Duke RN Residency 2016

CareQueen, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2016

For those of you who shadowed did you bring your stethoscope?

Nope. No steth needed! You won't be doing any patient care aside from assistance positioning a patient, maybe.

TitaniumPlates · Apr 15, 2016

To answer anyone considering or have accepted a DUMC residency. First off, congratulation to all who have gotten this far and have passed the boards--or are confident enough to have accepted a residency spot without passing first :)

I live in NC, in Durham--and worked for DUMC, and now have gone through clinical rotations at DUMC. i know the place, I know the people and I know DUMC, very very well.

First, and this is just a word to the wise that applies to EVERYONE applying for ANY job---if everything seems so amazingly wonderful and things just are too good to be true---and that facility calls you on your way out to the parking lot (or worse yet, offers the job in the interview itself)---you need to think about WHY.

Use your critical thinking skills here. Call on some nursing students or nurses in the area. Find out why DUMC would literally hand out offers like candy. And they do.

The first time for us getting an idea of the ground truth at DUMC was them coming into our 3rd term classroom (8 mo prior to graduation. anything can happen!) with 10 RN Mgrs, the head of HR and two admins with laptops. Expensive deli lunches. Each took a turn on how wonderful DUMC is and what a family they are (now remember. I worked for them for 5 years. I know the ground truth) and how well everyone is treated.

This went on for an hour and a half. Students were checking their watches. Literally. Then when it really seemed like they were losing everyone, the head of HR realized this and said..."OK. Now. So, since we've told you all about how amazingly wonderful special DUMC is, we would like you to come up front here, use our laptops, and put your applications into our system, telling us what you each want. If you are one of the truly lucky special ones, we'll offer you a job TODAY and have some paperwork for you to sign so that you can reserve your job."

That you may and may not be eligible to work, in 8 months.

P.S. If you fail the NCLEX, we don't mind. We won't give your job to anyone else. We'll allow you to take it until you pass...and you'll still be able to slide into a position here. No worries!

About 6 people bit on that, the rest rolled their eyes and left.

Second time, since our instructor works for DUMC, she arranged yet another "more personal" recruitment effort. This time, it was just one big wig, with a personal plea to come and apply at DUMC. Didn't work that time, either.

Then the emails came out---DUMC is having recruitment fairs at each affiliate, sign up....yaddayaddayadda. Nobody bit on that, either.

Then, a couple months ago, a "researcher" came in with a proposal that we all be "test subjects" of her research project at DUMC, and that we had to "sign a contract and commit to at least 4 hours per week" going to DUMC to do "things". We never got an explanation of what this "research" really was. But what they wanted was our full background information on these "consent forms", along with all contact info.

Not ONE person bit on that.

Didn't stop there. When nobody signed the consents and just tossed them in the trash on their way out the door (and this was ALL done on CLASS TIME)---a couple weeks later...SHE CAME BACK. Again, in class time.

She said, "I think you all misunderstood. We need test subjects and we need these consents signed. You won't get paid, but you will come to DUMC and do research activities for us. OH. And did I mention that if you do this that it will look more positively on your resume--to us--when you come to us for a job?"

Uh huh. Yeah. Right. Not foggy now on what that was about.

SO.

Please. Consider WHY you got a job offer on your way to the bathroom after the interview. They are STILL sending us emails...they wanted yet ANOTHER recruitment event in our class time...and we said....LISTEN---most of us have jobs where we WANT, so just knock it off with the taking up our time.

About 20% of my class bit on the "you may never, ever, ever get a job in this area if you don't take this one time special offer from DUMC to work there". It became painfully obvious.

The pay is low. The lowest in the area and you may convince yourself, "but I'll have Duke on my resume". Doesn't give you a minute's advantage. That's a fact.

The work environment---I have spoken to several of the RNs that graduated last year and bit on the "one time offer" deal. They are now saying that it was the biggest mistake they made and that after their year contract is up...they are LEAVING.

Make of that what you will.

I worked there. I will not again work there. I applied at UNC and Wake. I live here and own a home...and I would rather sell my house and leave rather that go down the DUMC path again. MANY others who took the bait are saying that as well. A surg tech in my class who has worked for them for 7 years....is trying like mad to get into UNC. They are looking at surrounding areas....Carolinas in Charlotte, Cone in Greensboro, Alamance, Person County (!!) and small outlying hospitals that are not affiliated with DUMC.

Just a word to the wise. DO YOUR HOMEWORK and KNOW before you move house and come here, at least, for this particular employer.

About housing. E.X.P.E.N.S.I.V.E. It's a college town. You will get garbage for $800/mo, unless you team up with other students or young professionals who are willing to shell out $500 for a bedroom in a house/townhouse.

The pay at DUMC is around $21/hr for the NGR for the year. No raises. Shift diff is the worst in the area. I think it's $4/hr evenings/weekends. I could be wrong on that shift diff, but i can check. You get a "dedicated preceptor" that checks on you once a month and listens to your concerns and then...you go back to work. Nothing will change. (this is from the grads from last year) There is little mobility between units, because once you are inside the system, it's all about who you know and who likes you. If you are not well liked, you are stuck with whatever unit you came in on...until you resign. When you resign...they will never hire you back, even if they say that they will. It is a retaliatory culture. A PA that I met who did my TB skin test for school---who works for my doctor's office---said she worked there for 4 years and the best thing she did was quit.

The parking at DUMC is the worst. You park offsite---and pay at least $60/mo for it. It takes the average person an hour tacked onto their drive time, to get to their unit, because of parking issues. If you get caught in the deck, because you have the money to pay the fees as a private citizen...they give you a huge fine and a warning that you will be terminated from your employment. THey also have guards at each entry of the deck in the mornings, and if you are seen in your uniform or your tag is matched to an employee, you will be terminated from employment.

**NOTE: NEVER fall for the "we need your tag number to contact you in an emergency" and they tell you the story of the time the employee's car caught on fire and they couldn't find the person. The tags, unless they have a jet fuel fire and it melts...can be run through the campus police database and the owner found immediately. Don't fall for it. Never give out your car information to parking service. ANYWHERE, ANYTIME.

The culture. Unlike anything I've ever experienced. I have worked all over the upper East Coast, I did travel on the west coast and midwest. I have never, ever seen anything like the "don't ask, don't tell" culture as I did when I worked for them, and as a student nurse for them. If you challenge that status quo...you will be eased out and blackballed. It's happened to many people I know, in all different specialites. So, be warned. If you are a person who goes "by the book" and "by what was promised"...DUMC is not a place for you.

Enuf said on that.

Pay at UNC is $22.50, immediate 7% contributions to state pension without you paying a dime to it (but you can contribute the same %), CN2 automatically in a year. Residency is extremely structured. You spend time in classes as well as "out on the floor" for as long as 6 months, depending on your specialty. There is mobility like you wouldn't believe. Just yesterday, my pal who was working burn ICU wanted a full time job in the ED...she is transferring in May. There is an opening, you are internal---you can go if you would like and have the qualifications. Simple and easy. She hasn't worked at UNC for eons, either. Just 4 years and she's been a nurse for 4 years.

The culture is somewhat like DUMC's. Very cliquish, very "who you know"...and if they don't want you in, you won't get in. If your resume is clean, they have no problems with you.

The parking and navigating around Chapel Hill is a nightmare. Simple and purely, a nightmare. If you have the money and don't care...the parking is $10/day in the deck across the street from the hospital. Some say..."I spend that on lunch every day, so I don't mind. I'll bring my lunch and save the 45 minutes shuttle ride from the offsite parking". Yay for you if you have that cash to burn...but they also utilize guards at the gates of the parking decks, but ONLY in the mornings.

Which would make you know that you should work an off shift or mid shift. EASY SOLUTION. Shift diff at UNC is pretty awesome.

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[TD=width: 581] Weekday evenings $4.00/hr (3-11 PM)

Weekday nights $5.00 (11PM-7AM)

Weekend days $10;hr (Saturday & Sunday)

Weekend evenings $14/hr (3-11 Sa & Su)

Weekend nights $15/hr (begin Friday night at 11 P and goes till 7A Monday)

They have all sorts of shifts...unlike DUMC or Wake...mids 2p-2a, 11a-11p...and so forth. You just have to say something about your preferences and they try to match you with a preceptor that has that schedule.

Wake. Wake is a private hospital, like DUMC. Very cliquish. Pretty, expensive and new facilities. And care/pay suffers for all of that pretty, expensive and new facilities look. There is a joke here...

If I drop over and am unconscious, I have a tatoo on my chest where they'll put the EKG leads that says..."TAKE ME TO UNC".

It's not a horrible place. RALEIGH is a horrible place. The traffic is the worst I have ever seen, anywhere. The drivers are bad. Accidents galore, every morning. 440, 40, 70 and 85 are like parking lots from 6a-10a and starts up again from 3p-7p. There is no way around any of that. If you work there, you get an apartment NEXT TO THE HOSPITAL if you want to have a life.

And it is EXPENSIVE.

I live outside of the city of Durham. I own. I would rather drive the 45 minutes to my workplace than rent here. It's worth it.

The traffic in Durham isn't horrifying, but 15-501 near Chapel Hill....is someplace you simply want to avoid. It can take you a half hour just to get from UNC to the ramp for 40. Game days....forget it. Stay at work or stay home. It's a nightmare.

Housing options here are limited. If you INSIST on coming here, you need a friend or two to share everything so that your personal life experience isn't going to suck. The job experience, depending on where you go....may suck epically....so you want some quality in your life somewhere.

There isn't a lot to do here, other than bars and the DPAC schedule (you can look that up). It's a college party town...and an older...retired town. Big disparity between the two.

Raleigh is young and vibrant. And you pay for that...traffic, expensive, spend lots of time driving so you don't really feel like going anywhere and doing anything when you get home from TRAFFIC. A couple nice things to do, but mostly, again...it's "nightlife".

The beach is an easy drive...but you are often too tired to make that trek. Mountains on the other side...again....same argument, you are really tired when you get off and have fought through hours of traffic...so you stay home.

You need to know someone here. It's not a place where you'll come and make instant friends, and it's all great. If you can't be on your own and take a few hits on your confidence because you're not in the "in crowd"...this may not be the place for you.

A friend left after 3 years---he tried to make friends, going to all the places and joining the hobbies that he historically has made friends doing (he's moved several times for work)---and NC is not really a place that accepts outsiders readily. It's just not that mindset or culture. They're very closed off to outsiders, particulary ones with NO ACCENT.

I had the same trouble in my job at DUMC with patients. I finally started talking with a slight southern accent...and the attitude changed. It's not fair, but there is fair and there is the way it is.

If I had it all to do again, and I got to go through nursing school and be in this position to choose...I would not choose to come here as a young professional. If I were older....had a family....I probably would buy a house outside the city, have a garden and raise my family. But as a young person? No.

The pay is low and the living conditions are arranged as such that you will spend the majority of your time, money and effort....going to work, paying for parking, driving, and housing. It's not much different than when you were at your four year dorm. So consider that.

Just words that I wished someone had said to me when I moved here 10 years ago. I am actively on the path out of here, I have my house to sell and NCLEX to pass in 4 weeks. Once that happens, I will be on my way---and although I have 3 offers HERE already....I have made my "pros and cons" list and found this area quite wanting.

OH. Just so you know. If you become unemployed here in NC for any reason...we have the shortest amount of time you can collect unemployment (13 weeks) and the lowest amount in all 50 states. The unemployment rate is low because they force people to move out of the state for employment if they become unemployed for any reason (and it can happen to anyone. ) Consider those things when you move to a place as well.

Good luck to all.

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rebeccaelise · Jun 10, 2016

Hi wonderful nurses!!!

I'm moving to NC in September to begin at Duke in the Neuro ICU nurse residency, I'm so excited!! I'm actually looking for a roommate if anyone is moving into town and is interested. I'm open to anywhere in the Raleigh/Durham area. If anyone has any info let me know :) Good luck to everyone taking their NCLEX in the next few weeks/months! We got this :)

x_tina00 · Jun 15, 2016

Hi wonderful nurses!!!
I'm moving to NC in September to begin at Duke in the Neuro ICU nurse residency, I'm so excited!! I'm actually looking for a roommate if anyone is moving into town and is interested. I'm open to anywhere in the Raleigh/Durham area. If anyone has any info let me know :) Good luck to everyone taking their NCLEX in the next few weeks/months! We got this :)

Congrats! when did you interview?? have you already taken your NCLEX? I have an interview next week and am still waiting for my ATT number for MA!

rebeccaelise · Jun 15, 2016

I interviewed about two weeks ago and got my acceptance the same day! You'll do great! It seems like a great floor to be on. I'm taking my NCLEX Friday... studying as we speak... EEK. I'm from MA too , how funny!

x_tina00 · Jun 15, 2016

awesome!!! are you taking your NCLEX for MA or NC? I'm glad to see you're not forced to start right away! If I somehow get an offer that's what i will want especially because at this rate I don't know when I'll be taking my nclex, though I am preparing to take it as soon as i get my ATT number. What did you bring to your interview? I am freaking out about this! if you don't mind me asking

rebeccaelise · Jun 15, 2016

Not at all! I'm happy to answer them! I'm actually taking my NCLEX in ME because that's where I graduated school. October was the earliest start date they had available... all the other start dates earlier are already full so if you get an offer you'll definitely be starting in the Fall! You'll interview with the directors of the floor and you don't bring anything with you because you're shadowing right after. So, whatever you bring to the interview (purse, folders, padfolios, etc.) you'll leave in your nurse recruiters office. I brought a copy of my resume, the signed HIPPA form, and a copy of my BLS card but I ended up just giving it all to the nurse recruiter not even the directors haha. It's a great experience don't freak out, everyone is SO nice and so understanding of the stress :)

x_tina00 · Jun 15, 2016

Oh good! I was really stressing about not having an NCLEX date set up and that it would ruin any chance I had! Were the interview questions behavior-based? that's what I have been reading on some of these threads. reality will hit when I land in NC!

rebeccaelise · Jun 16, 2016

They were all behavioral-based! No clinical-based questions for me. It was surreal for me landing in NC too! I was so excited.

x_tina00 · Jun 16, 2016

Thank you for the info! I hope it goes well! And good luck on your exam, you're gonna kill it!!

bkelly22 · Jul 12, 2016

Hi everyone! I graduate nursing school this December (2016) and I'm applying to duke for the spring for the new grad residency! I'm coming from MD so I'm super nervous. Does anyone have any tips for out of state applicants? I work as a nurse extern at Johns Hopkins but I attend a small nursing program at Towson University (a smaller school) in MD

Gale99 · Sep 13, 2016

Hi. I just got an interview on Onco unit. Can you share your experience working there? I would really appreciate it. Thank you.