Dallas, TX- Baylor or Parkland?

mbcatac7 · Nov 2, 2009

I love...love...love Baylor. I teach there now as a Lamaze Childbirth Educator and I also do Birth Doula. Great place to work. Everybody is so nice.

Billie

loricatus · Nov 2, 2009

It would depend on what you are looking for.

Parkland is a county hospital with a world class rep. If you what to learn hard core nursing, then this is the place to go. Not a designer hospital and a lot of poor clientele. What you will learn in two years there, might take 5-10 elsewhere. Plus, you can write your ticket anywhere else if you have Parkland on your resume.

Baylor is more of an upper crust type of environment. There is a saying around here about the Baylor Hospitals: "It's the Baylor Way or the Highway." My BIL works for them in recruiting, so I do know some insider things; but, as a nurse, you can thrive if you fit the mold. You will learn a lot if you are going to Big Baylor (Dallas); but, the other Baylors are more like a community hospital with all the politics that go along with small town thinking. I did clinicals at their (Big Baylor) NICU and enjoyed it. You will get congierge services and great dining options at Baylor, where the most gourmet thing you will find at Parkland is a Big Mac.

Why don't you take a weekend and come to Dallas to just look around at both hospitals, then decide.

PurpleLVN · Nov 2, 2009

It would depend on what you are looking for.
Parkland is a county hospital with a world class rep. If you what to learn hard core nursing, then this is the place to go. Not a designer hospital and a lot of poor clientele. What you will learn in two years there, might take 5-10 elsewhere. Plus, you can write your ticket anywhere else if you have Parkland on your resume.
Baylor is more of an upper crust type of environment. There is a saying around here about the Baylor Hospitals: "It's the Baylor Way or the Highway." My BIL works for them in recruiting, so I do know some insider things; but, as a nurse, you can thrive if you fit the mold. You will learn a lot if you are going to Big Baylor (Dallas); but, the other Baylors are more like a community hospital with all the politics that go along with small town thinking. I did clinicals at their (Big Baylor) NICU and enjoyed it. You will get congierge services and great dining options at Baylor, where the most gourmet thing you will find at Parkland is a Big Mac.
Why don't you take a weekend and come to Dallas to just look around at both hospitals, then decide.

ITA with this post. All I have to say is, if I have a Trauma emergency send me to Parkland!! They are the best at what they do. They deliver more babies at Parkland than any hospital in the nation!! If you want excellent training and a great track record for your resume go for Parkland. You can get a job ANYWHERE after you've worked there!! :twocents:

gibson0726 · Nov 3, 2009

Howdy ya'll!
I've been lurking on this wonderful site for some time now, but I need some help! I have received offers from both Parkland and Baylor University Medical Center for their January 2010 new grad internships in the NICU. I am so excited as this is my dream job! However, being from Houston, I don't know much about these hospitals other than the experience I had during interviews. I got great vibes from both, so I am having a hard time choosing which one to go with. If it were up to me, I would do both!
Does anyone have any opinions on either of these hospitals? Benefits? Education? Internship program? their NICU's?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
TIA!

I recently accepted a position at Baylor for their January internship. What won me over was how warm and friendly all the staff nurses were when we were touring the unit. I felt really comfortable asking questions and the nurse manager was great as well. I like how the unit is set up, and I feel that I will be supported as a new nurse when I get off orientation. I heard several nurses say that they always have lots of help, and it gets there before they even have a chance to ask.

Good luck with your decision!

PurpleLVN · Nov 3, 2009

I recently accepted a position at Baylor for their January internship. What won me over was how warm and friendly all the staff nurses were when we were touring the unit. I felt really comfortable asking questions and the nurse manager was great as well. I like how the unit is set up, and I feel that I will be supported as a new nurse when I get off orientation. I heard several nurses say that they always have lots of help, and it gets there before they even have a chance to ask.
Good luck with your decision!

I agree that Baylor is a "friendly" facility and great to work for. Also, it's very difficult to "get in." But I also know a lot of nurses who work there and are stressed to perform b/c it's a "for profit" facility. I interviewed there but the starting rate for an experienced LVN was too low, so I declined the position.

But if you're like me, I want to get "broken in" with lots of experiences and see all types of diseases and illnesses and how they're treated. At Parkland, you'll see it all!!! UT Southwestern Medical Center/School and Children's Hospital are on either side of Parkland so you'll be around so much action!! And residents!!!

smiles&prayers · Nov 3, 2009

Actually baylor is "not for profit".

Jewels10RN · Nov 4, 2009

Thanks for all the wonderful information. You nurses really do have a wealth of knowledge.

It's going to be very difficult picking, so I plan on spending a day at each hospital and going with the one that I get the best vibe from. This is going to be a rough decision...

lweatherby · Nov 6, 2009

Baylor is a non-profit hospital just for the record. I accepted an internship position in their january class. I was so impressed with the nurses on the unit. Each one came in and asked me questions and answered any questions that I had. Everyone is so nice and pleasant to speak with.... even their HR personnel have been wonderful. I needed an offer letter to get an apartment and had it in hand one day after I requested it. I don't know anything about Parkland except that it is very busy. I received an invitation to interview for their ER Residency, but have already accepted the Baylor position. I think either place will be a great learning experience. I have heard that Parkland has a higher nurse turnover than Baylor.... but I do not know if that is true.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 6, 2009

If money is an important factor in your decision making, be aware that Parkland offers much higher pay rates for new grads than the Baylor system. The starting pay at Baylor is in the $21.50 to $22 hourly range for a new RN, whereas Parkland pays its new grads closer to $25 per hour.

celclt · Nov 9, 2009

how is new grad hiring in Dallas so far for Dec grads?

CurlyGirlie · Nov 11, 2009

does anyone have any interview tips and/or examples of interview questions (both phone & in person) for the gn internship at parkland? i'm interested in icu and er. thanks in advance.