Is it worth it to apply to a hospital that has poor patient reviews?

[smooshcrickets]

There is a med-surg job opening in a hospital I found on indeed.com. I reviewed the hospital's website which looks great, however patient reviews I've found online are poor. Many reviewa have the same opinion about doctors and nurses being incompetent and lacking care, and the hospital being outdated with faulty machinery.

I'm currently fishing for my first RN hospital job. I just graduate with my BSN and have worked in home health as an LVN for 8 years. I want to land a good hospital job and build up my acute care experience, however I would like to know what others think about applying to institutions that do not have a good reputation. I fear that this place may lack in good management and supportive staff.

Thanks for your input!

[roser13, ASN, RN]

I honestly don't know how much faith I have in patient reviews. If a patient/family member expected to be treated as if they just checked into a 5-star hotel, their expectations/opinions will be seriously skewed. Keep in mind that the highest responders to any survey are the unhappy ones.

Why not apply, maybe interview, and form your own opinion?

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I honestly don't know how much faith I have in patient reviews. If a patient/family member expected to be treated as if they just checked into a 5-star hotel, their expectations/opinions will be seriously skewed. Keep in mind that the highest responders to any survey are the unhappy ones.

Why not apply, maybe interview, and form your own opinion?

This.

Find out what the hospital is about; and make your own conclusions from the unit, how the managers run it, and the staff.

[Jules A, MSN]

Also talk to your colleagues and see if they have any knowledge of what it is like working for that hospital. I bet you work with someone who has worked there or knows someone who does.

[Purple_roses]

It wouldn't hurt to apply. You don't have to accept a position if something better comes along.

One of my clients thought I was incompetent because I didn't know where she kept her washcloths (this was the first time I had been to her house). She said, and I quote, "You clearly haven't done this (bed baths) before." So how much do we really trust patients in the competence department? It's hard to say.

[Dranger]

Patient reviews are generally a joke. They have no idea what's going on or have unrealistic expectations. Also generally people who had a bad experience leave a review....

[Momma1RN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I work at a community hospital and our reputation isn't *great* but we are small and without many of the resources bigger hospitals have. I absolutely LOVE it. Like someone else said, you have to take patient reviews online with a grain of salt. Apply, and put together a list of questions to ask if you are interviewed. Good luck!

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

Employee reviews would be more relevant. Try a website like glassdoor.com, and see if any nurses who work at that hospital have posted reviews of their experience.

[RN403, BSN, RN]

I agree employee reviews would be more relevant, however, in my experience patient reviews usually are not that far off. Again, just my opinion and personal experience. Good luck with the job search. Glass door and Indeed provide some great insight from actual and former employees.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Also generally people who had a bad experience leave a review....

Yep. And patients who have had great experiences often move on with their balanced lives without bothering to leave a review about their nice hospital stay.

In general, it's the miserable people who dwell on about the negative experiences in their lives. Misery loves company, and miserable people spread the word.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

The Problem With Satisfied Patients - The Atlantic

Patients can be VERY HAPPY indeed the one moment, and dead the next one.

Furthermore, available for general public data about incidence of complications/readmissions costs little, as it is severely skewed by patients' population (teaching hospital serving urban poors will have worse results than a regional facility of the same size serving well-to-do suburbs) and creative abilities of hospital administration in manipulating patients' flow, creating policies of "early out transport", availability of "friendly" LTACH, etc).

Do every effort to find someone already working there and speak directly with this person. Ask for shadowing during interview.

[caliotter3]

I honestly don't know how much faith I have in patient reviews. If a patient/family member expected to be treated as if they just checked into a 5-star hotel, their expectations/opinions will be seriously skewed. Keep in mind that the highest number of responders to any survey are the unhappy ones.

I go along with this response. Most responses to surveys are negative. Haven't you noticed that a preponderance of the threads on this site are from people who are dissatisfied with something? Furthermore, the view of a facility will be different from an employee than it will be from a patient. And vocal employees are going to be the ones who complain. I always reserve my opinions until I have had a chance to make my own observations. Visit the place and look around, try to get a tour. Observe with inquisitive eyes. Use your own judgement. Remember that people who are looking for work nowadays don't necessarily have the advantage of being picky about getting a job. That weighs into the equation too.