CHICAGO NURSING for new grad

maximaxi · Nov 30, 2006

Hi Everyone!
I am a new grad and I am thinking about moving to Chicago. I was wondering if anyone knew if it is possible to start in an ED at any of the hospitals. Also, if you have any advice on good hospitals to start at. Thank you!

Try going to the websites for the hospitals.The following are hospitals I have heard that do take new grads in ER. Resurrection Hospitals,Weiss hospital.Sweedish Covenant hospital.Hope that helps. I know Northwestern/Evanston hospital & Lutheran Hospital dont.At least thats what we were told at the job fairs.

Jolie, BSN · Nov 30, 2006

My standard recommendations for Chicago hospitals are Northwestern, Rush and Children's Memorial (if peds interests you).

You might also want to check out Cook County (Stroger) if you are interested in ER. There is no better place in the city to learn trauma than Stroger.

Paranurse77 · Dec 1, 2006

For the sweet love of god... Stay where you are.... I'm gonna guess NY???

The Chicago nursing market that was WIDE open two years ago has dried right up as numerous nurses from rust belt Midwestern cities flock to the last remaining stronghold in the region...

This combined with an influx of foreign nurses and the 20+++ nursing schools in the region has caused wages in the Chicago area to stagnate. The "nursing shortage" was over a long time ago here. Many new grads that I know took positions in suburban hospitals and reverse commute from the city or took positions on units they initially had no interest in.

There are hospitals that still take new grads in the ER including some listed by posts above, but honestly, due to the trends I've discussed many new grad ER positions are in hospitals that, quite frankly, suck. Ex. Weiss, Swedish Covenant and basically any Res. Hospital.

At the "nice"/ "trendy" hospitals... Ex. Northwestern, Rush... You may have a tough time, however they do have one thing going and that's a high rate of turnover.

Why, oh, why can't more 20-something nurses move to San Diego??

maximaxi · Dec 2, 2006

Hi Everyone!
I am a new grad and I am thinking about moving to Chicago. I was wondering if anyone knew if it is possible to start in an ED at any of the hospitals. Also, if you have any advice on good hospitals to start at. Thank you!

Don't let negative people influence what you decide to do.What may have been their experiences may not be yours. Everyone is different.Go to the websites of all the hospitals listed and see for yourself. Why do you think those hospitals have such a high turnover?Has to make you wonder rt?Do you really want to work somewhere because it's "trendy". Is that why you went into nursing?They forgot to mention what it costs to park at Northwestern a month. Last time I heard it was one hundred and something. I wish you luck in whatever you decide to do. P.s. I actually am from San Diego,CA..

agoodusername · Dec 23, 2006

I'm interested in Chicago as a new-grad too...I've heard very few things as far as magnet hospitals, etc goes...but I do know that Swedish Cov doesn't get very high ratings from the locals.

Keep us posted if you find anything!

SillyLilly · Jan 4, 2007

I know someone who works at Sweedish and loves it.

I do not live far from there. Most of the people in my neighborhood do not like the community hospitals.

But I work at a community hospital and love it.

NICU_babyRN, BSN, RN · Jan 19, 2007

So I just moved to Chicago as a new grad and while ER/ED is where I will end up, I am lucky to LOVE LOVE LOVE the NICU and that is where I will be working. Yes, it costs TONS of money to park at Northwestern-but then, why drive when you can easily take the train or bus there any time of the day or (almost the entire) night? I actually sold my car once I got here realizing that I don't need it at all. Even though I am living north of the city, I can still take the Red/Blue line all the way to Rush making the parking problem go away all together. For the days I do need a car (few and far in between), I rent a Zip Car!

Also, new grads will not be hired in any of these so-called-trendy hospitals in the ER as a new grad. Northwestern wants AT LEAST one year in telemetry AND a year in ICU. Rush wants at least a year in ICU, same with cook county, and any other hospital around here with a level I trauma center!

I LOVE living here-I was able to get a job no problem and with good pay and benefits. If you want to move here, go for it, BUT-come with a job lined up AND keep in mind that it will be hard to go to ER right away. :nurse:

Gennaver, MSN · Jan 19, 2007

Hi Everyone!
I am a new grad and I am thinking about moving to Chicago. I was wondering if anyone knew if it is possible to start in an ED at any of the hospitals. Also, if you have any advice on good hospitals to start at. Thank you!

Hello,

I have six months till completion of my program and we have been doing our clinicals in Chicago, (previously I have worked as a patient care tech over the years at a couple of Chicago hospitals and have some suggestions).

Illinois Masonic Medical Center (an Advocate facility) has a new "new graduate training program" where they hire and offer extensive preceptorship to new nurses.

Children's Memorial is notorious for being a good place to work. What I am discovering about Northwestern is that some departments have a very young nurse base, (this may be good or it may mean that their turnover is so high that it may be bad). I have also heard good things for new graduates at Rush and have not heard anything good from any of the few nurses that I have met who have worked at any of the county facilities, (be it Stroger, Provident or Oak Forest hospitals).

Good luck,

Gen

nursetmj · Jan 19, 2007

So I just moved to Chicago as a new grad and while ER/ED is where I will end up, I am lucky to LOVE LOVE LOVE the NICU and that is where I will be working. Yes, it costs TONS of money to park at Northwestern-but then, why drive when you can easily take the train or bus there any time of the day or (almost the entire) night? I actually sold my car once I got here realizing that I don't need it at all. Even though I am living north of the city, I can still take the Red/Blue line all the way to Rush making the parking problem go away all together. For the days I do need a car (few and far in between), I rent a Zip Car!
Also, new grads will not be hired in any of these so-called-trendy hospitals in the ER as a new grad. Northwestern wants AT LEAST one year in telemetry AND a year in ICU. Rush wants at least a year in ICU, same with cook county, and any other hospital around here with a level I trauma center!
I LOVE living here-I was able to get a job no problem and with good pay and benefits. If you want to move here, go for it, BUT-come with a job lined up AND keep in mind that it will be hard to go to ER right away.

I am moving to Chicago in June as a new grad; just out of curiosity, did you start in a NICU? And if so, where (I missed that somewhere)? I want to start in a NICU but am wondering how difficult it will be for me. Any advice? Thanks!

Jolie, BSN · Jan 19, 2007

I am moving to Chicago in June as a new grad; just out of curiosity, did you start in a NICU? And if so, where (I missed that somewhere)? I want to start in a NICU but am wondering how difficult it will be for me. Any advice? Thanks!

There are a number of NICUs in Chicago that have preceptor programs for new grads. I started in the NICU at Rush as a new grad, and know of others who went to Michael Reese, and Cook County (Stroger) as new grads in the NICU.

There is no shortage of hospitals in the city and suburban areas with intensive care nurseries, including Children's Memorial, Northwestern, Evanston, U of I, U of C, Lutheran General, Hope Children's Hospital (Christ Hospital), Mt. Sinai, Rush-Copley, and Edward's Hospital. Good luck!

bluegrassgal · Apr 3, 2008

What's the starting rate of new grad nurses in chicago? I want to start @ childrens memorial when I graduate, any idea?