Norfolk area Riverside Heath System or Sentara

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

I am considering working in the Norfolk - Virginia Beach area starting in the next month or so as a traveler and I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction. I am very hesitant to take a contract in a Southern at will employment State as I have heard that nurses there are generally treated very poorly.

I would like to know if the ICUs triple and if these hospitals have a decent EMR which imports VS from the monitor. Most of all, I would like to know about the culture, the quality of the medical staff and if the ICUs are well managed or not.

Thank you for any guidance you can give me about working in this city or about working for Sentara or Riverside Health System.

[NedRN]

I'm a bit off topic here, but all states have at-will legislation or common law at-will employment. Only contracts protect jobs. Travelers are contract workers and have some protection from termination without cause.

I heard recruiters defend at-will language in contracts, but there is no defense. Don't take such contracts. I have also heard it said that at-will laws overrule contracts. They don't! If they did, there would be no employment contracts and no unions.

There are good jobs without unions so I wouldn't let that stop you. If it is a bad job, it is only 13 weeks.

[gogetter73]

I am considering working in the Norfolk - Virginia Beach area starting in the next month or so as a traveler and I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction. I am very hesitant to take a contract in a Southern at will employment State as I have heard that nurses there are generally treated very poorly.

I would like to know if the ICUs triple and if these hospitals have a decent EMR which imports VS from the monitor. Most of all, I would like to know about the culture, the quality of the medical staff and if the ICUs are well managed or not.

Thank you for any guidance you can give me about working in this city or about working for Sentara or Riverside Health System.

I work for Sentara in Hampton VA. The ICU does tend to get tripled, but it is not constant. Virginia Beach on the other hand; I haven't heard good things. I did clinicals there on the stepdown unit. The nurses looked very stressed. I can now relate though because I work stepdown myself. Sentara is a good company though, and it pays more than others in the area. I hope this helps a little.