NYP- Cornell or Columbia??

bruinlaura · Jul 21, 2006

Cornell is prettier in my opinion. :)

I've only had experiences at each as a nursing student but from those experiences I would have to say that the employees seemed happier at Cornell and the units displayed more teamwork. Of course I only have experience with a few units, not all at columbia may be like the ones I was at and same for cornell.

I've heard the benefits are slightly better at columbia. one of the nurses on a unit i was learning on was transferring for that reason. Something about being able to retire with health insurance.

Definitely cheaper to get an apt near columbia. Upper east side is very nice and you pay for it.

i know that isn't much but i hope it helps.

nyforlove · Aug 4, 2006

I've heard the benefits are slightly better at columbia. one of the nurses on a unit i was learning on was transferring for that reason. Something about being able to retire with health insurance.

Yes, Laura, your post above confirms my research--apparently Presby is NYSNA-Union represented, while Columbia is NOT---could be major differences (see also another thread I started re: NYC Union v. Non-Union pay/benefits)..hopefully, a nurse who works/ed there will fill us in

LadyT618, MSN, APRN, NP · Aug 5, 2006

I think you have it switched around. I believe Columbia is union and Cornell is not. I have a friend who works for Columbia and he raves about their union.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Aug 5, 2006

I also believe that you have it switched.

Columbia is union, Cornell is not.

I preferred working at Cornell, though I find that I generally do prefer nonunion facilities (don't ask why...my answer tends to tick off union proponents).

But I also didn't have to pay for my housing so that was not an issue.

If you check, I think that Cornell has some subsidized housing available rather close to the hospital.

loriann, BSN, RN · Aug 5, 2006

You definitely have it switched...Cornell is non-union and Columbia is union.

Like Caroleladybelle, I too prefer non-union facilities, which will limit your choices in terms of hospitals in NYC.

There is a housing office you can go to if you work at Cornell, and the units are very close, some right across the street.

LadyT618, MSN, APRN, NP · Aug 5, 2006

I am not for or against unions, I'm still trying to figure out which is best for myself. But, I was wondering, why to two of u like non-union hospitals more? If you'd like, you can pm me your replies. Just curious to hear your take on it.

nyforlove · Aug 5, 2006

I am not for or against unions, I'm still trying to figure out which is best for myself. But, I was wondering, why to two of u like non-union hospitals more? If you'd like, you can pm me your replies. Just curious to hear your take on it.

I was anti-union until I did a little research and discovered what appears to be a major difference: In NYC, many NYSNA-Union hospitals have an empoyer-paid pension that could amount to a sizable retirement payment v. NO PENSION whatsoever at the non-Union ones: see my thread addressing this issue:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/nyc-join-union-not-171817.html

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2006

My issue w/unions has nothing to do with pay, or economic benefits.

There is an old post of mine about BIMC on the lower East side which discusses the issues of working amongst the heavily unionized.

One can preach all you want about how you can discipline unprofessional workers in a union facility, but the fact is, it just doesn't happen. And I dislike working with poor performance people. And that happens more often in union facilities than nonunion facilities.

You can preach at me all you want about how great unions are, but until they can insure that all of those workers that they protect the jobs of ....are actually worthy of protection, they are worth nothing to me. I have consistantly noticed way more dead wood at union vs nonunion shops.

LadyT618, MSN, APRN, NP · Aug 6, 2006

Is Beth Israel the only hospital you've experienced this? I've worked at 2 non-union hospitals so far, and I have experienced dead wood at both of them, and wondered to myself how these institutions (magnets at that) can keep these people around?

Quite an interesting take though, I must say.

loriann, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2006

I agree with everything that Caroladybelle said.

Basically, I find a total lack of professionalism in the union facilities, not to say that there are not individuals there who make a difference and try to, it's just that I see more of the former camp than the latter. I think the union's presence creates this "You can't tell me what to do" mentality, and people stop doing their work...and not just the nurses, but the aides, clerks, social workers, etc. Then you have an entire hospital like that and nobody is ever held accountable for what they should be doing, I think in part due to a combination of apathy and fear of what the union will do if you try to document someone's lack of performance.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2006

Is Beth Israel the only hospital you've experienced this? I've worked at 2 non-union hospitals so far, and I have experienced dead wood at both of them, and wondered to myself how these institutions (magnets at that) can keep these people around?
Quite an interesting take though, I must say.

As a traveler and a nurse, I have worked at 13 facilities. 5 have been union facilities. So it is an opinion based on comparison of those 13 facilities.

I am currently on assignment at a hospital that is consistantly rated in the top 10 nationwide. There is one department that is unionized (housekeeping/transport aides). The personnel in that department are the laziest, pooriest attitude individuals that I have EVER dealt with.

Many incidents of which this is an example. I was brand new and know where nothing is in the hospital. I have to do a transfusion of granulocytes which requires more than the usual prep and have to be picked up from the Blood Bank. The ancillary (laughingly titled a "Support") is asleep at the desk, where she is supposed to answer lights at night, but doesn't. The charge wakes her and asks her to get the grans. She proceeds into a 5 minute witch session, about how lazy the d#$% RNs are, why can't they get their own, yadda yadda. Please note it was 0300 AM, I had been on since 1900 and had not had a break (she had) and certainly had not had time to sleep. I was also brand new and had no idea where the main BB was, or I surely would have gotten it myself,

Every morning she spends at least 10-20 minutes griping about stocking the nurse servers...her job. despite sleeping between 2-4 hours a night at the desk, during her 8 hour shift.

Not long ago, we had a bed crunch. One of the nearby floors had a room that needed to be cleaned, so an admit could go there...the floor did not have an ancillary. Meantime, our ancillary is, per usual, asleep. The nursing supervisor asks for her to go over and clean the room. She refuses because it "is not her job/unit". She refuses for 2 hours, while they are discussing waking one of our patients up, moving them to another floor in the middle of the night so that she has to clean our room and we take the admit. She finally cleaned the room. But because the ancillary is not in the nursing department, we can do little about it. And her dept supervisor is not on at night.

I don't like to have to fight to get people to do their job.

These are but a few of the incidents, that I have experienced here and other union facilities. And while they do occur at nonunion facilities, they are much more frequent at union facilities.