A question about Inova...and one about Kaiser

I don't know anything about INOVA, but my best friend is a BSN and left INOVA to work as an Advice Nurse FT days at Kaiser. They are not hiring FT at this time. She told me they have so many PT nights available becomes a large amount of RNs are retiring and majority work nights. The pay is excellent, but you need to have experience triaging and using a multi-line phone. Those are the main things they look for on a resume. I applied in February and got the job, but I failed the PBDS exam before the 4-week orientation. I had been on Maternity leave for 6 weeks and left my newborn for the first time. I was not focused at all! And the reason I failed was because all the fake patients I told to report to the ER or call 911, I did not f/u w/ "what's your location and number? unlock your doors and leash your pets." They told me I can retake it after 6 months, but I have yet to contact HR. I'm tired of the office setting and want to work in a hospital. I need some action. Advice Nursing is nothing but triaging over the phone in a busy call center with a 30 minute lunch break, and a 10 minute break for 8 hours. It's not hard. You use protocols set up for you by Kaiser and just triage away. They use a pay scale for ADNs and BSNs. I have my ADN and had 1.5 years exp when I was hired and my pay would have been $32.80 for days w/ a 20% differential for nights. As a BSN it's $34 or something. The benefits are excellent! Health Insurance full coverage was $12 per pay period if I remember correctly. They also have a union. The only downfall is that unlike the call center in MD, Fairfax does not close for inclement weather. They are open rain or snow. They were hauling their advice nurses in a huge SUV w/ 4WD and putting them up in a hotel when the blizzard hit last year. The good thing is those nurses were paid double for working in the blizzard. Plus they have a $3000 sign on bonus now for FT and prorate for PT. 50% on first paycheck, 25% after 6 mons, and 25% after 12 mons. When I applied I had no hospital experience except for my clinicals, I was hired b/c I triaged at a family practice for 1.5 years. Even if you want to work PT you are required to attend orientation for the first 4 weeks M-F 8-430. The first 2 days are in Rockville, MD.

Hope this helps!

Thank you! It was very helpful to hear from someone with first ( and second) hand knowledge of what the job is like. I also have an ADN, but I don't have any experience with triage. All my experience has been as a charge nurse in SNF/LTC. The main advantage for me in working as an advice nurse would be that I would be eligible for health benefits even as a part-timer. I am looking for something (anything! ) other than what I have spent the last decade doing. I have been checking into a variety of nursing and non-nursing jobs.

I really appreciate your response...thanks.

As a nurse with INOVA, have you tried calling nurse recruitment to see if there is a nursing you may be eligible to interview for?