AHS undergrad nurses employment

Fiona59 · Mar 20, 2017

AHS rarely gets back to anyone within two weeks.

The competition closes, HR culls the applications, then sends to the unit manager for interview purposes. Unit manager then sets interviews. So it takes at least four weeks to get to the interview stage.

And from what my UM told me they are having very little choice in who to interview. My unit has had some terrible hires lately, and the UM told me off the record, she's getting three to four candidates send down and being told to pick one.

Getting hired by AHS is basically a crap shoot.

hellohobbit · Mar 20, 2017

Hi Fiona, thank you for your valuable input!

I believe the competition is fierce everywhere in the big cities right now. But I still have hope and still believe in myself after getting a similar job with UHN (Toronto's AHS). My work ethic is pretty good since my current manager promoted me and would hire me after graduation. But I want to work in Edmonton or Calgary and be closer to home.

It is good to know that AHS will take a longer time. From my experience, it is about two weeks waiting time in Toronto.

One more question, you've mentioned that your MN has little choice to decide who to interview. Is it because it's already decided by the HR? or is there some other reasons behind? I believe all big hospitals use the software to scan those keywords in the CV. I think my CV should have at least 70% of the words lol.

Also, could you please provide me some suggestion in preparing for the interview?

Thanks again!

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Mar 20, 2017

I've heard from various sources that AHS isn't hiring any new UNEs (except maybe in mental health). And the UNEs already in the system are being included in baseline staffing... dangerous at any speed, since there's no protection for the UNE at all.

hellohobbit · Mar 20, 2017

I've heard from various sources that AHS isn't hiring any new UNEs (except maybe in mental health). And the UNEs already in the system are being included in baseline staffing... dangerous at any speed, since there's no protection for the UNE at all.

Interesting. If they're not hiring, why bother to put the postings online?

On average, I would say there's about 2/3 postings per week for AHS and almost none for Covenant health. It seems like there's a lot posting on Med/Surg as well.

MPKH, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2017

Posting =/= there's actually a job opening. Postings are up as per union agreements...whether or not there's funding for the position is a different story. For what it's worth, I work in a medicine unit in Edmonton and we've had no UNE for the past three years.

dayandnight · Mar 20, 2017

Interesting. If they're not hiring, why bother to put the postings online?
On average, I would say there's about 2/3 postings per week for AHS and almost none for Covenant health. It seems like there's a lot posting on Med/Surg as well.

This applies to all the places I've seen in Canada. They do post the posting but they only select a few. It is mandatory to post them as per union agreements like MPKH said but often times with the funding shortage there's only a few they can actually choose from the bunch of applicants. It's ironic because a lot of units in Canadian hospitals are always, always short..

Fiona59 · Mar 20, 2017

Posting =/= there's actually a job opening. Postings are up as per union agreements...whether or not there's funding for the position is a different story. For what it's worth, I work in a medicine unit in Edmonton and we've had no UNE for the past three years.

Yup, we haven't had one in probably five years.

It's a case of they aren't LPNs and they aren't RNs. Staff on my unit just don't have time to teach them things we expected them to know. Some UNEs also came with very strange ideas of what they were there for. One expected to work M-F day shift because "those are the hours I go to school"

hellohobbit · Mar 20, 2017

Yup, we haven't had one in probably five years.
It's a case of they aren't LPNs and they aren't RNs. Staff on my unit just don't have time to teach them things we expected them to know. Some UNEs also came with very strange ideas of what they were there for. One expected to work M-F day shift because "those are the hours I go to school"

Oh my... that's really sad to hear thank you guys for sharing! A little disappointed now.

looks like I have to apply for Nursing Aide positions as well. I'm very determined in joining AHS and I will not give up.

I hope AHS will receive more funding in the near future.

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Mar 20, 2017

I'm very determined in joining AHS and I will not give up.
I hope AHS will receive more funding in the near future.

The provincial budget came down on Friday. AHS is getting money for bricks-and-mortar projects but I didn't see much in it for human resources. At the sharp end, we're being wedged into a budget-centred care model via CoAct/Workforce Transformation/Operational Best Practice or whatever they're calling it now. The province is sending a very explicit message to all the various unions whose contracts expire at the end of the month that there won't be any new money so don't look for any improvements in those collective agreements. But for the first time in recent memory, those unions will have the right to strike. It's not a good time to work in health care in Alberta.

hellohobbit · Mar 21, 2017

Thank you guys for all your valuable input! Looks like I have to gain as much experience as possible in Toronto first before moving back. I miss my dog and the Rockies too much :unsure:

Praying hard for Alberta's economy! :nurse:

Soupysoup · Mar 24, 2017

I worked as a UNE for two-ish years. I was orientated to the unit, and after a few shifts just sort of left to my own devices. It was medsurg, and the charge assigned me less acute patients. I also had a reduced patient load (one less during the day and evening, but full load at night). It was a really good job, I was very thankful for it. Another great plus was that another person was hired as a UNE and we both worked very similar shifts - I felt like I always had a buddy I could confer with, and if we still couldn't figure something out we asked another nurse or the charge etc. Let me know if you want to know anything else.