Anyone work for Tenet Hospitals?

dianacs · Jul 29, 2003

I have an instructor and a classmate who both work at SLU. They've both been there for a while and seem to like it. Unfortunately I do not have the "inside scoop" that you are probably looking for. What other hospitals are you considering? Just curious, so PM me if you'd like.

live4today, RN · Jul 29, 2003

Thanks dianacs for responding! :)

I'm also looking at doing travel nursing again so I can work three months on, one month off, three months on........and so forth.

Other places I'm considering are Indianapolis hospitals because I have family there I'd like to be near. I have family in the southern end of Illinois too, and want to be close to them as well.

Also, I've thought about Columbus, Ohio where I did a few travel nurse assignments years ago.

I'm game for any place that respects its nurses and stands up for them until proven guilty. Know anyplaces like that? :)

jemb · Jul 29, 2003

I worked for a hospital that was purchased by Tenet while I was employed there. It had previously been a pretty good place to work.

Within months of Tenet taking over, the following occurred:

1)Several supervisors (good ones, too) had their positions eliminated within less than two years of what would have been retirement dates. Unit mangers, who were then required to do rotations as supervisors (including nites -- even if they normally did not work nites) for no extra pay, began finding positions elsewhere.

2) Benefits were deceased. Those who had accrued more than three weeks vacation simply lost their additional vacation time, since the new maximum was three weeks. ( And they were not paid for it, either- they just lost it!) Many left and were replaced by new grads or less experienced, lower paid nurses.

3) They decreased their "pre-shift call the nurse off" time to one hour. This was in the L.A. area, where much of the staff lived more than an hour's drive away.

4) They began adjusting staffing every four hours, meaning that a nurse could be sent home after four hours or floated to another floor middle of shift with fifteen minutes notice.

5) They required per diems to preschedule a certain number of shifts per pay period, but then rarely used them. ( I was per diem, but had been working almost full time hours there for years!) Due to their new short cancellation notice (see #3), most nurses would either be on their way to work by then or ready to leave the house, keys in hand. And if you were not cancelled, chances are you would be sent home after four hours. Most per diems (myself included) left. That was about five or six years ago.

I could go on, but I hope you get the picture. My own experience with Tenet, coupled with all the bad publicity they've received in the past few years, would make me very hesitant to work for a Tenet owned hospital again, if I had any other choice.

Incidently, that particular hospital where I worked finally voted in a union a few months ago. So maybe things will be better for them in the future.

Jolie, BSN · Jul 29, 2003

My advice is to run, not walk, away from Tenet!

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Jul 29, 2003

I had the same experience as jemb except we would show up for a shift and be told to go home, no call.

The lost vaca time was the worst. I only lost a week, but many old timer co workers lost MONTHS! Time the were saving for if they or their spose got ill (this was the over 50 crowed)

When the all the cardiologist left, I followed!

iliel · Jul 29, 2003

would somone be willing to explain to me what Tenet is? I saw a brief clip about a Tenet owned hospital is Redlands Ca on 60 min the other night.

You can PM me so it dosn't take up this thread, thanks.

BadBird, BSN, RN · Jul 29, 2003

I worked at Delray Medical Center in Delray Beach, FL. All the bad press you hear about tenet is so true, the best thing I did was leave there. Run don't walk away from any Tenet owned hospital.

live4today, RN · Jul 29, 2003

Allllllllllllrighty then! I'll be running at rapid speed away from any Tenet offers! Thanks a bunch nurses! Nice to know we can come here and get feedback from one another before jumping into something we'd later regret! :kiss

NICURNtobe · Jul 29, 2003

I presently work for a Tenet hospital in TN that is one of the 14 to be sold. We are not happy about it. We have great benefits, administration, no mandatory overtime. Seems that all the problems with their hospitals are in CA.

live4today, RN · Jul 29, 2003

Hmmmmmm...TN eh? I like TN!

So you are saying Tenet was a good choice for where you work?

Hardknox · Jul 29, 2003

Nonono! Not all problems are in CA. We have a local hospital that was bought out by Tenet. healthcare by the bottom line. Patients and staff are not happy and this is in MA. For all the same reasons mentioned above. 60 minutes did a repeat on Tenet last Sunday about unwarrented heart surgeries they had a Dr. Moon, I believe, perform in the cardiac center they set him up with. Tenet has also had to settle several issues with the government with fraud. They are out and out liars and have been heavily fined. Yes, Renee, run, run, run!!!