Cincinnati Hospitals

RNFELICITY · Jan 16, 2009

I have worked at University several times and it is a great place to learn critical care but the staff is not known for their friendliness...and never have been.

The Mercy system is a great system and they will be building a new hospital within the next 5 years and closing the Western Hills and Mt Airy campuses.

Mercy Fairfield has a fabulous ICU and they are one of the big money makers of the mercy system so they seem to get better supplies and perks for their staff.

perkizme · Jan 16, 2009

Do you know what area of nursing you would like to go into??? Adult vs peds? Critical care vs med-surg vs OR vs ER, etc??? Cincy Childrens and the VAMC have great benefits (that I know of) if this is important to you. Good Sam, Bethesda North and new West Chester Medical Center have newer or newly remodeled campuses. University and Good Sam are level 1 traumas (if you're looking into ER experiences). Not sure about the Mercys and others but University and Good Sam/B. North have critical care internship programs if you're lookin for ICU. Many have OR and bone marrow transplant internship programs too (for new grads). The VAMC and the Mercys probably have that nicer, friendlier feel just because they're smaller hospitals- (I tend to see this at smaller hospitals). Congrats on being almost done~

RNFELICITY · Jan 16, 2009

I believe that University is the only Level I trauma hospital in the area. Good Sam is actually a level II according to their literature I read recently, but I know they try to gear their education to a level I.

i had not heard that they had upgraded to a level I. I think the one in Dayton is a level I.

The cincinnati Good Sam is part of Tri-health.

perkizme · Jan 16, 2009

Thought i heard somewhere recently that good sam (cinti) was now level 1 trauma (which i was surprised bec I thought only UC was).... but I could be wrong!!! :smackingf

oreo84 · Jan 16, 2009

Thank you very much for the replies! I haven't entirely decided what area I'd like to go into but I'm pretty sure I want it to be with adults. During one of my clinicals we were on a med-surg/telemetry floor and I liked working with those types of patients: HF, COPD, renal, etc. I've always been very interested in the heart so I may consider a cardiac oriented floor or unit. We haven't covered critical care yet in school so I'm not sure about that, but definitely wouldn't want to rule it out. It is good to hear there are some good new grad programs for that in the area though.

thanks again!

CinnScorpStudent · Jan 18, 2009

If you're thinking cardio, look into Christ Hospital on Auburn Ave. They openly boast about their cardio care on everything remotely press related, I've heard great things from their nursing students as well. The fact that I was born there doesn't bias my opinion...:chuckle

perkizme · Jan 18, 2009

I agree Christ is prob best for cardiology/CT surgery. I've heard awesome things about their cvicu.

hes2371 · Jan 26, 2009

I am a new nurse 5/08, and I currently work at Christ Hospital. I feel very comfortable there. They have a critical care internship 3 times a year if you are interested in ED, ICU, Telemetry, Hemodialysis, or PACU. They consider themselves a "teaching hospital" and you do learn. I have been on my own now since Nov 08, and I am learning new things every single day. The nurses there are very receptive to new nurses and always offer help. They have computerized charting now, which is totally awesome! And they are going to try to get magnet status in 2010. Good luck in your nursing career! :yeah:

:prdnrs:

Jennyw45013 · Feb 2, 2009

Everyone here has touched on most of what I would say. If you want hospital nursing, Trihealth, Mercy and Health Alliance are your best bet. I work for Ft. Hamilton in Hamilton which is about 40 min north of downtown Cincy. It is a community based hospital but still up to date and in close with University. Most any place you go is a good bet, all three health care systems have good new grad programs and good hospitals. good luck!!! :)

SiennaGreen · Feb 4, 2009

I realize that this is a bit specific, but I'm going to ask anyway

I am hoping to move into a CNM program after 2-5 years experiance. Are there any hospitals in the Cincy area that are particularly mother/baby friendly? pro breastfeeding, midwife friendly, and have a lower C section rate than others?

I would love to get into a position where I can stay while doing (and maybe after) doing my CNM program, so it's important that we have some jive philosophically. I am not from Cincy, so I need someone from within to give me some 'scoop'. I know where I am, I could tell you two or three hospitals who are very proud and pro active re: helping provide women the opportunity for a natural, relaxed birth atmosphere. I could also tell you of some that would rather get you in and out, and don't really care much about supporting a mother's wishes or her experiance as long as the "end product" is good.

schroedie · Feb 22, 2009

sorry to hear your clinical experience at university wasnt that great. i work at childrens and on my unit we have students almost every day of the week in the spring. i just graduated last year so i try to remember what it was like being a student and be nice to them and give them a good experience, but sometimes it can be very frustrating having students around for nurses.

i wouldnt necessarily use your clinical experience at a place to judge the people. on my unit we are very very busy and with 10 extra people roaming around it gets crowded and difficult to get to a computer to chart at times. earlier this week i had two patients and both had nursing students so that in itself was overwhelming to me as the nurse having two people trying to ask me questions, and having to not only do my assessments etc, but also checking in on what the students were doing to my kids too.

like i said, i was just a student myself not too long ago so i know what its like, and now i know what its like on the other side of the fence too. bottom line, i wouldnt necessarily judge all nurses at a particular hospital based on your experience as a student. it might be really beneficial to you to ask to shadow on the unit you are applying for at some point so you can get a better feel for what it will be like.