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!
Carrig RN,I am so happy to read that someone truly benefitted from this program! I would love to hear more about your experience in detail. There was a program offered this spring for May 2012 graduates, but it was only listed to internal workers. On may 22, it was posted externally on the MGH website and I applied! The job description stated that all applicants must have experience in an ICU either as a CNA or in a senior practicum (which I did). From the description, it sounds incredibly supportive to the nurses going through this transition. I LOVED my clinical experiences at MGH (medsurg 1/2) and would be so honored and privileged to be a part of their talented and caring nursing team. I am new to this site, and don't really know how to go about communicating with a single person. But, any help/advice/stories/experiences you could share with me would be greatly appreciated! Thanks :)
New to the site and stumbled upon this topic and wanted to chime in. I was accepted into the 2012 cohort as one of the RN "students" who will begin in a few short weeks on August 27th. Each ICU accepted one new graduate who was hired directly to their specific unit (40hrs w/benefits) and will precept there while attending the CCRN classes once a week for six months. As you have read here, the salary for the first six months is rather low (Now $11.67). However, we were all hired as new grads into ICUs at the #1 hospital in the world as salaried RNs with benefits/ classroom time/ training and our salaries jump up to above the national average after those six months. It is not 100% ideal but it is a MUCH better deal than most new grads who are facing unemployment for the forseeable future and will most likely get jobs in places far less desireable. I would be more than happy to answer any questions that any of you might have about the program before/during/after! Really excited for the opportunity and I am excited to have my first post to Allnurses!
Remember a name is a name. I have worked Travel in top hospitals. SOSDD, if you know what I mean. Agencies try to do this to me, with the ol' it will look great on my resume. But, you know experience will mean more than a name and I have worked in some tiny hospitals too. Of course great training, they are paying for your CCRN, which you can pay for yourself... among other things... There are nurses getting hired right out of nursing school without having to get paid this low in the top hospitals, even in a just a you know "hospital". This is like buying a coach bag and it breaking a year later; when you could of just purchased a no name leather bag for less with no hassle. I wouldn't get all caught up in names.
Anyway... the debate can go on and it will... Me of course I couldn't do it. I think I said this before in this thread. But, of course congratulations to all those that finished and have full time jobs! It is a blessing in todays economic times.
Now that this is the new trend here, what is the staff ratio with New Grads to Seasoned Staff on these units?
I was hired into the ICU from nursing school at a level-1 trauma center. It was a teaching hospital so I learned a lot and was on orientation for 3 months. I was paid a normal GN wage and lived within my means. My ultimate goal was to go to CRNA school. If presented with this program and it was my only option, I think I would've done it. It would've been hard since I'm single and live on my own (no spouse to compensate for reduced income), but you make sacrifices for what you want. Is there a long term contract you have to sign with MGH after the program? That would've been my only deal breaker as I planned to go back to school after a year.
You are 1:1 with your preceptor nurse on my unit in addition to the teaching faculty. I have heard it could be up to 2 different preceptors depending on which unit. I will be able to elaborate much more as I actually partake in the program. There was no "long term" contract to be signed. There are slim to no jobs for new grads out there. Personally I have been rejected from 35 entry level med-surg positions in all sorts of settings including small community hospitals. There simply is no hiring, unless you;ve trained somewhere or know somebody. Will be nice to chat to you all and hear your thoughts and discuss! Thanks for your responses!
I can see things haven't changed for New Grads here in the state. I figured that since I was getting offers (I couldn't find work as an experienced RN a few years ago for the life of me here) that it would of changed and plus I heard all these New Grads from people I know getting work in some pretty tough to get in hospitals. I probably still can't work there. But, these are small numbers.
Wish everyone the best and don't give up. I have been there myself and know what it is like to be looking. I left the state just to be able to work.
I'm very interested in the program for next year when I graduate. I recently completed an ICU internship/clinical rotation in CT where I also go to school but I'm worried that without any connections to MGH and not going to school in Boston it could be difficult getting into the program. Could you tell me a little about your situation and any advice you may have? Thank you!
There were 3 major stipulations on the application for this program: BSN graduate in May 2012, Experience in an ICU as a practicum or NA (Prefably in teaching hospital, level 1) and Current MA nurse licensure. They also don't post this as a program perse, but as a job under the general job search on the MGH website which can be tricky as you never know when it will be posted or for how long.
I was a student in MA, however I don't think that students from MA were given preference? I do believe that if you have trained at MGH and have been an employee or student in one of their ICUs that it might get you an interview easier? I also heard that this program is opened to internal candidates/students before it is even posted online, but I am not 100% certain.
It seems like you know what you want and have done the ICU rotation which is good. I would also try to get a NA or Tech job in an ICU where you are for more experience, they seemed to really like that I had extra ICU training as a tech. You will need to be an RN in MA to be eligible for this program. So I would suggest keeping an eye out on the MGH jobs web page around April-June next year to see if any are posted.
Thanks for the quick response. I'm in a BSN program now and I'm still working as a tech in the ICU per-diem this year but it's not a major level-1 teaching hospital.. hmm maybe I could find a tech job in one of the bigger hospitals. we'll see. Thanks again for the advice!
I just stumbled across the MGH new grad internship and was glad to see your posts! How is it going so far? I am sure you are busy with the program now that it has been 2 months since you have started. Today I tried to call and e-mail MGH to see if I could get any information about if the program is still running, but no response yet. I will be graduating in December and would love the opportunity to learn and gain experience at MGH. Please let me know any tips you have for getting into the program, and when I should be applying. Thank you! :)
So farso good! Lots of work outside of work! Having to work 40 hours a week and go toclass and study. Feels very much like you're still in nursing school but nowresponsible for much more and more is expected out of you. There are also simlab experiences and exams that are once or twice a month. The new gradpositions were posted online as regular jobs would have been. You then applyfor the position and wait for a phone call. I haven't heard about another"class" of new grads for the winter but who knows. Our program is 6months long so I would presume that a new cohort would start next summer (oursstarted Aug 27) if at all. Another thing is that some positions are internallyfilled. Either by techs who work in their ICUs who are graduating from a BSN programor students who have completed their senior clinical in the unit. After thatthey post the remaining positions. There are 10 new RNs in the program and allbut 2 had been students in the MGH system.
If you're looking to get in there, I would very much recommend getting a PCAjob there. You're graduating soon so they may not be likely hiring someone whowould be leaving or changing roles in a few short months. As far as gettinginto the program, there were requirements to apply:
- Having just graduated with a BSN (New nurses that had been unemployed oremployed as RNs in another capacity for a few months were not considered) Thiswould be an issue for you if they did not offer the program beginning inJanuary.
- Current MA nursing licensure (Some had been accepted before passing NCLEX,but were not put through hiring process until confirmed)
- Must have had at least one clinical rotation or practicum in an ICU or workedas a PCA/Tech in an ICU
Hope this answers your questions. I would keep an eye out on their job postingsand apply as soon as it goes up. A ridiculous amount of qualified new gradsapplied to the program and only 10 were selected. I have also heard that Duke and some other hospitals offer programs. I am unfamiliar with their requirements or timelines. Good Luck!
But, these are small numbers. 
arl6
19 Posts
Carrig RN,I am so happy to read that someone truly benefitted from this program! I would love to hear more about your experience in detail. There was a program offered this spring for May 2012 graduates, but it was only listed to internal workers. On may 22, it was posted externally on the MGH website and I applied! The job description stated that all applicants must have experience in an ICU either as a CNA or in a senior practicum (which I did). From the description, it sounds incredibly supportive to the nurses going through this transition. I LOVED my clinical experiences at MGH (medsurg 1/2) and would be so honored and privileged to be a part of their talented and caring nursing team. I am new to this site, and don't really know how to go about communicating with a single person. But, any help/advice/stories/experiences you could share with me would be greatly appreciated! Thanks :)