O'Berry Hospital

elkpark · Jun 10, 2010

O'Berry is not a "hospital," it's a state residential facility for the mentally retarded/developmentally disabled. It's more like a humongous group home. (I don't have any personal experience working there, though.)

Lost in America · Jun 11, 2010

Thanks!

sameasalways, ASN, RN · Jul 14, 2010

OBerry is a state mental hospital..they have different groups there..for example, they have long term, they have acute, and they have youth, and they divide women and men, and also they have a medical section. I did clinical rotations there and I wasn't able to see a lot of what the actual nurses do there, but I live around here. I was hired into the youth unit but turned it down for the regular hospital. From what I understand its a lot of paperwork type stuff...and they have other staff that are with the patients all day. I know the patients come one on the acute unit and are in bad shape becuase they ahven't been taking their meds. And they are required to go to daily groups...each day. Not allowed to stay in their room, which is good. The worst thing to me, that i have heard from a nurse that works there, is that you have required/mandatory stay overs..the way I was explained, is that if they are short a person for the next shift, then they can force you to stay for the next shift. They didn't tell me that in my job interview. If they had told me that I would never have considered them because it is too hard on my family and I can't handle a double shift. Or a 16 hour shift..whatever may be the case. Oberry is a very old instituation, in fact I think one of the oldest there is. It has an interesting history, and the architecture is a testament to that. They do have a museum there which was interesting, particularly if you are interested at all in the history of the south, and/or mental health. There are also 2 correctional faciliteis right down the road, of which need nurses too...LOL.

sameasalways, ASN, RN · Jul 14, 2010

OMG I feel so stupid for putting OBERRY!!! OBERRY is NOT the mental hospital!!!!!!!! CHERRY is. OBERRY is the neuro center right out here by CHERRY. So the above post is about Cherry...but if you want to know about OBERRY, I got hired there too, and i have a friend who works there also. She seems to like it but she works PRN there. I know anotehr nurse that used to work at the hospital that works at OBERRY now and she said she likes it . I don't think it is as stressful as the Hospital. The people are spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders, and many are MR. We also have RHA Howells' out here which is for children..with the same issues. The people live in different buildings and some are ventilator dependant, while others are capable of walking around, ect.

Lost in America · Jul 14, 2010

Thanks, Sameasalways! That clears up a lot of questions I had. :)

sameasalways, ASN, RN · Jul 15, 2010

your welcome glad i could help!