HELP! Best Michigan Hospital to Work

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I am totally lost. I am going into my senior year in the nursing program at U of M. I just finished an externship at St. Joes hospital in the ER, and work there now as a tech. I also worked at U of M hospital as an aide and wasn't wild about it (parking, seniority/political stuff).

I don't see myself staying in Ann Arbor, though, and my fiance and I will be looking for a new place to live come next summer when I graduate, our lease in Ann Arbor ends, and we get married.

He wants to stay in Southeast Michigan (Royal Oak, Southfield, etc.) region, which is most likely where we will end up... however I'm thinking about the Lansing area as well (where I'm from).

I'm just clueless about where I want to work. Anybody have any good selling points for different Michigan hospitals? I love the ER, but I'm not sure if that will be a possibility as a new grad. I'd like something more on the acute side, though, as opposed to Med-Surg.

Any input is more than welcome. I've heard good things about DMC, and I hear they hire new grads in their ER and pay well... but I can just imagine that would be a hell of a drive (how's traffic around there?) and the pt. population could maybe get a little tiring. Any advice? I have heard nothing good about working for Beaumont. I really love that I can just park and walk to where I work now (which was something I never got at U of M).

Let me know if anybody has any advice!!!!

-Amy :nurse:

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

I am only a student, but I know two nurses who work for Henry Ford and they love it. They never reallly got into any details why. I know several who post here work at HF as well and have a lot of good things to say.

Good luck deciding.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Henry ford employee and love it.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Trauma.

If you end up in Royal Oak the commute isn't bad at all. I live in Royal Oak and commute down to Detroit everyday (student at Wayne still). Wayne state is right near the DMC and Henry Ford and it isn't more than a 10 minute drive if you drive fast on the expressway (and everyone who lives over here does-- you'll definitely get to experience the joys of how everyone drives in Detroit).

I usually like to do the straight shot down woodward (I live 2 blocks east of it and just hop on) and take it all the way down. It takes more like 15-20 minutes but I know there will never be a traffic back up which is always possible on the highway during rush hour/ construction etc.) I actually grew up in Ann Arbor and hated the traffic out there-- for some reason I find the traffic here to be less bad. Downtown Ann Arbor gives me a panic attack when I drive there.

The commute isn't bad at all and I've heard nothing but good things about Henry Ford and I think MichiganRN has said in the past they sometimes hire new grads into one of the ICUs but now that I think about it you may have had to do your externship at HF to be considered. If you're interested in HF I'd definitely ask her about it-- she's very vocal on how much she loves her hospital and may have some ideas for you.

Hope to see you on this side of town soon:redpinkhe

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

LOL. Thanks Katie. I must have a reputation now:D.. It depends on what ICU you want to go to. MICU/CICU I believe hire new grads whereas SICU you must be an extern in the SICU to be hired as a new grad. I don't know if that's changed though I'm pretty sure it hasn't.

Don't procrastinate about putting in your applications, it's very competitive.

Good luck in whatever you decide, Amy.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Trauma.
LOL. Thanks Katie. I must have a reputation now:D.

At least it's a good reputation :wink2: I'm always glad to hear someone actually like the place they work (for once); it's very refreshing and gives the rest of us students hope for happy future employment. LOL

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

I worked as a staff RN in the ER at Henry Ford in Detroit. There were new grad RN's hired at the time I was working there which ended in 2004 when I started working as a nurse practitioner in the same hospital under a different department. It is a busy ER but definitely a good place to learn. I started out on nights and this is an especially busy shift particularly the period from 6 PM to around 2 AM. After that, it does slow down.

What I loved:

1. Very supportive management. The Nursing Director was approachable and will listen to your concerns. Scheduling requests are honored and granted which was a big plus for me as I was in school for my MSN at the time.

2. Lots of nurses with many years or ER experience who are very willing to teach newbies. All in all staff nurses help each other. There are the occasional bad apples but then the good ones outnumber them.

3. Physicians are awesome. They are on first name basis with nurses no matter how high they are on the physician hierarchy.

4. ER admits lots of traumas and critically ill patients. A section of the ER is dedicated to these patients where one gets a pseudo-ICU feel (A-lines, SvO2 monitors, vents). However, having worked in SICU as a NP, I now realize that that wasn't really ICU.

5. Great orientation. Part of that is attending a well put together critical care class. Also paid TNCC, ENPC, ACLS, PALS for all staff nurses.

6. Very accessible via the Lodge. I live in Beverly Hills, MI.

What I hated:

1. Hard to get day shift when you're new. That's pretty common in most places though.

2. ER can get really busy. Nurses rotate from different sections of the ER each day they work. These are not the actual names of the sections but basically it's a rotation between trauma call, critical care section, regular ER patients, fast track, and peds. Hated working the regular ER part - lots of drunks, psych, frequent flyers, those types and you can get up to 15 patients on one given hour!

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