Anyone familiar with St. Joseph's or Memorial?

wms · Jan 31, 2005

Hi Nellie, I actually can tell you alot about both hospitals. I live in the area, work in another area hospital, and my mom has been a NICU nurse at Memorial for 36 yrs. She loves it, it is my goal to eventually get into Memorial. At the hospital I work as an ER tech. And I am in school getting my LPN. I will do the RN completion program when my two toddlers are in school full-time. Then hopefully, I can get into Mem. Because they do not hire LPN's in house.

The NICU at Mem. is incredible. Almost all preemies, etc. in northern Indiana, south mich, and other areas go to Mem. If they can't be helped there, they go to Riley.

Memorial has a life flight, St. Joe was just approved for one. Did you know that there are two St. Joe's? South Bend, and Mishawaka. They are both Catholic based, and it does play a role in thier beliefs in pt. care (just some info)

The hospital that I work at is a magnet, so I am thinking of staying there, if I don't get into Mem.

Memorial is always expanding, and The NICU is going to be completely re-done (again) by 2009.

St. Joe is supposed to be building a whole new hospital in Mishawaka, but I havent heard anything about it lately.

Unfortunatly, last I heard, both hospitals are on a hiring freeze for the next 6 months. I know that If you call Memorial's job line, you only get maintance jobs listed.

Good Luck, let me know if I can answer any more ?'s Wendy

Nellie Nurse · Feb 1, 2005

Thanks for the great info Wendy.

I had been leaning more towards Memorial because I know several people who work there. I don't know very much about St. Joseph's. How can they have a hiring freeze when there is such a nrsg shortage? I will have to call before I send them any application. I need to be able to get a new job by April so we'll see.

Best of luck to you as you get your RN. Here's me on my soap box: I think that it is horrible how hospitals are not hiring LPNs. The hospital that I work at now only hires LPNs if they are in school working towards their RN, and they just changed the job description so now they don't even pass meds, or do assessments. Its just not right, LPNs are nurses too! - Okay I'm stepping down off the box now :)

Have a nice day.

AnnaN5 · Feb 1, 2005

Hi Nellie, I actually can tell you alot about both hospitals. I live in the area, work in another area hospital, and my mom has been a NICU nurse at Memorial for 36 yrs. She loves it, it is my goal to eventually get into Memorial. At the hospital I work as an ER tech. And I am in school getting my LPN. I will do the RN completion program when my two toddlers are in school full-time. Then hopefully, I can get into Mem. Because they do not hire LPN's in house.
The NICU at Mem. is incredible. Almost all preemies, etc. in northern Indiana, south mich, and other areas go to Mem. If they can't be helped there, they go to Riley.
Memorial has a life flight, St. Joe was just approved for one. Did you know that there are two St. Joe's? South Bend, and Mishawaka. They are both Catholic based, and it does play a role in thier beliefs in pt. care (just some info)
The hospital that I work at is a magnet, so I am thinking of staying there, if I don't get into Mem.
Memorial is always expanding, and The NICU is going to be completely re-done (again) by 2009.
St. Joe is supposed to be building a whole new hospital in Mishawaka, but I havent heard anything about it lately.
Unfortunatly, last I heard, both hospitals are on a hiring freeze for the next 6 months. I know that If you call Memorial's job line, you only get maintance jobs listed.
Good Luck, let me know if I can answer any more ?'s Wendy

Hi, I am from the SW Michigan/South Bend area and was surprised when you said Memorial & SJRMC are on a hiring freeze. I just went to Memorial's job openings page which was updated Jan. 26th and they had a lot of RN openings posted.

To the original poster - I'm not sure exactly what town you are moving to & where you are moving from but Borgess and/or Bronson in the Kalamazoo area are also good hospitals. I have a few friends who have recently been hired at Borgess and have said nothing but good things.

wms · Feb 1, 2005

Hi, I am from the SW Michigan/South Bend area and was surprised when you said Memorial & SJRMC are on a hiring freeze. I just went to Memorial's job openings page which was updated Jan. 26th and they had a lot of RN openings posted.
To the original poster - I'm not sure exactly what town you are moving to & where you are moving from but Borgess and/or Bronson in the Kalamazoo area are also good hospitals. I have a few friends who have recently been hired at Borgess and have said nothing but good things.

Well, I could be wrong, but I know that both my mother and her best-friend have both told me that Mem. is on a hiring freeze. My mom's friend is the computer trainer for every employee in the hospital who ever would have access to a computer, so she would know. Unfortunately, I think we all know that a lot of hospitals keep jobs on thier hiring lists, and then never call anyone in for interviews.

What I have heard repeatedly, is that both hospitals have become overextended financially due to all the construction projects going on.

Like, I said I may be wrong but, I have heard from many people that you cannot find jobs at either hospital right now.

Nellie Nurse · Feb 1, 2005

Hi, I am from the SW Michigan/South Bend area and was surprised when you said Memorial & SJRMC are on a hiring freeze. I just went to Memorial's job openings page which was updated Jan. 26th and they had a lot of RN openings posted.
To the original poster - I'm not sure exactly what town you are moving to & where you are moving from but Borgess and/or Bronson in the Kalamazoo area are also good hospitals. I have a few friends who have recently been hired at Borgess and have said nothing but good things.

I'm moving to Niles so Kalamazoo is not a practical distance for me to drive. I may apply to work at Lakeland in St. Joe or Niles since I have worked there before but I would also like to look at South Bend jobs. I have heard good things about Borgess though.