Kaiser in the OC and LA area

Haunted · Aug 12, 2006

I worked at the Lakeview Anahiem facility for about a year thru registry. It was pretty scary despite the staffing ratios, I rarely had a CNA and found that most of the Physicians would admit patients for things that could have been treated at home, for whatever reason.

The charting was completely backwards, everything, including the MAR was in the hardchart and often ancillary staff would take the chart off the unit to review which made it really hard if your patient needed a PRN.

The medical equipment was pretty ancient, standard precautions and contact precautions were rarely used and they had quite a few surgical patients who returned with post op injuries or infections, which didn't seem to matter much to anyone. There infectious disease department consisted of 1 guy with a BS in microbiology!

The cafeteria was VERY slow, the food was awful and it would take up most of your meal break to get there, order and choke it down and return to the unit. Patient trays were brought to the unit cold, heated and delivered, all served on styrafoam which was not ecologically correct.

I spent a LOT of time education patients on meds, new diagnosis and really had to encourage a lot of these folks to be a conscientious consumer regarding their healthcare decisions. The docs were all really young Dougie Howsers that seemed overwhelmed and just dumped on, but nice to the staff.

Most of the staff nurses I encountered were very nice to work with, seemed just swamped with having to do a lot of stuff unrelated to nursing, things the unit secretary should have been able to handle. It also seemed like everytime I worked there they would have a code pink, an infant abduction and a lot of stuff that would happen that was kept under wraps.

Things like medication errors, surgical errors, inapropriate behavior from staff, things that would get regular people in hot water would get swept under the rug due to the union reps, but they would all talk about it in the lounge. It made me vow to NEVER have a friend or family member have to be hospitilized at that facility.

The new facility in Irvine looks like a monster but brags that it will be high tech, I wonder where they think they are going to get staff to fill it, although they do pay really well, something like 42 an hour per diem. So if your just going into nursing for the money, maybe it's a place you would enjoy.

If you have your heart set on Kaiser, I would suggest specialty nursing, like labor and delivery since you get a lot of training and orientation. Don't know about other facilities so it would be interesting to hear other points of view.

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When I decided to stop going to that facility I felt that my concept of nursing as a profession improved, I RAN AS FAST AS I COULD!!!!!!

gradof06 · Aug 12, 2006

Thanks for the info.. Kaiser keeps calling me

jojotoo, RN · Aug 13, 2006

Had a travel assignment at Kaiser Bellflower a couple of years ago. Wan't a good experience. I wouldn't want to repeat it. Nor would I send anyone that I cared about there. :twocents:

Haunted · Aug 13, 2006

Thanks for the info.. Kaiser keeps calling me

Well, request specialty as I mentioned in my earlier post, also consider per diem so you can work when you want, otherwise you will be working every other week end and most holidays. Good luck

tamcan · Aug 13, 2006

I am wondering if this is true of all Kaiser institutions in Calif. I am trying to decide where to work, in a Sutter hosp. A Kaiser hosp. Or a CHW Hosp. I have read these posts, and so far, Sutter I think is winning. Any info is appreciated. I am a skilled RN. with over 16 years experience, just new to CA. I live in Modesto, So Sacramento, or San Fran are possiblities also, So is Stockton. Does any one have info of these areas and hosp. Thanks

Nursing28 · Aug 14, 2006

i work at Kaiser Sunset and I think it is a good learning experience. My floor has 42 beds and 2 CNA. You will see everything on that floor. Very highly intense. The new grad program is great as well and they are very spoortive of the new nurses. The benfits are great as well as the pay. Wish you luck.

peds4now, RN · Aug 17, 2006

I am a student nurse in a Kaiser facility now, don want to say where, because there are few of us. I would say nursing practice is lacking in many ways, and often not evidence based. There are tons of travelers and registry nurses. There are a lot of pressure ulcers. Where I work I find medications laying around at the nursing station or in patients rooms, there are nurses who basically don't chart. On the other hand, there is lots of room for improvement. The DAs and nurse educators know there are problems and are trying. I think Kaiser does genuinely have a commitment to diversity in the workplace too. They need good nurses to get serious and insist on great patient care.