I was cruising the hospital websites as I do everyday as a new grad and came across this:
The Department of Nursing at Massachusetts General Hospital is running a New Graduate RN ICU Residency Program for six months from April 2011 to September 2011. RN residents will be hired and trained to work successfully in an intensive care setting.
Qualified applicants MUST have:
- a Baccalaureate of Science Degree in Nursing
- a current MA RN license
- less than 10 months of professional RN experience in a healthcare setting
- completed a clinical practicum in an ICU or experience in a patient assistive role in an ICU.
RN Residents will be eligible for benefits and paid a salary of $11.44 per hour. The schedule will be 40 hours per week with five 8-hour shifts. Day/Night rotation with weekends and holidays required.
11.44 an hour? They can't be serious...can they? They pay their CNAs more!
hi i was wondering what the opinions of the nurses are regarding this program. as is do they feel new grads should start off in the icu. do you feel this program will train the new grads as they should be trained to be safe and efficient in an icu?
this residency is brand new for this year so only time will tell. in previous years, mgh had a great new grad icu program that was very successful. the residency is set up differently than the previous program, though.
This residency is brand new for this year so only time will tell. In previous years, MGH had a great new grad ICU program that was very successful. The residency is set up differently than the previous program, though.
April, RN, could you elaborate on how the two programs differ? I am starting the new program on Monday. I am familiar with the previous program (there was a great story in the Globe about an RN going thru the program back in 2005--try and Google "MGH Critical Care Boston Globe" to get it to come up).
Which ICU are you in? Might be meeting you soon--thanks!
I was accepoted to this program and I am really excited and cant wait to learn and embrace this opportunity but I have to admit I am kind of nervous. I hope I can hack it but there is a part of me that questions if I will be able to successfully complete the 6 months. I am not one to just quit and not give it 100% but I do have that little bit of worry about starting in the ICU. I have started reading many post on new graduates starting in the ICU and it's a mix report. Any thoughts?
I think a lot of people are not looking at the bigger picture here. I am leaving a $25+/hr job for this $11.44/hr. To me, it is a very small sacrifice for the opportunities this will bring in the long run. Once you have ICU experience you can basically work anywhere.. or you can apply to a crna program, which is my ultimate goal. Med/surg is so boring to me. I need something much more challenging to keep me interested in my work. This isn't just a job, it's a job in ICU. And it's Mass General! top 3 in the country. 6 months goes by fast and those of us who have been selected are, in my opinion, extremely fortunate to have this opportunity.
If you dont mind me asking April do you know in what way it is set up differently?
I don't know too many details about the residency. In the past, new grads had a primary preceptor, maybe 2, for the entire 6 months. The new grad worked their preceptor's schedule (days/nights/weekends). With this residency, the new grad works Monday through Friday, 7a-3p only, and I've heard there is no primary preceptor. The differences in the program likely have a lot to do with the fact that there are 40 new grads participating as opposed to the handful that were hired into the new grad program in the past.
Anyone who has accepted the offer of being a part of the Internship Program at MGH, would you mind updating the thread once you get going and are in the program? I would love to hear feedback!!
Congratulations to you and I look forward, as I am sure many readers of the thread do, to hear how it is going. It sounds like such an amazing opportunity for a new nurse!
I am interested on your take on how things are going thus far? How do you feel about transitioning into an ICU made up of a majority of other new grads when the new MSICU opens in September?
BrookeeLou_RN
734 Posts
MY
is it is fabulous opportunity and will give any nurse in it a fine basis to grow his/her career on.