Good Hospitals in Washington?recommendations?

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Hi Everyone,

I'm hoping I can get my next travel assignment in beautiful Washington state. I lived for some time in Oregon and enjoyed working on the Pacific Crest Trail in Wa. (i was a trail maintanence volunteer). I think a contract there would be really nice, and possibly, I am interested in staying on.

However, since I am now on the east coast, it is difficult for me to know which hospitals are OK/good to work at.

I work ED and will do from a very tiny community hospital to a Level I trauma center. (exp at all).

I'd love to be close to the Ocean, but most importantly, I want a hospital that promotes safe nursing practices. The one I am at now is a little hinky.

Any recomendation on places to avoid, and places to seek out?

Thanks in advance... :)

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Hi Everyone,

I'm hoping I can get my next travel assignment in beautiful Washington state. I lived for some time in Oregon and enjoyed working on the Pacific Crest Trail in Wa. (i was a trail maintanence volunteer). I think a contract there would be really nice, and possibly, I am interested in staying on.

However, since I am now on the east coast, it is difficult for me to know which hospitals are OK/good to work at.

I work ED and will do from a very tiny community hospital to a Level I trauma center. (exp at all).

I'd love to be close to the Ocean, but most importantly, I want a hospital that promotes safe nursing practices. The one I am at now is a little hinky.

Any recomendation on places to avoid, and places to seek out?

Thanks in advance... :)

Avoid Spokane, Washington. The pay here is terrible, the working conditions are worse, and the mentality is archaic. The union here, WSNA, is about as useful as tits on a bull. They do nothing for the nurses, except collect union dues. The mentality is red neck, at best, and if you are a nurse, you are considered a second class citizen to just about everyone else in town. The only reason that I live here is my husband is now retired AF, and he took a job as a contractor for the military. I have been here for 16 years, and I hate it as much as I did when I moved here from California. JMHO, and $0.02. Stay on the coast for nursing jobs.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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Thanks Linda,

Spokane doesn't have too many travelers as it is, but if I am offerred, I'll think about it long and hard!

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When I used to EMT in WA one of our transport hospitals was South West Washington Medical Center in Vancouver. They are a teaching hospital, from what I could tell they were a good hospital at the time, I don't live in the area anymore so things could have changed. I had good experiences with my ER rotations our agency had us do through them. There is a lot to do if you like the outdoors in the Vancouver area and Portland is just across the river for any shopping and nighttime activities. I have also heard that Harbor View is a good hospital and I believe it is up near Seattle. Hope this helps good luck in finding what you want.

Melina

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There are several excellent Seattle hospitals. Harborview is a major trauma center and is excellent if ER is your thing. University of Washington is great and also a magnet hospital. I have a friend that works at Swedish and she loves it. Virginia Mason is another large hospital but I have heard not such great things about staffing and management. There are dozens of hospitals in the area but these are the biggest. Tacoma, about 45 minutes away, has Tacoma General/Mary Bridge Children's (great!) and St Joseph's. Port Angeles, out on the olympic peninsula (on the straits of juan de fuca) has Olympic Medical Center. I have several friends there and not one of them are happy.... Good luck!

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