Parkland (Dallas, TX)

Published

Specializes in Pain Management, RN experience was in ER.

Is there anyone that has any information about Parkland or other Trauma 1 hospitals in the area that they would recommend for a green RN (I'll be graduated May 2009, with ED tech experience and minor emergency LVN experience)? I'd really like to take up an internship in a busy, level one ER. I've tried doing a search for Parkland on the boards, but haven't come up with a whole lot of information. I don't live in Dallas so I don't much about the hospitals. I plan to relocate somewhere within Texas after graduation. Thanks in advance for all of the help! Sorry I'm "thread" happy today :rolleyes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in dialysis (mostly) some L&D, Rehab/LTC.

Didnt some man just die in the ER after waiting 16 hrs?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi Shannon--

I'm a nsg student in MD, but I grew up in Dallas and I was a volunteer in Parkland when I was in college.

Needless to say, since I was a volunteer I can't give you the nurses point of view of working in Parkland, but I can give you the volunteer's POV and am happy to do it.

Now that I'm in nsg school I reflect on my experiences at Parkland quite frequently. I volunteered in a part of the ed that they called OBER (Obstetrics Emergency Room). We saw women (pregnant and not) and the primary pts we saw were pts w/ STDs or other types of gynecological disorders. We did tests for other STDs when a pt came in with one STD and the primary type of pts we saw were pts w/out health ins and/or teenagers.

Also b/c Parkland is in Dallas, (close proximity to Mexico) and the county hospital as well, we saw a significant number of pts who were Spanish-speaking only.

For me--I considered it one of the most valuable experiences of my life. Some of the patients I met there--I will never forget. And the nurses I worked with were some of the nicest, most down to earth people I've ever met.

Like I said, I wasn't a nurse there so I can't give you the nse's perspective, but if I were ever to move back home again I would certainly consider working at Parkland.

Like I said above, it's a county hospital so you can assume all of what comes with that...but for me, I thought volunteering there was great and I loved the idea of being able to help people who were the life blood, the soul of the city.

If you think you might like working in a county hospital a diverse group of patients (some of whom are the nicest people you'll ever meet in your life), then you just might like Parkland.

I hope you get more responses to your thread (so you can get the nse's perspective, I'd be interested in reading them), but I hope my perspective helps too.

Best wishes to you (and sorry so long--I'm type happy:typing)

Please send me a message if there is anything else I can give my perspective on. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Education.

www.parklandhospital.com

I worked nights in the Parkland ED and loved it. They see the sickest patients...hardly anyone comes in with something simple. Working in a teaching hospital was also an eye-opener for me. (I was an experienced ED nurse from the private world.)

Check out the jobs on their website. They have Residency programs 2-3 times a year for new grads or for nurses new to the ED. The once-a-year Internships are for new BSN graduates.

You'll love it, you'll hate, and then you'll love it again. I wouldn't trade my time there for anything!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds Rehab, Informatics.

The other level one trauma in DFW is Baylor University Medical Center. I have been with baylor for four years and they are an excellent system to work for!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

When I was a paramedic I was really impressed with the quality of the nurses at both Parkland and Baylor.

They came aross as being much more knowledgeable then several of the hospitals I delt with.

Sandy

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion