good points and bad like all places. I work at the main campus and I work straight nights. I currently work two 12's and 2 8's, I work every other weekend and work alternating holidays.

tatarn2b2007 · Aug 15, 2007

I just started at CCF and I picked to work straight nights. I love night shift and hate daylight shift! You do have to pay for parking and they take it out of your paycheck(17.50) each pay. I feel that is not too bad considering my previous job I was paying $8.00/day to park. All nurses wear all white. It's not that bad since they give a wide variety of styles to choose from.

suanna · Aug 15, 2007

I work for another hospital in the area- the only thing I can say for sure about CCF is that we get a lot of nurses from there but I have never known someone to leave here to go back there. From what I've been told they have different staffing patterns at thier sister hospitals but the main campus has a reputation for pretty tough working conditions. All this is just hearsay. If you find out different let us know.

VanessaLee13 · Sep 19, 2007

I currently work at CCF main campus, driving from Elyria. Here are what I think are good and bad points:

1. Yes, white uniforms. I really do hate them. Haha. I definitely think it is a good idea to have everyone dress the same. It helps patients to identify who is who, but I do not like the white. It is impossible to keep clean. I don't know what other color I think would be better, but white is not a great choice IMO. PCNA's (aides) wear hunter green, respiratory wears dark blue, lab techs wears grey or red.

2. A lot of people on my floor do rotate shifts, and a lot of people (from what I hear) don't get three 12s right away. I was a PCNA on the floor before I got my RN, and my boss was willing to give me three 12s. I work straight nights. Although I don't love working until 7am, I cannot get up early enough for a 7am shift! :)

3. Everyone on my floor is really nice and helpful. Most everyone was so willing and eager to help me through my first few months. And we all still help each other a lot.

4. We can very often be understaffed on nights. Some nights we are staffed really well, and things go really smoothly. But on the nights we aren't staffed well, things can be awful. Somehow, someone in staffing seems to think that having 9 patients is OK. It probably would be fine on nights if it weren't for all the chart checks/24 hour notes that accompany night shift nursing. But hey, some floors are definitely staffed better than others, and staffing can be an issue at any hospital.

5. The great reputation (number 4 in the country) can be good and bad. It is good that it does rank so high, but can be bad whenever patients/families expect everything to be perfect. Issues happen just like any other hospital, and some people don't always understand that.

6. HR. As someone mentioned before, HR always seems to be great. Very helpful and quick. Parking at HR is AWFUL though. They have, like, 3-5 spaces for "applicants" and typically the whole parking lot including those spaces is full. When I went in to do my initial paperwork, I had to park in the bank, and was afraid the whole time I was getting towed.

7. Employee parking. It's getting better. The got rid of the municipal lot (like, 6 miles away), which apparently had terrible busing times. Sometimes taking 30 minutes + to get to your car. You only pay for parking if you want a garage or close lot to be your primary parking. My primary parking is a lot that is sorta far away (but still only about a 10-15 minute walk) that I pay nothing for. There are shuttles that run pretty frequently. And if you park in a further lot, you have a garage you are also assigned to where you can park when you work nights or weekends or holidays.

8. Little things are nice, like on Thanksgiving (and I think Christmas and some other days) they give everyone working that day a coupon for a free Thanksgiving dinner in the cafe. It wasn't home cooking, but was still really good, and appreciated!

9. You do have to stay in your position for a year before an internal transfer. I've heard of other hospitals being only 6 months. I think some circumstances, they will let you change positions sooner, but I am not sure.

I can't think of anything else I want to add now. If I do, I'll add it later. Let me know if you have any questions!

:), Vanessa

ccfrn0806 · Sep 23, 2007

I've been at CCF for a little over a year now and honestly don't have many negative things to say...yep, we wear all white - but seriously - when you are running around working, who cares what you are wearing and CCF does give you 6 free uniform pieces each year so that helps. As far as parking goes - after reading some of the other posts, I guess I lucked out because I park close and have never had an issue finding a spot. I think someone asked about rotating shifts - they do have those but for the most part on my floor - we have night nurses and dayshift nurses, not too much going back and forth. The patient-nurse ratio can get frustrating at times but it's all very manageable as long as you are organized...don't get me wrong, I've had my freakout moments but really...it lasts for a bit and then it's under control. My coworkers are great - we really work together and help each other out - you have your pain in the a** coworkers but that is ANYWHERE you work. Someone had posted about the good/bad points of working for the 4th rated hospital in US - well...i see the posters' point but to be honest - i tend to agree with the patient - they should receive care that is above and beyond (but that should be in EVERY hospital). My only advice if you are looking at CCF as an option is be sure you are an organized person and someone that is willing to jump into just about anything - it is truly an amazing teaching hospital and you will leave each day having learned something new - I really feel like it's prepared me to work just about anywhere...but i don't think i'll be leaving anytime soon!

NativeSundance, LPN · Sep 23, 2007

I worked at CCF for 3 years and was glad to leave there and close that door...permanently...behind me. You could not pay me enough to return to that nightmare. Staffing was ALWAYS an issue and I felt my license was on the line every shift I worked (straight nights). Not sure how they got their coveted Magnet status, since they have a very difficult time retaining any experienced staff. Actually, Magnet status can be bought...or so I'm told...for about $250,000 (for a single facility. CCF included all of their affiliate hospitals under their magnet umbrella). That must be how they did it. Maybe it is different in different units, but I know I'll never ever return there. I know MANY people (health care providers themselves) who have been there as patients who couldn't get out of there fast enough. Stated the care they recieved was way substandard...no doubt a reflection of their inability to retain staff or staff according to census and acuity.

I left CCF on good terms and with proper notification. Haven't missed it for one single second. Now working in an independently owned hospital where I am paid much better and staffing is adequate and I totally LOVE my job! Still working nights by my choice.

CCF owns many of the local hospitals both east side and west side. What they don't own, UH does. Hard to find any independent hospitals.