I"ve been hired by Albany Medical Center and will start next week. But I cannot find any news on this forum about them.
Does anyone know about them? I took the offer because they are a Level I teaching hospital and I believe that's a terrific place to learn in.
Does anyone here know if that's true? Are they a good facility? Do they reward their RN's? Not paywise from what I"ve gathered, nor benefits. They are quite stingy in those areas.
Can anyone tell me if they welcome new grads or have happy/comfortable working atmospheres? Comfortable pt/nurse ratios?
Anything? There's a huge chasm of information here. Makes me wish I was moving to the NYC area since I read about it so often.
What's your hospital like? Position? Would you recommend? Why/why not? Are you union?
Gosh, I grew up in NY. I should know this stuff, but I never thought I'd be a nurse in NY.
P.S. LOVE your avatar. I'm a big cat fan. Cannot wait to rescue one or two when I'm settled in.
Believe it or not... the weather is actually warming up! Mid 40's by the end of the week, and so far this winter, the snow has been tolerable. We actually had a semi-white Christmas!
I'm not yet an RN; still a student, will graduate in 09. Lord, that's next year! The hospital I hope to work at has union representation for it's assistive personnel, but not for professional staff. I love their medical surgical floors, and if I don't work on one of them, I hope to be in the oncology unit. I was successfully treated there two years ago, and I love those nurses, every one of them. They are truly angels. And eventually, after I finish my formal education, I'd like to teach.
Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
Interesting that only the admin personnel are union? But not the bedside? Is that correct or do I not yet know the lingo?
I started off on a hellish unit here in the mtns of GA on an Onc/Heme/hospice unit. They thought 6 weeks dealing with grueling high acuity pts w/ mult organ dysfunctions and failures was enough orientation out of one side of their mouths, while telling me they understood I was a blank slate in need of technical skill training through the other.
They were terribly disorganized and I had 5 preceptors in 4 weeks (much as I was the 4th new grad to quit there in the time I spent there). Each taught differently. Each had demands. But none were there to actually precept and go over the outlines of the program the educators drafted for me as I was having more frequent meltdowns.
Eventually, I peed and pooped blood and was sleep deprived to the point of sobbing hysterically in the charge nurse's office to beg them to let me go. One of the more humiliating moments of my life.
So I'm back to trying the opposite end of the spectrum. I've been hired at AMC in hi-risk antepartum and Post partum. Can't wait !!!
But need to know so much. They haven't disclosed anything!
sorry to rant. Aren't ya glad you asked? I"m so exhausted from packing!! :dzed:
I think I'm telling you correctly about the facility, but I can be off-base. My understanding is that the care techs (PCT's?) belong to a union; the licensed personnel do not. And I think that's across the board; RT's, PT's, lab techs etc are not unionized. I have no idea about dietary, housekeeping, etc. And I don't think administration is union, either. Sounds odd, doesn't it?
I'm glad you left your other environment; it sounds extremely toxic. But when your job affects your health, making the decision to leave is really easy, isn't it? I've been there, too, in my previous incarnation. I was an administrator for a medical practice for many years. The physicians and consultants made me crazy, I made my staff crazy in return... it's all a downward spiral. I'm not proud of it, but I had to leave for my own sanity. Now I'm studying nursing, and questions about my sanity continue to arise...!
I'm wishing you much luck and success in your new position! High risk antepartum and postpartum, huh? Better you than me! I hope you love it, and that it's everything you want it to be!
Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
Thanks again Don and backatcha!! I hope nursing is everything you aspire to, and I hope you are happy in Oncology. Irony is I actually liked my pts and was good with them. But I was always being yanked from room to room by the educator or charge or other nurses trying to get me to perform new procedures pushing me to learn so they'd have a warm body on night shift.
ugh. Toxic is a good word. I'm happy when I make my pts feel better and now I get the chance to educate and use other nursing skills as well! Yes, maternity/ OB/Gyn Med Surg ought to be fulfilling for me.
Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
Out of curiosity, Fran, what on earth prompted you to pitch Chloe to become a paying member?
Chloe, Albany isn't the only hospital in upstate NY that isn't union. Mine isn't.
If you read my message correctly, you would know that I was just trying to give her access to everything available to her when she asked for advice in her original message.
Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
Interesting that only the admin personnel are union? But not the bedside? Is that correct or do I not yet know the lingo?
I started off on a hellish unit here in the mtns of GA on an Onc/Heme/hospice unit. They thought 6 weeks dealing with grueling high acuity pts w/ mult organ dysfunctions and failures was enough orientation out of one side of their mouths, while telling me they understood I was a blank slate in need of technical skill training through the other.
They were terribly disorganized and I had 5 preceptors in 4 weeks (much as I was the 4th new grad to quit there in the time I spent there). Each taught differently. Each had demands. But none were there to actually precept and go over the outlines of the program the educators drafted for me as I was having more frequent meltdowns.
Eventually, I peed and pooped blood and was sleep deprived to the point of sobbing hysterically in the charge nurse's office to beg them to let me go. One of the more humiliating moments of my life.
So I'm back to trying the opposite end of the spectrum. I've been hired at AMC in hi-risk antepartum and Post partum. Can't wait !!!
But need to know so much. They haven't disclosed anything!
sorry to rant. Aren't ya glad you asked? I"m so exhausted from packing!! :dzed:
Chloe
RN-BSN, BA
I'm an original New York native. I lived there most of my life in the lower Hudson Valley area. I wish you well, and not a lot of headaches and stress.:icon_hug:
Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
Awwwwwwwwwwww, are you gals fighting over lil ole me? That's the best biggest flattery I've had since starting Nursing School!!! LOL.
Fran, you did come off sounding like a huge sales pitch monster, but your passion alone is not enough to draw blood. I just don't have the $$ right now to buy in. This site serves my purposes just fine the way it is. I've gotten terrific advice and comfort when I needed it. If you read my public profile, I've been a member since 2005. I"m new to being a NY nurse, but not new to the site. Thanks for your passion tho. It's a beauteous thing to see.
Sue, thanks for having my back. I didn't know how to broach this, but now the band aid has been ripped off and I can feel better knowing someone else read this thread and thought what I thought.
Not going crazy after all, but still looking for news on AMC!!
Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
Awwwwwwwwwwww, are you gals fighting over lil ole me? That's the best biggest flattery I've had since starting Nursing School!!! LOL.
Fran, you did come off sounding like a huge sales pitch monster, but your passion alone is not enough to draw blood. I just don't have the $$ right now to buy in. This site serves my purposes just fine the way it is. I've gotten terrific advice and comfort when I needed it. If you read my public profile, I've been a member since 2005. I"m new to being a NY nurse, but not new to the site. Thanks for your passion tho. It's a beauteous thing to see.
Sue, thanks for having my back. I didn't know how to broach this, but now the band aid has been ripped off and I can feel better knowing someone else read this thread and thought what I thought.
Not going crazy after all, but still looking for news on AMC!!
Chloe
I had another huge :brnfrt::grn:Forgot to check the Thread to see where it was located. I thought it was a general question.:sofahiderI'm sorry.
I worked at AMC as a PCA in the NICU. I really enjoyed working there...I'm a nurse now but living down in florida. If i moved back to upstate i would def work at AMC.....learned so much there in the nicu even just being a PCA...
:dzed:
Chloe'sinNYNow
562 Posts
Hi Don! How's the weather there? LOL :snwman:
What's your hospital like? Position? Would you recommend? Why/why not? Are you union?
Gosh, I grew up in NY. I should know this stuff, but I never thought I'd be a nurse in NY.
P.S. LOVE your avatar. I'm a big cat fan. Cannot wait to rescue one or two when I'm settled in.