Anyone worked/works at Lenox Hill Hospital?

U.S.A. New York

Published

Hello all!

I recently got called to set up an interview at Lenox Hill Hospital for next week. My only concern is that I've never been to the hospital and that I haven't heard much about it, only that it is private and not too big.

If any of you has worked or still works there, could you give me some feedback on both your experience and also on how receptive they are to new nurses?

All Pros and Cons would be appreciated, I'm debating between NYPresbyterian, Mount Sinai, Lenox Hill and Bellevue..

Thanks!

Lisa

P.S. They also told me that Lenox Hill doesn't have a pediatric unit, so I will have to instead look to L&D or maternity in order to bring some of my skills to use. It's either that or start at MedSurg..

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Anyone??

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Hi,

I currently work at Lenox Hill. I'm a new grad and I was recently hired onto a med surg unit. I was also participated in their internship program. Everyone (for the most part) is really friendly and receptive to new grads, they offer assistance and provide you with opportunities to learn (even if they are not your primary preceptor). Here is a quick list of pros and cons (just my opinion)

Pros:

Hospital size (large enough that you get an opportunity to see a wide range of cases but small enough that you get to know pretty much everyone that works there) You don't feel like you going to get lost in the shuffle of a large metropolitan hospital

Supportive and friendly staff

Competitive starting salary ($68K, 69K-BSN - days) (74K, 75K - nights) & 100% tuition reimbursement

Cons:

New Grad training could be better. I feel like I'm able to get the most out of the experience because I participated in the internship program so I am familiar with the hospital and the systems. But you just have to try to get the most out of your experience.....and they do allow you to extend your orientation if you need to.

Paper Charting...they are only partially using an EMR system so you have to do alot of paper charting which is extremely time consuming especially for a new grad who is struggling to just manage 6-8 pts.

Overall I find it to be a good place to work and I would recommend it....as far as the training goes I honestly believe it is going to be difficult no matter where you go because you have to adjust to having just one or two patients (3 tops) while you were in school to handling a full load of patients...that is the most difficult part of transitioning from a student to a new nurse.

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Hi,

i am a new grad RN and Im gearing up for an interview although not sure which floor yet....

can you perhaps shed some light into some of the questions they would ask me other than the basic 'why do you want to work here'?

i am very nervous since i had some difficult scenario based questions during my last interview elsewhere...

also, is their anything specific about the lenox hill culture or anything i can mention during the interview that would be helpful ?

thanks!!!

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

So, Lenox Hill is hiring new grads? That's encouraging! I think you're the first new grad posting here who admits to getting a job interview.

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hey, do you work at lenox?

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its not confirmed yet, but im really hoping....

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To all the newgrad RNs,

I don't know if you folks read up on the financial situations of the NYC hospitals, but Lenox Hill is in dire financial shape.

They are pretty much practically claiming bankruptcy and are desperately looking for another institution to purchase their hospital. (See Links Below)

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/10/05/2009-10-05_lenox_hill_hospital_is_now_ailing_in_need_of_merger.html

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/new_york_hospital_havoc_xgk29Fy5h6b5vfACE8BWPL

What does this mean for nurses?

  • They are constantly closing units.
  • Many times you will find that managers are getting fired overnight.
  • The overall morale isn't good due to everyone knowing that they are in a bind.

With regards to the tarining new RNs get from the hospitals, it is not strong enough. They set you up with a week or so of classroom training and then send you to the floors for a month or two of preceptorship. On paper it sounds fine, but there is a problem. First, the preceptor you will get assigned to (Nurse you shadow) has not been trained to properly play the role of a preceptor. If anything, they tend to just pair you up with a senior nurse who has been there 5+ years. While some will say that it sounds like a smart idea, remember that just because you have been doing something for 5+ years, doesn't mean that you can properly teach someone to do the work the RIGHT way. You will find many 20+ year veterans there who are very outdated in their ways and incapable of doing basic nursing skills (like starting an IV or properly piggybacking IV medications). If you want to learn how to be a strong staff nurse, you need a person that has been trained to perform as a preceptor and/or someone who has a role (along with academic accolades) like that of clinical nurse specialist who has the proper school and on-site training to guide you through all the essentials of being a staff nurse.

Again, all of this is just my opinion, but I would truly reconsider.

Lisa

P.S. They will sell you the hospital very well come interview time, but look at what is truly important to you. (How does their salary compare to other hospitals, Quality of health insurance, Educational reimbursement, Potential for growth, The hospitals ability to stay open over the next few years & also ask how many times your future unit has been closed over the last few years)

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Don't know if the above post refers to Lenox Hill in particular, or NYC hospitals in general but a few minor points.

Lenox Hill is an excellent hospital, but suffers from the changing landscape of healthcare in NYC, current economic condition of NYS, NYC and the United States as a whole.

As both articles linked to in your post state, LH is not, nor ever has been a "superstar" hospital, such as Columbia Presbyterian,New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center (now merged to form "Columbia-Presbyterian"), or Mount Sinai all of which are within the same area, but LH has stayed pretty much the small, priviate local hospital for the Upper East Side of Manhattan concentrating on mainly several areas.

Sadly as with most everything else in the US economy, scale of size brings benefits to the large and slowly kills off smaller businesses. One only has to open a magazine, read newspaper adverts, or listen to television/radio commercials for the large health care network hospitals touting huge brand new wings or units, stocked with major snazzy equipment . All of this attracts doctors, who in turn bring patients.

Again, as pointed out by the articles linked above, larger hospital systems are better positioned to drive down costs by using their size as leverage when dealing with suppliers, labour and so forth. In a perfect world, all hospitals would be paid the same rates by insurance companies, and federal health plans, but that is not the case.

Not only do I live near LH, but know many staff that work there, and aside from the usual grumbles most nurses I've spoken with seem content. Do not hear of massive closing of units and so forth, aside from what is going on at most major hosptials. I mean have you been to C-P? There are entire floors of both barns of hospital buildings totally empty, but that has allot to do with patient census and the fact that quite allot of healthcare now takes place outside of hospitals, including elective proceedures.

As for training new grads, don't know many hosptials with a surplus of highly educated RNs, to the point of their being clinical instructors, willing to orientate new grads. Certainly not as part of their usual duties, and with little to no increase in pay as well. All I am saying is if you want a RN to function as a clinical instructor while on duty AND not slack off on her other duties, that seems to me an entire new job from just being a staff RN.

As for "outdated" nursing skills, twenty years ago, many NYC hosptials did not allow RNs to start IV's much less run piggy-backs; one summoned a doctor (usually a resident). Indeed from what one has heard here on this board and else where, quite few new grads arrive on the floors not knowing how to start IVs, so it is not something all nursing programs seem to feel their students must know.

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lenox hill is an excellent hospital, but suffers from the changing landscape of healthcare in nyc, current economic condition of nys, nyc and the united states as a whole.

lenox hill is not an excellent hospital. i've worked part-time at lenox hill hospital for over 2 years now and have also maintained part-time work at neighboring nyu hospital, while doing per diem for nyp cornell and i can tell you from personal experience that the patients at lenox hill hospital aren't happy, the nurses aren't happy and the medical staff is not what it once used to be. ten years ago, lenox hill always had a full-house with regards to admissions. today, they have multiple (as in 5 or more ) units closed at the same time. they have a beautiful er that is empty half the time and medical staff that is comprised mostly of 3rd tier residents and attendings that are way past their prime.

sadly as with most everything else in the us economy, scale of size brings benefits to the large and slowly kills off smaller businesses. one only has to open a magazine, read newspaper adverts, or listen to television/radio commercials for the large health care network hospitals touting huge brand new wings or units, stocked with major snazzy equipment . all of this attracts doctors, who in turn bring patients.

you're absolutely right in this entire statement. lenox hill can no longer attract the high level talent that they used to, due to the uncertainty they have in remaining open.

not only do i live near lh, but know many staff that work there, and aside from the usual grumbles most nurses i've spoken with seem content. do not hear of massive closing of units and so forth, aside from what is going on at most major hosptials. i mean have you been to c-p? there are entire floors of both barns of hospital buildings totally empty, but that has allot to do with patient census and the fact that quite allot of healthcare now takes place outside of hospitals, including elective proceedures..

lenox hill nurses are not happy. we've been dealing with negotiations issues that have rendered our contracts almost useless. we experienced no increase in salary from last year to this year, due to the struggling financial times the hospital is going through. we also don't get full tuition reimbursement as many have advertised. along with that, you have the fact that we have very little support from management and it's pretty much us out there all alone.

as for training new grads, don't know many hosptials with a surplus of highly educated rns, to the point of their being clinical instructors, willing to orientate new grads. certainly not as part of their usual duties, and with little to no increase in pay as well. all i am saying is if you want a rn to function as a clinical instructor while on duty and not slack off on her other duties, that seems to me an entire new job from just being a staff rn.

new york presbyterian (columbia & cornell), mount sinai, nyu, hospital for special surgery & sloan kettering all have clinical nurse specialists on each floor that not only help to train new nurses, but implement new approaches to better patient care. that is the "new job" you made reference to that is present in many nyc hospitals, the clinical nurse specialist.

don't sell lenox hill hospital to a new grad as a good place to start their nursing career. their staff is constantly leaving to neighboring hospitals and their financial instability can place these new grads in a bad place if the hospital or their unit closes.

again, all of these things are just my opinion. if you'd like to go and give it a try, by all means do so. afterwards, please come back and tell us of your experiences.

p.s. i've practiced as a nurse for 20 years now. i worked for northshore lij for 12 years, nyu for 5 full-time years, nyp cornell and lenox hill for 2 years. out of all of them, lenox has been the worse..

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Hi,

It seems as though you are quite familiar with Lenox Hill. I have an interview at Lenox Hill coming up (im a new grad) and although i understand you dont recommend new grads start off there, the job market is very flaky right now.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could perhaps shed some light onto the interview process/questions....

Are there any specific interview questions or scenario type questions they like to ask? im a bit nervous as i am really depending on this interview. Also, is there anything specific i should mention that would impress them?...

Thanks in advance!

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Hi, do you work at lenox or did you end up somewhere else?

i am a new grad RN and Im gearing up for an interview at lenox although not sure which floor yet....

can you perhaps shed some light into some of the questions they would ask me other than the basic 'why do you want to work here'?

i am very nervous since i had some difficult scenario based questions during my last interview elsewhere...

also,what is the lenox hill culture ?

Thanks!

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