Exp RN looking for info on Spokane nursing

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Specializes in Tele, ED, Wound/Ostomy, CDS.

Hello all,

My husband and I are looking at relocating to Spokane from Phoenix, Az sometime in 2013. We have two small kids and we're looking for a greener, smaller city to raise our family in. We have a few friends that live up there or are from there that recommend it as a great city.

Here's my nursing background. I am an RN with my BSN and 5 years experience. In that 5 years, I've worked on a tele unit, in the ED, wound and ostomy care (which I am certified in) and am currently working as a clinical documentation specialist. I'm prefer to work in the ED (which I've spent most of my time in) or as a CDS but would like to try ICU as well. Though I am open to any opportunity to enhance my nursing knowledge.

I've seen the threads on here regarding new grads having a hard time finding a job, but what's the job market like for nurses with experience? I'm also curious as to what the nursing environment is like. Are the nurses treated well? Patient to nurse ratio?

Any info and advice are greatly appreciated! Thanks!

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Do you ever get any IM's about your posted topic? I am desiring to move to WA and it appears that my chances for work, as a new grad are much better in Spokane. I would enjoy learning more but this is a very quiet forum.

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I am sorry to say, that Spokane, is not the place you want to live. Nurses are treated worse than you can imagine. Even though Washington is NOT a, "right to work for less", state, we are too close to Idaho to not be "stained", by the stench.

The hospitals do not treat their employees well, it is a low paying, employment black hole. There are not alot of jobs in Spokane or Eastern Washington, and the employers treat you like an unimportant, easily replaced, widgets. There are too many nursing schools in Spokane and Eastern Washington, so there has never been a nursing shortage in Spokane or Eastern Washington. And therefore, there is no reason to treat them well.

You would be much better off going to Tri Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, or Richland", to get a job. The hospitals in Kennewick periodically recruit for nurses in Spokane, by offering them hotel rooms to stay in if they want to work a block of days and then go back to Spokane, etc, and the pay and benefits are better, and they are treated better.

I think that they are represented by WSNA, which in my experience, are about as useful as tits on a bull. But some union representation is better than nothing. WSNA represents nurses at hospitals in Spokane, but Deaconess nurses voted out SEIU, after refusing to unionze for YEARS. They were taken over by a for profit corporation, "Community Health", from the South, and it shows. The other departments had the sense to unionize, and stay unionized, but the nurses are a bunch of martyr marys.

Be forewarned, stay away from Spokane!!

JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Somewhere in the PACNW

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Specializes in Tele, ED, Wound/Ostomy, CDS.

Diddledi, so sorry it too me so long to respond... but I'm sad to report I have received only the two comments regarding my questions and no IM. You're right this is a very quiet forum. I guess the only way to know or learn anything about nursing up in Spokane is just to go do it. Good luck in all your endeavors!

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Sacred Heart has alot of openings. Have you looked on their website? I saw them on Worksource.

I would not work at Deaconess. The nurses there were stupid enough to vote our SEIU (not that I am crazy about SEIU), but any port in the storm.

Empire Health was bought out a couple of years ago by Community Health, a for profit company from Tennesee. It took forever for Deaconess to unionize, and it only lasted about two years. The other Empire Health hospitals all unionized, and remain so. The pay is lower at Deaconess, the benefits are stingy, and there is no workplace advocacy. Management does what they want with you, and there is little or no recourse. That is why the other hospitals (Valley), joined up with SEIU. Holy Family is part of Providence, which owns Sacred Heart. The last I heard, Holy Family still had mandatory OT. WSNA is not a very strong union. As we say in Brooklyn, they are about as useful as tits on a bull. But I guess they are better than nothing. I would not work at Deaconess.

There are not alot of hospitals here in Spokane. It is a rather backward community, and I would not move here. I would try the Tricities area- Kennnewick, Pasco, or Richland, before I would move to Spokane. Kennewick General has good pay, benefits. They are unionized with WSNA. It is warmer there than in Spokane.

There are ALOT more hospitals in Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia. The pay and benefits are MUCH BETTER THAN THEY ARE IN SPOKANE! I would move to Olympia or Tricities, before I would move to Spokane. There is NO nursing shortage in Washington. I believe that there are about 25+ nursing schools in Washington State, and there are numerous schools in Idaho, which is right on the border to Spokane and Eastern Washington. Spokane has two BSN programs, and one ADN program, and right over the border in North Idaho, is North Idaho College. with an ADN program. It is less than 60 miles from Spokane.

You can PM me if you want to talk. JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN ,BSN,CCRN

Somewhere in the PACNW

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Sacred Heart and Deaconess are constantly advertising for someone with the type of experience you have.

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Did you ever end up moving to Spokane? My husband and I are both LPN's and are looking to move in the next 6 months or so. I would LOVE any information at all. Thank you so much.

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The hospitals have let go off all of the LPNs. Nursing homes, Home health, Airway Heights Correction Center, Lakeland Village, all still hire LPNs.

You could try the smaller, outlying hospitals, and see.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN (ret)

Somewhere in the PACNW

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I know this is an old thread, but did you move? I am a new(ish) grad moving from Alaska to Spokane this week. Deaconess hired me for their med surg unit and now after reading this thread I am terrified!

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I donr know what to tell you. You have the job at Deaconess. Go work there. keep a low profile, stay under the radar.

There are nurses there that have worked there for years. Do not compare Deaconess to where you used to work, even if the conditions and equipment seem antiquated. They are very sensitive to being seen as out of date to other hospitals.

The nurses are not unionized, but other departments are. The nurses are very anti union, They had voted in SEIU several years ago, with other departments, when Empire Health sold out to Community Health of Tennesee, a VERY anti union company from the South.

The nurses were not happy for some reason with SEIU, and Community Health was more than happy to help them vote them out.

What cam I say??

Do your best, just go to work. The older nurses are horrible to nurses who go to work there from somewhere else. Don't take their crap. Give it right back. If you appear weak, they will pounce on you like a shark circling a wounded fish.

Good luck! PM me when you get in town, we can get together.

Have you found a place to live yet?

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN (ret)

Somewhere in the PACNW

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Hello LindaRN,

I know this is an older post, but we are considering a transfer to the Spokane area, just wondering if the working situation has improved since you posted this. Any help you could give would be very much appreciated. thanks!

Alison

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