MSN RN's in UT

Do you mean BSN not MSN as in Bachelor's prepared nurse?

When I first graduated nursing school I worked for IHC for 18 months. Now as an agency nurse I work for a lot of other hospitals in Salt Lake City.

Benefits of IHC

They are big, a giant, compared to the other hospital groups. This gives you lots of opportunities for movement within the company, especially as they are about to build 3 new hospitals (Park City, IMC in Murray, and the Birthing Center in Riverton). After working with them for 6 months you could transfer to somewhere else within the company without loosing insurance, retirement etc.

Computer charting. It is really great! Having used other computer systems and paper charting, this one is the best. I've even done some nursing in Washington State and it was better than anything up there. They give you a couple of hours of training in orientation. Then when you're on your floor orienting you'll learn more.

MAGNET nursing status as a region. That's way cool, they gave us all pins. It is an award for nursing excellence.

Downside

As a giant, IHC's cornered the market and have a tight grip on wages. As a new graduate I started at 18.75 an hour, by the time I left I was at 20.10 (after 2 pay raises). I've seen nurses get offers from other hopital systems like Mountain Star, and IASIS and use it to bargain with starting wage at time of hire

Insurance- because all the IHC employees are in the same insurance plan you have to pay more. Health care workers use the system more than normal people so we pay more. I saved on insurance by self insuring, $45 a month, I do have a $5,000 dollar maternity deductible now, which stinks.

I've worked at the University of Utah. They do paper charting, I caught on pretty quick. It is a huge teaching hospital. Parking is horrendous and they are constructing a new building out front. There are some great views from the hospital/surrounding area. Traffic can be troublesome at times. If you're familiar with Salt Lake you know Foothill Blvd is congested and getting from Downtown to the University is always congested. Of course there is the TRAX line now that'll drop you off pretty close. However, I'd hate to be waiting in the snow for a train after a long 12. As a teaching hospital, it has some perks. Everyone is very helpful and wants to teach, no question is dumb there. It also is on the cutting edge of technology/research. They have a great big hyperbaric chamber treatment unit. When I was looking for a job in Salt Lake I stuck with IHC because I thought the insurance was cheaper.

Huntsman Cancer institute and Primary Children's hospitals are right by the U of U's hospital. There are tons of choices.

Recently I discovered the Promise East and Promise West Specialty Hospitals, they rent a floor from Pioneer Valley and Salt Lake Regional. It's like intense med/surg or a stepdown floor. Acute long term care is how they put it. I love it there compared to the other places I go in SLC. Only 3-4 patients and a pretty good ratio with aids. It's small as far as the number of employees, so everyone seems to be tight knit. There is always a respiratory therapist on the floor. They have their own PT room on the floor etc. I don't know I just like it.

If you are looking for a place to live in SLC. I'd recommend the Santa Fe Apartments. They are on Fort Union Blouvard and approximately 1500 East. Inbetween the I 2-15 Union Park Entrance and 2000th East Entrance. You can get all over the valley really fast because 2-15 is a belt route and can take you east and west and it connects to I-15 which is the main North South corridor. It is a pretty nice place (my husband and I had friends who lived there). It is also walking distance to Target, Home Depot, Panda Express, Hollywood Video, Cafe Rio, Old Navy and Barnes and Noble. It is far enough from the freeway that you never see or here the freeway (the freeway is in a ravine like ditch so you are above it).

Good Luck

Thank you for your reply, lots of good information :) I grew up in Salt Lake right by those Santa Fe apartments, well, more by Big Cottonwood. I went to Brighton High.... Its been a while since Ive lived there and don't know a lot about the hospital systems and info like that up there. I'm kind of out of the loop now:( But I am hoping to move up there when I graduate. I did mean MSN though, I am in the process of getting my master's right now. How much of a difference do you think that will make? Do you like the agency route better? Ive heard that the U is a great place to be for a new grad, but I forget about that comute sometimes from the upper east side. Especially in the snow, I probably don't even know how to drive in it since I've been in sunny Las Vegas!

I was wondering what the pay rate and job market is like in UT for new grad RN's with an MSN. I know that most hospitals are IHC hospitals up there, are they a good company to work for? Or is somewhere like the U more desirable?

Hi

I just wanted to tell you that Legacy staffing is an awesome company to work for tyou can check them out at legacynurse.com...Rn rates start at 30/hr..and go up depending on education and experience..