Harper hospital

lmkrn · Oct 25, 2003

Hi! I also did clinical rotations at Harper but went on to work at another area hospital. The BIG players here are Henry Ford, Detroit Medical Center,St. John Hospital, Oakwood Hospital and finally Beaumont Hospital. All of these are health systems which have multiple smaller sattelite hospitals ,clinics and surgery centers. These systems all have good reputations and would be a great starting point. The pay (from what I hear ) is competitve amongst the big systems . Financially DMC ,St Johns and Henry Ford all have reported strain with DMC the most severe . All three of these hospitals provide a significant amount of care that is poorly reimbursed Medicare, Medicaid or fully uninsured. While it is unlikely any of them would go under completely some have "restructured" by closing some smaller hospitials in their systems. The safest bet would be main campus at one of these facilities . Good Luck!

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Oct 28, 2003

I used to work for William Beaumont - Troy. I loved it there. I don't personally know anything about Harper hospital except I don't think it's a very good area because it's in Detroit. I've also worked at Mt. Clemens General. I liked it there, but if give a choice, I would choose Beaumont.

JACALA_CL · Nov 17, 2003

I HAVE WORKED FOR THE DMC @ GRACE AND RECEIVING - BOTH GREAT HOSPITALS.

I WORKED AT GARDEN CITY HOSPITAL AND LOVED IT!:)

starcandy · Nov 17, 2003

Originally posted by JACALA_CL
I HAVE WORKED FOR THE DMC @ GRACE AND RECEIVING - BOTH GREAT HOSPITALS.
I WORKED AT GARDEN CITY HOSPITAL AND LOVED IT!:) [/b

What specific things did you like about the hospitals?? I am trying to figure out what would be the best for me when I graduate in May. I am considering a nurse extern position at Harper. I noticed that the nurse extern and PCA's have a lot of duties. This is good for me because I will learn a lot. What were your nursing responsiblities, patient load and were you able to complete your duties in timely manner? Thanks

JACALA_CL · Nov 17, 2003

WHAT I LIKED MOST ABOUT WORKING FOR THE DMC WAS THE AMOUNT OF EDUCATION YOU WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE. THE DMC ENCOURAGES NURSES TO TAKE EXTRA TRAINING OR COURSES. (BLS, ACLS, TNCC, PALS, ENPC ETC.). WORKING FOR THE DMC AS AN EXTERN CAN GREATLY INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF A FULL TIME RN POSITION AFTER GRADUATION. YOU CAN TRANSFER BETWEEN DMC FACILITIES WITHOUT LOSING SENIORITY.

WHAT I LIKED MOST ABOUT GARDEN CITY HOSPITAL WAS THE FEELING OF COMMUNITY. NURSES WERE MORE THAN CO-WORKERS, THEY WERE FRIENDS. THIS IS TRUE OF ALL STAFF, NO MATTER THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION. THE DOCTORS ARE FABULOUS. THEY ARE ALL VERY APPROACHABLE AND WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION. THEY ENCOURAGE RN'S TO POSE TOPICS FOR MINI INSERVICES/EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.

HOPE THIS HELPS

starcandy · Nov 18, 2003

Thank you describing your experiences. I am thinking of maybe a neuro floor woould be good, but not ICU . I do not think I am ready for that yet. Thanks again.

[email protected] · Dec 14, 2003

"I don't personally know anything about Harper hospital except I don't think it's a very good area because it's in Detroit."

Don't pay the slightest attention to another Detroit basher. What do you mean by good area? I was born I a Detroit hospital in 1946. I worked in the main DMC campus for forteen years, all the while doing full-time volunteer work at my church, which is wilthin walking distance of my day job. For the past 20 years, I have walked around the "crime-ridden" Cass Corridor day and night, and the worst crime I have seen is "Hey man, got a quarter, cigarette, ect." or prositutes plying their wares. DMC hospitals are the best in the state in every specialty. I worked at Receiving ER for 14yrs, and then went to UofM ER for two years. U of M is world-renouned as a trauma center, although I can tell I can tell you some real horror stories in truama care there. U of M folks will be the last to tell you (since DMC is their biggest competitor) that Recieving is a regional burn center or that it was the first (and maybe the only) ATS certified Level I Trauma Center in the state.

If you are considering Neuro ICU, you couldn't do better than Harper without relocating!

I'm so sick of suburbanites saying anything in Detroit must be bad! I have lived and worked in Detroit (and yes, I am white) for over 20 years. According to FBI uniform crime statistics my chances of being mugged or car-jacked increase when I cross 8 Mile into Southfield.

Jon in Detroit.:roll

starcandy · Dec 15, 2003

If you are considering Neuro ICU, you couldn't do better than Harper without relocating!

I noticed this also but choose to ignore it because I was trying to get to the bigger picture of experiences at Harper hospital. I realize it was probably ignorance of Detroit and the whole Detroit Medical Center. As a lifelong Detroiter thanks for your support.

By the way I am starting soon on a cardiovascular floor. Hopefully I will transfer to the neuro floor. Thanks for the support:kiss

foxfire65 · Jun 15, 2005

"I don't personally know anything about Harper hospital except I don't think it's a very good area because it's in Detroit."
Don't pay the slightest attention to another Detroit basher. What do you mean by good area? I was born I a Detroit hospital in 1946. I worked in the main DMC campus for forteen years, all the while doing full-time volunteer work at my church, which is wilthin walking distance of my day job. For the past 20 years, I have walked around the "crime-ridden" Cass Corridor day and night, and the worst crime I have seen is "Hey man, got a quarter, cigarette, ect." or prositutes plying their wares. DMC hospitals are the best in the state in every specialty. I worked at Receiving ER for 14yrs, and then went to UofM ER for two years. U of M is world-renouned as a trauma center, although I can tell I can tell you some real horror stories in truama care there. U of M folks will be the last to tell you (since DMC is their biggest competitor) that Recieving is a regional burn center or that it was the first (and maybe the only) ATS certified Level I Trauma Center in the state.
If you are considering Neuro ICU, you couldn't do better than Harper without relocating!
I'm so sick of suburbanites saying anything in Detroit must be bad! I have lived and worked in Detroit (and yes, I am white) for over 20 years. According to FBI uniform crime statistics my chances of being mugged or car-jacked increase when I cross 8 Mile into Southfield.
Jon in Detroit.:roll

I agree the DMC is awesome, however I was considering going to school at Wayne State U and my professors at Wayne County Community College advised me not to. They all went to graduate school there and said people were robbed, mugged, carjacked etc. right on campus and even in some cases right in the schools hallways. That was scary to me.

Sirena922 · Jul 14, 2005

I used to work for William Beaumont - Troy. I loved it there. I don't personally know anything about Harper hospital except I don't think it's a very good area because it's in Detroit. I've also worked at Mt. Clemens General. I liked it there, but if give a choice, I would choose Beaumont.

Jenrninmi do you have something against Detroit? :angryfire Just because it's in Detroit doesn't make it a bad place to work. People kill me passing judgement!!! :angryfire

rntoben2008 · May 22, 2006

"I don't personally know anything about Harper hospital except I don't think it's a very good area because it's in Detroit."
Don't pay the slightest attention to another Detroit basher. What do you mean by good area? I was born I a Detroit hospital in 1946. I worked in the main DMC campus for forteen years, all the while doing full-time volunteer work at my church, which is wilthin walking distance of my day job. For the past 20 years, I have walked around the "crime-ridden" Cass Corridor day and night, and the worst crime I have seen is "Hey man, got a quarter, cigarette, ect." or prositutes plying their wares. DMC hospitals are the best in the state in every specialty. I worked at Receiving ER for 14yrs, and then went to UofM ER for two years. U of M is world-renouned as a trauma center, although I can tell I can tell you some real horror stories in truama care there. U of M folks will be the last to tell you (since DMC is their biggest competitor) that Recieving is a regional burn center or that it was the first (and maybe the only) ATS certified Level I Trauma Center in the state.
If you are considering Neuro ICU, you couldn't do better than Harper without relocating!
I'm so sick of suburbanites saying anything in Detroit must be bad! I have lived and worked in Detroit (and yes, I am white) for over 20 years. According to FBI uniform crime statistics my chances of being mugged or car-jacked increase when I cross 8 Mile into Southfield.
Jon in Detroit.:roll

I know this is an old post, but I had to respond. My father was a patient at Harper for the 8 months he suffered from cancer. The nurses were absolutely fantastic and Harper was one of the top ten hospitals in the nation for the treatment of my father's illness. He was given four months to live and they gave him an extra four months on top of that with explorative surgery. He was stage four when diagnosed. I have nothing but good things to say about that hospital. I hope to work there myself one day when I am finished with school. Detroit has so many great things to do, the downtown area is awesome. Sure there are the ghetto areas in other parts of Detroit, mostly they are run down and look like a third world country, but mainly it is poverty you are seeing. If you look close, the people look sad also. Detroit is an awesome town and it has a great history and beauty. Crime is everywhere, including the suburbs. You cannot escape that, anywhere you go.