CC vs UH

lyela · Jun 2, 2014

It depends on who you ask. Some nurses at CC in certain departments really like their jobs while other departments are really tough on nurses. It is a large communality at CC, with diverse cultures even among the same departments. CC is on the cutting edge of medicine which may or may not translate to a good nursing environment. Management tends to treat nurses as a commodity- "a nurse is a nurse is a nurse" (although the HR department produces a lot of propaganda to the contrary), while MDs are gods.If you work at CC, you better understand this or your days will be numbered.Parking at CC is the worst.

UH is kind of always in the shadow of CC.It is smaller than CC, but most nurses there tend to feel that they are treated better at UH. There is less emphasis on nursing proficiency and more on unit cohesiveness. Although some of the supervisors at UH were a bit vexing, I always found the MDs there to be helpful and polite.

Benefits and salaries are for the most part identical. So there is no one answer to your question- Some may say I love CC, other may say I hate it. Both could be right depending on where they worked. Whereas with UH, most will be less extreme in their feelings and say it's okay.

Sorry I couldn't be more definitive in my answer, but this is only my experience.

Good luck!

OUxPhys, BSN, RN · Jun 2, 2014

I work at UH right now on Lerner Tower 5 as an aid. I have clinicals right now at CC. Just about everything you said is what I have heard. I was also told the regional CC hospitals werent as bad. I do know UH pays nurses more but I think that is because they arent the clinic. Plus from what I see nurses have to work a little harder than at the clinic (they arent 100% EMR yet and what they use is horrible). I also think benefits are slightly better at the clinic. I think what I will do is apply at UH as an internal candidate and then do PRN at the clinic or metro.

RNinCLE, ADN, BSN · Jun 5, 2014

I work at the Clinic, and have been in the same department in three different job capacities over the last 4 1/2 years. I am currently working as an RN on nights, and am very happy here. This place is so huge though - I really think it depends on where you're working. I am in a specialty area, and have found the docs very respectful of nursing.

My unit has had two different nurse managers while I've been here. One was 100% supportive of his nurses. If you ever had an issue with a resident or doctor, you always knew the NM had your back. Our current manager - not so much. She's very business/budget-minded, though I have to admit I personally have had no issues with her. But this is just an example - so much of your experience in any hospital system is going to be based on the specific unit you are on - no matter where you work.

As others have mentioned, the Clinic has great benefits. I know nothing about UH's.

I know a few years ago, nurses at UH were salary. CC nurses are hourly. Is that still the case at UH? For several of my fellow nurses at CC, that was a reason they did not want to switch to UH.

I also seriously agree with the EMR issue above. I was at UH during clinicals, and their EMR was awful. And I was shocked by how much was still on paper at the time (2 1/2 years ago).

Personally, I think it's amazing that Cleveland has two of the top hospital systems in the country. And I don't think you can go "wrong" starting at either one. Good luck!

OUxPhys, BSN, RN · Jun 6, 2014

As far as I know the nurses at UH are hourly. In fact they pay higher than CC but I think they have to work a little harder (horrible EMR and still do paper charting). Bennies at UH aren't horrible, I think it's 90/10 but that still doesnt beat the bennies at CC. Personally I think out of the 3 UH has the worst. Im on H80 right now for clinicals and all the nurses I have spoken to like working at the clinic and havent really had any problems with any of the doctors. I was told though that the regional CC hospitals arent as bad as main campus. I really like the heart so I figure the clinic would be the best place. I'm still going to apply to all 3 places and see what happens. If I have to stay at UH for a year or two and then go elsewhere so be it.