Kindred Health?

NRSNFL · May 25, 2006

Nicks-

Now this is far off but my husband works for a Kindred here in Tampa FL and let me tell you, if it is anything up there like it is here, I know why there are lots of positions. The management sucks royally. But you know what, apply and do a tour of where you've applied, and watch peoples faces. Are they all happy and smiling (the ones you aren't interviewing with) or are they looking at you from the corners of their eyes like "ohhh another victim". I did that on my last job interview and picked a winner, for the first time in my life, positive people. Try it, it works.

Boston-RN, RN · May 31, 2006

I actually have an interview at Kindred today in the Braintree, MA location. I'll let you know how it goes.

There is an LPN in my A&P class that works for one of the Kindreds in Norwood I think and she's been there 15 years and loves it.....I guess it all depends on the location, mgr, coworkers and your personality.

Bruce RN · Jun 1, 2006

I can tell you first hand that this hospital chain most definitely varies by location and buyer beware.

I worked at one years ago on the east coast. I liked my co-workers and managers so much that I renewed my contract several times causing me to work through winter (and normally I never take any winter assignments up north where it snows.)

Anyway, it was starting to get cold again so I decided that I needed to get an assignment farther south. My agency offered me a contract at one of their Texas locations and I jumped on it since I had such a great experience at the first hospital.

Like night and day!

The Texas hospital was awful. The administration was literally a reign of terror and reported people to the board and that "Group One" thing left and right. I worked in their ICU and their vent unit.

In the ICU I often took 3 patients rather than the typical safe ratio of 2. In addition, they often "floated" in staff with minimal or even no ICU experience at all so they were heavily relying on me for help with their patients as well.

On the vent unit, I typically had a 6-7 patient assignment. All 6 or 7 were on vents and total care with nightmare families to boot. The CNA's easily each had 12-16 patients to bathe and care for.

Almost every day I saw their "case managers" giving tours of the unit to family members of potential patients. They would lie and say anything to fill the beds. Many times I heard them say to family members that each nurse never had more than 4 patients and the CNA's never had more than 8.

I was certain that those case managers had no conscience and sold their souls to the devil for that job.

So just be aware and approach with caution when you see so many job openings at some of these specialty hospitals.

April, RN, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2006

So just be aware and approach with caution when you see so many job openings at some of these specialty hospitals.

Very good advice! This company recently took over a facility I worked at in MA and it was not a good change at all... Many people were unhappy and left which could possibly explain the many job openings. :uhoh3:

But like previous posters have said, i'm sure it varies by facility.

Nurset1981 · Oct 2, 2006

Especially if you're looking on Monster.com Kindred seems to have a lot of listings. I'm sure they have some kind of contract. Anyways, I spoke with two different staff development people and they were both kinda misleading and then when I got in touch with the DON of one of them, she was kinda rude and not so nice. In any event, that turned me off and I passed on it. I have a few friends that worked for them and didn't have very many nice things to say about them. Another thing I noticed is that they post their openings one way and then its a whole other ball game once they get you on the phone.

colter517 · Oct 11, 2006

RUN!

Don't waste your time. I work for a staffing agency and Kindred has the worst facilities I've ever been to. The staffing ratios are disgusting and a lot of the facilities I've been to were dirty. After my 5th or so Kindred facility, instead of refusing to go back to a specific facililty I told my agency I would not go to any Kindred facility.

I read a story not too long ago about how some of the nursing homes they've acquired scored much worse on the state inspection than it's previous management.

pamc217 · Oct 19, 2006

I heard that they run a credit check on their new applicants. Tell me what does a persons financial history have to do with if they are a good nurse. Most of us have debt from nursing school. I did a rotation there and i hated it it was unsafe staffing ratios. Run, try home care I just started it and its great, very little pressure u do your own thing and the money is awesome.

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Dec 12, 2007

Ah Kindred....known as the KMart of health care. I worked for a Kindred facility. It was okay when I started, but in the short time I was there (6 years) we had 7 or 8 EDs. The DNSs were in constant fear for their jobs; the admissions coordinator would lie to families to get the beds filled. I actually heard her say "Oh, don't worry. If your family member needs a lot of care, we always bring in more staff." Yeah right. Started with 6 CNAs for 40 residents then 5 then 4. This was a skilled facility but the acuity on the subacute unit was quite high. Not that anyone there understood acuity. They counted numbers of people so to them 40 long term residents needed the same amount of CNAs as 40 subacute or 40 dementia patients.

A facility around here (and no I don't live on CC anymore) was recently bought by Kindred. From what I hear, the employees are none too happy with the change.

st4wb3rr33sh0rtc4k3 · Dec 14, 2007

I haven't heard good things either. I had a friend who worked there for a year, then left.