Cape, Anyone?

mother/babyRN, RN · Nov 13, 2003

CCCC is a great program and highly regarded...I didn't go to nursing school there, but did attend some classes a few years ago and enjoyed it....My son also attended there for criminal justice...What part of the Cape are YOU on? I live in Bourne, which is funny, since I am a maternity nurse! Welcome!

fitgirl0470 · Nov 13, 2003

I lived on the cape from 1989-1996 and I really miss it so much~~~

isn't it great? We are planning on going there next year for a week vacation....not enough though!!

I got my accounting degree at cccc....I really liked it there. but didn't use the degree....I was really bored with accounting and switched over to nursing.

gina

alphafe · Nov 14, 2003

Thanks everyone! I live in New Seabury ( the little cottag-y part called Maushop). When I was a kid my family spend our summers near here and all the neighborhood dissed New Seabury for encroaching on "OUR" part of the Cape! Now that I'm over the culture shock of how everything has grown, I'm really loving living here.

My plan is to take my prerequisities at CCCC

beginning in January and move on from there either into their nursing program or another one in the area.

I think about Labor & Delivery, ER/Trauma,

and psychiatric nursing.

Nice to meet you (I hope you both have Cape Cod bracelets :)

RN-PA, RN · Nov 14, 2003

I love Cape Cod and have vacationed there, based in Orleans, but have explored all over the Cape for the last 10 years. My dream is to live there one day (mainly a nice dream, but HEY-- you never know! :cool: ) and I wondered about job opportunities for a med-surg nurse on the Cape. When I've done a little searching, it looks like there are plenty of LTC positions out there, but I wondered if anyone can tell me anything about working at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. (You can PM me, if you'd be more comfortable.)

I'd also appreciate getting some idea where the less expensive areas to live are located.

mother/babyRN, RN · Nov 14, 2003

I have worked at CCHospital and Falmouth..What would you like to know?

RN-PA, RN · Nov 14, 2003

Originally posted by mother/babyRN
I have worked at CCHospital and Falmouth..What would you like to know?

Are there two different hospitals? I thought the one in Hyannis was the only hospital on the Cape.

I guess I'd like to know how many beds they have, whether they have a good reputation for care of both patients and staff, what the nurse to patient ratio is on med-surg, and do they have extra seasonal staff for the influx of summer people visiting the Cape?

I worked with someone here in PA who worked at the hospital on Martha's Vineyard, and she was cross-trained in every specialty due to the down-sizing that occured after the summer season was over.

Could you also please tell me the less expensive areas to live? I like the east coast area and along Rte. 6A, but I'm sure it's cheaper to live more inland.

ineedleu · Jan 4, 2004

I just moved her from california and am thinking about cccc nursing, looks like me and everybody else have the same idea.

looking to meet people, glad i found this site.

mother/babyRN, RN · Jan 4, 2004

Welcome all who wish to travel here! We have had some great travelers at Falmouth Hospital....I really feel horrible when they leave....Massachusetts, in general, is expensive and the Cape is no exception..It is a resort area after all...I am a Massachusetts native,which is my reason to stay, but I was able to do it as a single mom also....The Cape is beautiful, summer and winter and is no longer the summer town place of my youth. By that I mean there are things to do all year round and since we aren't that far away from either Boston or Providence, there is a lot more to do...For anyone who elects to visit or stay, we would be happy to have you..

Both hospitals on Cape cod are community, with Cape Cod Hispital ( in Hyannis) being the larger of the two....It just had a new addition built. Falmouth is smaller with arround 650 deliveries a year...I believe as far as maternity goes, the Cape Cod hospital unit is older and may separate into thress areas. Famlmouh has a newer unit ldrps...Hope that helps. I worked at Cape Cod years ago and the med surg, icu, ccu etc were always very very busy, which I am sure, is true everywhere..The Cape census has exploded over the last decade or so because it is a good area to raise families, so both hospitals see a good portion of all age patients, where in the past, their were a great more elderly people due to retirement....

Take care and hope some decided to travel our way!

Come to Falmouth! We are always in the market for trained OB people! PM me for specific questions if you like!

joules300, BSN · Jan 23, 2004

Hi everyone! I'm a nurse on cape cod, work at CCH and went to CCCC and UMASS Boston for my BSN. ( Both good programs). To look for jobs and CCH or Falmouth Hospital you can visit http://www.capecodhealthcare.org and see all the open positions. There are open med/surg positins at both hospitals. It would also include a couple of the nursing homes affiliated w/ cape cod healthcare. you can even apply on line. This site also gives info about the hospitals etc..

As far as CCH, we are BUSY!!!! No more slow winters. Filled to capacity and then some most days. We have had many ERADS (emergancy room admisstions)all winter long. Due somewhat to a floor that was closed for renovations. That floor is now open and there are still ERADS! Puts a gigantic strain on the emergency department.

I think we have a pretty good reputation with the community. We have been doing angioplasty for probably two years and now we can do open heart, not bad for a small community hospital (about 250 beds I think). As far as nurses, many of our travelers have taken on permanant positions. I think that says a lot, considering many of these nurses have worked all over the US. Don't get me wrong, CCH is far from perfect! Like many hospital, they try new ways of doing things, which usually fail, and nursing bears the brunt. The newest thing my department is doing is utilizing per diems and rotating the permanant nurses off shift. That is not doing much for morale.

I hope this info helps all who were interested. Let me know if I can help with anything else:D

RN-PA, RN · Jan 23, 2004

Thanks for all the info, joules. Would you happen to know the nurse-to-patient ratio for various units, especially, med-surg?

mother/babyRN, RN · Jan 23, 2004

four to six rns per 30 patient unit at Falmouth, with PSAs and PCTs as you do your own bloods....Can't say about CCH...When I was there, it was wild but mostly well covered.....But, that was awhile ago in my case....