What is an HCA?

ClaireMacl · Dec 24, 2005

HCA i in the UK is a healthcare assistant! They take obs, do personal care and assist the nurses etc.

Just thought I'd add that even though I know its a US question, some UK based students might be wondering the same thing

L&Dnurse2Be · Dec 24, 2005

I work at an HCA facility. I think the pay is too low for the work you do. I am PRN so I do not get benefits, I hear they are pretty good though. They do offer perks for coming in when they are short. They offer overtime, doubletime, and even gift cards. I give the same patient care at the HCA hospital as I gave when I worked at a non HCA hospital. I think salary is more of a location thing. I hear that Houston hospitals pay more. I work in Austin. I happen to work on a floor where everyone is like "family" and works together as a team. I couldn't ask for a better place to work. We receive a lot of patient compliments and thank you letters. They even remember the names of the nurses and PCT's. That to me says they were pleased with their care.

HappyNurse2005, RN · Dec 24, 2005

HCA is a for profit hospital system.

We have an HCA hospital in my area, i DO NOT work there, but did have some nursing school clinicals there.

The nurses are paid less. New grads are paid .50 less an hour base pay, less weekend premium,etc.

More patients. I work on a cardiac surgery pcu. They(hca) have a general "pcu" where their CABG pt's go for PCU care, plus other PCU pt's, too. Dayshift the nurses would have 5-6 patients. Where I work, I routinely have only 4 and even 3 pt's on occasion.

I really, really didn't like it as much over there.

nickola · Dec 24, 2005

i have worked for an hca hospital for 8 years and find them to be not much different than cny other for profit hospital such as columbia and alot better than some of the other non-profit hospitals around. they have good staffing and pay at higher pay scale than the local community hospitals in the area.

I agree, I worked for an HCA hosp. for 5 yrs & they had good staffing, higher pay, & better benefits than non-profit hospitals in the area. The HCA hospital I worked for was bought by Columbia after I moved to another state.

Rhonda V · Dec 24, 2005

Where I'm from (Washington State) HCA's are known as Health Care Assistants...they have more training than a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant).

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 24, 2005

Commuter, I sent you a PM.

Thanks. The PM was informative and highly appreciated.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Dec 24, 2005

Perhaps this was the answer I was seeking.....
Do you know why the HCAs in Texas have such a bad reputation? I heard that the quality of care was really poor, wages are low, and to basically avoid HCAs as a place to consider working. Thanks in advance! :)

Columbia/HCA hospitals in Texas are closely allied with GroupOne, an agency that does background checks on medical personnel. They are known for "blackballing" nurses for some very suspicious reasons. They tend to come down hardest on activist/union nurses.

If you ever work for a Columbia/HCA (they are connected in many places) facility, there will be some information on file with GroupOne on you. And G-d help you if you miss the wrong shift or cause any problems at work.

I believe Lifepoint is also is a Columbia company.

ICUHMO · Dec 24, 2005

Columbia/HCA hospitals in Texas are closely allied with GroupOne, an agency that does background checks on medical personnel. They are known for "blackballing" nurses for some very suspicious reasons. They tend to come down hardest on activist/union nurses.
If you ever work for a Columbia/HCA (they are connected in many places) facility, there will be some information on file with GroupOne on you. And G-d help you if you miss the wrong shift or cause any problems at work.
I believe Lifepoint is also is a Columbia company.

WOW! I thought that I had heard of everything, but I never heard of Group One. It sounds really spooky, like some CIA spin-off. :coollook: It also would seem to make sense of some situations I've run across that didn't make sense at the time. :rolleyes:

Does anyone have any specific stories to tell about this? And how can we learn if we have a "file" on us?

Kalamon6 · Dec 25, 2005

HCA does actually stand for Hospital Corporation of America. I have worked for 1 or more HCA hospitals since before graduation. Since it was founded here in Nashville by Dr Frist, SR then most of the facilities here are HCA owned. The treatment of staff and level of care depends on which hospital you work in. I have worked in 1 where you want to leave and never look back and i've worked in 1 where you love going to work every day. But I do know that HCA owns it's own nursing agency so as to keep the facilities staffed well. And they make an obscene amount of money as agency nurses. The benefits are also very good for HCA.

:nurse:

judyblueeyes · Dec 25, 2005

I currently work at an HCA facility and have been there for over 8 years. I love my job and think it's the best job I've ever had.

My sister work at an HCA facility in another city and seems to like her job, too.

wealthpro-old · Jan 7, 2006

Hello,

I work as an RN in Emergency. HCA purchased a bunch of hospitals in Kansas City area. I can only speak for the two hospitals that I work for, but in my opinion , HCA has ruined them. It makes me angry because I work with a great team and I don't want to leave.

As an HCA RN, you are a secretary, admitting clerk, housekeeper, lab tech, phlebotomy Tech, EKG Tech and occasionally you get to do a little nursing. I was thinking about changing the title on my badge to "Worker". From what I understand, HCA is not one of the better paying hospitals either.

It seems like everyday there is news and it's never good. They are always adding new paperwork or procedures that make the job more difficult; not to mention they recently installed an antiquated computer system. They are constantly cutting secretaries and other ancillary staff and letting the nurses pick up the extra work.

The latest rumor is that we are going to have a dress code. Each department will have an assigned color. Who thinks these things up?

If there is truly a nursing shortage, why do we let these things happen?

Anyway, I thought of a lot of things that HCA could stand for, but I better not list them here!

Thanks for letting me vent...

Angels' · Jan 7, 2006

Where I live we had a wonderful place to work in nursing. Their doors closed a few years ago, I believe due to a new, and bad administration management through their company office.

Miss our residents and co-workers.

A returning student,

Angels’