boston nurses--what makes boston a great place for nurses?

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to all the boston nurses ( and all points around boston)

since the job market seems so tight round there--what makes this so?

are boston nurses working in better working environments? more support for nurses? better wages?

i know there are plenty of hospitals in/near boston, and the city is very well known for medicine but the market for boston seems to have been tight for a while ...i guess i am looking for feedback from y'all what boston may be doing right:up:

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Specializes in Neuro, Cardiology, ICU, Med/Surg.

As I have only worked as a nurse in Boston, I don't have anything to compare it to. Further, I have only worked at one hospital (MGH). I can say this, that some travel nurses who have worked around the country love working at this hospital. Reading some of the threads posted here on allnurses.com, I can vouch that nurses are treated with a reasonable amount of dignity and respect compared to other places. At MGH (I can't speak for the other big teaching hospitals in Boston), there is a nurse who is Senior VP of Patient Care Services (Nursing, PT and OT) and Chief Nurse Executive and she reports to the CEO of the hospital. Nursing is very well represented in management and as such, stupid management decisions that tend to show flagrant disrespect to nurses are rare. The pay here is good (though MGH doesn't have the highest among the big ones... last I knew, Boston Medical Center was highest, followed closely by Brigham and Women's). MGH is reasonably competitive with their salaries though. Of course, the cost of living in Boston is high so that's kind of a wash. But overall, we are treated with considerably more respect than many of our counterparts in other parts of the country. Of course your mileage may vary.

But as some of my colleagues have pointed out who have worked elsewhere, the standard of care is very high, pt ratios at the big hospitals are reasonable (we usually have 3 pts during days, 4 overnoc... though we don't have aides on our floor). Anyway, don't know if that is helpful or not.

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thank you cityhawk for your feedback! i have heard only really positive views of MGH funny that you mentioned it.

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Specializes in LTAC, Telemetry, Thoracic Surgery, ED.

I work at a different Boston Hospital. I have to agree with cityhawk that we get respect from the docs and are truly treated with respect. The pay is not that great for the cost of living but it's not horrible. There are a lot of unions around so even hospitals that are not union get some of the perks to help with retention.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

I'm a pediatric nurse at a children's hospital in Boston. There's no other place like it around. We care for such sick children and yet there's a renewed sense of hope every single shift. I love my job and my coworkers do too. It's a supportive environment, a good nurse-patient ratio, and so much opportunity to learn. The pay isn't great but pay isn't everything. People don't leave very often here. :) I think for some it's the prestige of working in Boston and the teaching environments. There are lots of Level I trauma centers in this area and it's definitely an adrenaline rush to care for cases you don't see everyday anywhere else. You really hone your skills.

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Specializes in Neuro, Cardiology, ICU, Med/Surg.

Just to put the pay question in perspective, the starting salary for a new grad is about $30/hour plus diffs. So the pay is quite good compared to the national average... Just that the cost of living is high.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

I don't make anywhere near $30/hour with two years of experience and I work in Boston!

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Specializes in Neuro, Cardiology, ICU, Med/Surg.

Of course, your mileage may vary. :smokin:

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Hello,

Do anyone knows where they are hiring new grad in Boston. I'm now living in NY, and i am ready to relocate because it's hard to get something in NYC. If one of you know please let me know. thank you

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

No, there's nothing. Most of the class of May 2009 still don't have jobs. Sorry.

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thanks for the feedback boston RN's. its refreshing to here that the environment for nurses around the city seem to foster respect. i have worked in hospitals where the pay has been the highest end of the spectrum for nurses, but what the nurses dealt with was insane from dangerous ratios to 'it's always the nurses fault' mentality of administration. i know there is no such thing as a perfect situation, but it sounds like boston area nurses are lucky compared to the rest of the US.

for me environment outweighs pay. with experience, the compensation comes in time

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I love that we have nurses here from Children's & MGH.

(I know there is no place like it. Gotta love Boston for being top notch in medicine. :up:)

I cruised around one night a few weeks ago just admiring this, getting out of the car & taking all kinds of pics of our med/pharmacy school & hospital buildings. :) Really quite some place, this city, and one of such prestigious medical standings & history.

I know a few nurses who have worked at either/or, & all around the ages of the posters here from those same places, so more than likely you know some of em'. ;)

I think what makes Boston so great for nurses is all the different hospitals & their level of rank, pay seems great compared to so many other places one could live, and there's quite the vibe around this city with a deep history in medicine.

I absolutely love Boston, proud to be from the area, and so lucky to live so close.

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