Arrowhead Regional Medical Center vs San Antonio Community

[stamayo]

So anyone work in the ED at either ARHC in Colton or SACH in Upland?

I'm a new grad and currently work as a med/surg CNA at San Antonio. I have the option of ED positions at both Arrowhead and San Antonio. I love the staff at SACH but haven't ever worked in their ED. However, I hear they have a good New Grad program. Arrowhead appeals to me because its a Trauma and Burn Center and also the idea of starting fresh somewhere else sounds good. However, I haven't heard much about their New Grad program.

Can anyone give me advice or more info on the ED in these locations. Also, anyone who works at Arrowhead, would you overall suggest it as a good facility for new grads?

thanks! :)

[I RN A]

Are you a new grad RN? I don't know much about San Antonio, but I worked in ARMC ED as a student nurse. They do not have a new grad program. You have 6 month orientation with a preceptor on the floor. I loved working there, it was a lot of fun. You really have to like ER and fast pace environment, but if you feel that you are ready, than go for it. Most of the nurses are very nice, with a few exceptions. I have learned a lot working there. If you are looking for a good learning experience, it is a good place to be, although the pay is on the lower side.

[KVA RN]

I am the clinical educator at San Antonio Community Hospital (SACH) emergency department. I am in charge of the ED Newly Licensed Nursing (NLN) program. The program consists of 6 months with classes every Monday for the first 12 weeks. (Its pretty much like another semester of college.) NLNs are assigned to a primary preceptor and evaluated on performance by the preceptor and me on a regular basis. Classes include rhythm identification, ACLS, PALS, managing assaultive behavior and others. Our NLNs must complete the Emergency Nurses Association's "Orientation to Emergency Nursing". We hold the course twice a year in sync with the local nursing programs graduation. We feel the nurses that graduate from in this program are well prepared to function in a busy emergency department setting.

The hospital has been recently recognized as one of the Top 100 Hospitals in the county. The emergency department at SACH is one of the busiest in the county. We see in excess of 70,000 visits per year. The ED has a paramedic base station and we average over 1400 radio runs per month and the majority of the nursing staff is trained as Mobile Intensive Care Nurses (MICNs). Additionally, the ED is a STEMI receiving center for LA, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties. We are relatively small for our volume with 39 beds total. But we are finalizing plans to build a new ED that will have 52 beds with plans to open in 2013. Our salary is competitive with the hospitals in the area and our Human Resources department is constantly polling other facilities to keep us competitive. On a personal note, I have worked here for almost 5 years and I enjoy the nursing culture here. I frequently say this is where I will work until my nursing career is over (many years from now I hope).

We are presently interviewing candidates for the program, and unfortunately we are not taking any more applications at this time.

[I RN A]

I have applied to San Antonio a while ago and never even got a response. ED is my dream and I took ACLS and PALS on my own, and it still did not help me to get a job in ED. Instead, I had to take a job on a medsurg floor, just because I have searched since December of the last year and couldn't find anything else. I hate medsurg, but will try to make the best out of it and transfer somewhere else after I get my experience. I only wish I could be in ED!

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

That was nice of KVA RN to even respond, most don't. The reality is it is incredibly competitive to get a New Graduate nursing job at this time. If you got a New Grad position on ANY floor feel incredibly blessed.

I applied for ER New Grad Positions several places, to no avail, and ultimately ended up in ICU. I'll take it, better than nothing and talk about an intense learning environment.

I have so many friends who currently have no jobs who have been searching frantically since January, and if you search the boards you can see people looking since May 2008!

[2busyb]

You are one of the reasons I want to work @SACH so bad. I graduated RN from LVN in June and have been waiting patiently for the new grad postings. As an experienced LVN the scope of a new RN has humbled me. All the training and encouragment from SACH has me earger to be part of your ER family.Everyone seems do down to earth and having you post just made me smile today. = ) thanks for the info.