Looking for a good MI hospital for ICU

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I was looking at applying to Beaumont for an ICU position, but from another posting---it looks like the locals are not so much fans, but of Henry Ford Hospital? I'll be moving from out of state here, and considering maybe the Detroit or Royal Oak area. Where's a good hospital with good ICU staff and pay? Thanks!

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St. Joe's in Ypsillanti- All the ICUs/Progressive care units are in need RN's right now- they are offering internal bonuses ( I don't know about external, but they might be open to negotiations). St Joe's recently moved from a small building into a much larger building, and the whole organization is going through growing pains.

I can't give feed back about pay or what it is like to work on one of those units, but it used to be a great place to work, and hopfully once the dust settles, it will be great again.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

If you are going to relocate to the Royal Oak area there is Beaumont hospital. If you aren't concerned with driving distance, there is Henry Ford Hospital. I currently work there and we need ICU staff. We have many different ICU's. We have MICU, SICU, Neurosurg ICU, CICU. We receive patients from all over the state and country. We are also a teaching facility at Henry Ford. Of all the placed I have worked so far I like Henry Ford the best, but that is just me.

However if you are willing to drive/relocate to the Ann Arbor area, there is St.Joe's as previously mentioned. My Uncle's step daughter works there and really likes it in the SICU. I have visited a pt there recently and it is beautiful. Also there is Univ of Michigan hospital. Many ICU opprotunities there, but you have to pay for parking. That sucks its expensive too and you can't always find a spot. At U of M you will see lots interesting things since it is a teaching facility.

Again in Detroit there is Harper Hospital, Detroit Receiving. Both have ICU needs I am sure. Harper also has MICU, and Neurosurg ICU. These are teaching facilities also.

I am not aware of any bonuses, but I am not looking for a position right now. I am just letting you know of your options. There are smaller hospitals also, but you won't see as much there.

I say AVOID OAKWOOD like the plague. ( just my opinion from past experience working there.)

I hope this is some help. Have you thought about a travel contract before you decide? Maybe this is a option. You would get a way to check out the hospital and if it is not what you want after however long you don't have to renew the contract and try another facility. That may be a idea. I don't know if that is feasable for you or not.

I have lived in Michigan all my life. This is a nice place to live if you don't mind cold and snowy winters. Good luck to you in whatever you decide.

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I agree about Oakwood- the pay may be inticing, but it can come at the cost of one's license and sanity!

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NRSANG97,

thanks for the pointers... I've been working in large teaching hospitals since nursing school, and I think it's the best place to learn. Right now, I'm working in combined med-surg ICU (also get neuro pts) so it's a good learning experience. I just can't stand this group of "toxic princesses", if you will that pretty much scare off any new nurses to go to the night shift or quit. We have a really really high turnover, and I want to find a job that is not going to have these same issues when I move to MI. How far is HFH from Royal Oak area? Thanks!

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I work at HFH in SICU. I love it. Get very interesting trauma cases. I also live in Troy and take I-75 and its about a 20min drive. Not bad at all. Are you new grads or applying for externships? I don't think my manager hires new grads.

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Curious to know...

Can u become an ICU Nurse straight out of nursing school? Do you need some other experience on some other floor? Certification? Please inform. I am interested in working ICU when I complete my nursing program.

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Curious to know...

Can u become an ICU Nurse straight out of nursing school? Do you need some other experience on some other floor? Certification? Please inform. I am interested in working ICU when I complete my nursing program.

Hi--You should do a search on here. There are plenty of forums that talk about new grads in ICU! Hope that helps, and good luck!

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Yeah thanks

Actually, I did realize this shortly after I posted. I can be a little slow sometimes as I should've taken a nanosecond to do just that before I posted. Live and learn!

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
Curious to know...

Can u become an ICU Nurse straight out of nursing school? Do you need some other experience on some other floor? Certification? Please inform. I am interested in working ICU when I complete my nursing program.

Well some might not agree with me, but I wouldn't suggest starting out in ICU. In fact, my manager won't hire new grads. Work a year on step-down, get your skills down then go to ICU. ICU can be extremely overwhelming. Even I am overwhelmed and I've been a nurse for over two years. I strongly suggest a year of step-down/progressive care because you'll see everything that an ICU sees but on a less critical level. Just my opinion. Not all would agree with me.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

I also do not suggest that a new grad start in ICU either. I suggest 1 year of med surg first to sharpen skills. Then you can go anywhere.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Well some might not agree with me, but I wouldn't suggest starting out in ICU. In fact, my manager won't hire new grads. Work a year on step-down, get your skills down then go to ICU. ICU can be extremely overwhelming. Even I am overwhelmed and I've been a nurse for over two years. I strongly suggest a year of step-down/progressive care because you'll see everything that an ICU sees but on a less critical level. Just my opinion. Not all would agree with me.

I just graduated and am starting in a progressive/step down unit. I found it pretty hard to get a job in an ICU unit right out of school if you don't have experience such as doing your preceptorship on an ICU floor or working as a tech on an ICU floor. Even though several hospitals said they hire new grads into an ICU (and a lot more flat out said they won't hire new grads into an ICU) when I interviewed most of those wanted you to have done an internship or tech on an ICU floor. And then they only hired you if you had done it on their floor. I am very interested in critical care so I started out with my heart set on working in the ICU. What I ended up doing was starting on a progressive/stepdown unit. I think it is the best place for me. This unit gets almost everything an ICU gets but not as critical. I did not tech or preceptor on this unit but did shadow. I feel I will learn a tremendous amount here and in a year I will probably then look at going to an ICU. I know people who have gone to an ICU unit directly out of school but most has some tech experience. I think it can be done but you have to have a VERY good orientation/preceptorship when you start and a LOT of helpful experienced nurses. And be able to handle a lot of stress. I know this is off the topic but had to put in my 2 :twocents:.

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