PLEASE HELP ME CHOOSE, UMC, TMC, or Carondolet...

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Hello my future colleagues/AZ Nurses,

Hi there, my name is Danielle. I am in the process of a move to Tucson from Southern California to become an RN. I received my BA from UCSB (not in nursing unfortunately, will be doing that in AZ).

I was just wonderding if anyone here can give me some honest opinions as to which hospital (UMC, TMC, or Carondolet) would be the best to work for. I mean I am no stranger to hard work (I am voluntarily choosing to become a nurse afterall, lol), but I would just really like to be in a good work envoronment where hard work is appreciated and noticed and where co-workers get along for the most part, just as pleasant of an environment as possible I guess (somewhat vague I know, but it's YOUR opinions that I'm looking for anyway). Which hospital would YOU rather be a nurse in? Thanks a bunch for any of your opinions, I would just like to know which hospital you think would be kindest to its employees/new nurses (which will be me).

Please feel free to post of PM me, I will take your feedback ANY way I can get it. I have been SO busy looking for a house to buy that this hospital info hasn't really been at the top of my list but IS however VERY important info to me nonetheless:)

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Well, what kind of nursing are you interested in?? I have done clinicals/worked at all three, but what kind of nursing you are interested in may make a difference.

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Thanks for trying to refine my question CardiacRN, but that's part of the problem you see. I am not completely sure of what specialty/area that I would eventually like to go into. I will learn this in Nursing School no doubt (hopefully will be accepted and then done with UofA program at the end of Summer 2007), but I will need to pick which hospital before those things happen. I am currently a surgical assistant for a plastic/reconstructive surgeon, I don't think that surgery is the place for me in the long run, unless it's OB surgery, I do have a soft spot for babies and am very comfortable around women. This is the reason that I will probably stay away from general surgery (I'm not terribly fond of the 'old boys' club' male surgeon type) but am considering some facet of Labor and Delivery/Neonatal. That is where I'm leaning at the moment, but I'm pretty open. I am fascinated by all types of medicine pretty much but would like to stay toward the early development in life (babies and children). My BA was in Psychology and I am VERY interested in the developmental process in general. Okay, now that you know EVERYTHING about me:) PLEASE, let the advice flow forth!!! Thanks a bunch again to all!

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I'm not familiar with the hospitals, but part of your question caught my eye. Does Tucson have a program where you can become an RN in a year?? Have you already completed all of your pre-req's? Just curious 'cause I already have my BS and it's taking me 3.5 years to get my RN, 1.5 years of pre-req's and two years of nursing school. Wow, wish I'd known about Tucson, I could've been done by now :roll

Keli

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Specializes in Cardiac.

The Uof A has an accelerated 16 month program for people with a Bachelor's degree. But I think you have to choose Carondelet or UMC. I don't think TMC is on the table for that program. Which is too bad, because I like TMC's L&D better than UMC's. But maybe you can choose St. Joe's. They have a pretty good L&D and mom/baby unit as well. To be honest, nothing will help you more with your decision more than doing clinicals at the hospitals. I don't know who the clinicals work in the accelerated program, but I've had to do clinicals at almost every hospital in this town. So I have a real good idea of where NOT to go!!:roll

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I am applying for U of A's accelerated program too. I have an interview on Feb 25th. I'm pretty sure that UMC, Carondolet AND TMC are possible sponsors. There is an information session for prospective students in Feb and we were instructed to come and talk with representatives from the sponsoring agencies who will be there. You are supposed to identify your top two choices of where u would like to work by the time your interview rolls around.

CardiacRN (or anyone else), please tell us where your good and bad clinical experiences were. I would like advice on where to go also!

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I worked at UMC as a tech for a while and have no complaints about that. I did 3 sets of clinicals at TMC :med-surg, peds, OB. UGH. OB is great at TMC, but the med-surg leaves a lot to be desired. Plus, it takes 20 minutes to hike to the cafeteria. The hallways are cluttered, carpeted, and messy. You have to chart on portable computers that are about as moveable as a cow, and they expect you to take these 'portable' computers into the room with you when you give your meds. The nurses were mean, overworked, and stressed. I was lucky if I got direct eye-contact. I have also done clinicals at both carondelets. I hear great things about St. Mary's ICU, but I was on med-surg and ortho. UGH! No thanks-I will never work there. The nurses there not only hate students, but they will blame you for their bad day. (Not directly, of course, you will overhear them complaining about you.) I did an externship at St. joes tele and the routine was for nurses to have 6 patients-at least. Everything else was ok but that. St joes has a good OB/L&D. I'm at NWH now and I have to say that I've never encountered nurses who were kind to students before, but I have here. They actually look at you, talk to you, and treat you like a human being. That's very, very rare in this town, unfortunately.

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Thanks, cardiacRN! Maybe I'll put TMC at the bottom of my list of choices...

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Specializes in Critical Care Nursing.

Dande, I recently moved to Tucson, (1 yr ago) and I work at St. Joseph's Carondelet in the ICU. They do have a program that they pay 100% of RN to BSN, nothing out of pocket for you. The have been really great to work with and are very supportive towards education. I have a really good friend that is working at TMC and he hates it, I don't have any other experiences to share, but I have always loved working at Trauma centers, excellent experience and unusual cases. Good luck in your decision.

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I worked at UMC as a tech for a while and have no complaints about that. I did 3 sets of clinicals at TMC :med-surg, peds, OB. UGH. OB is great at TMC, but the med-surg leaves a lot to be desired. Plus, it takes 20 minutes to hike to the cafeteria. The hallways are cluttered, carpeted, and messy. You have to chart on portable computers that are about as moveable as a cow, and they expect you to take these 'portable' computers into the room with you when you give your meds. The nurses were mean, overworked, and stressed. I was lucky if I got direct eye-contact. I have also done clinicals at both carondelets. I hear great things about St. Mary's ICU, but I was on med-surg and ortho. UGH! No thanks-I will never work there. The nurses there not only hate students, but they will blame you for their bad day. (Not directly, of course, you will overhear them complaining about you.) I did an externship at St. joes tele and the routine was for nurses to have 6 patients-at least. Everything else was ok but that. St joes has a good OB/L&D. I'm at NWH now and I have to say that I've never encountered nurses who were kind to students before, but I have here. They actually look at you, talk to you, and treat you like a human being. That's very, very rare in this town, unfortunately.

I have to say I agree with you about TMC's med surg floors. I hated it when I did my clinicals there! But, I had good experiences on the other units there. I did an externship on the cardiac ICU and it was wonderful. I also did a rotation on tele at NWH and most of the nurses there were so nice! That was very refreshing.

I did ultimately choose TMC as my employer. I will be working on the postpartum unit, with hopes to get to L/D one day. I did my preceptorship in L/D and I loved it!

Megan

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Wow, you were lucky to get an internship there! We were told not to even try, because too many people wanted it. How fun. I love L&D as well.

I'm taking my first test for 4th semester tomorrow. We were told 40% of last semester students failed it. That isn't a pleasant fact to know!

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Thanks for all the great info everybody. I am looking forward to my interviews this coming Saturday for the UofA Accelerated BSN program for second degree baccelors students. I didn't see that anyone else had posted so I just saw the replies now, thanks again. The program is 14 months long and there is a list of pre-reqs needed like microbiology, anat/physio/, child develop., nutrition and so forth that can be obtained on their website. The three hospitals are definitely TMC, UMC, or Carondolet and unfortunately we have to pretty much choose (the top 2 at least- even though I'm pretty sure that we do list our #1 also) the hospital that we will be working by next week and state them during our interview on Saturday. That is why we are trying to make this decision with as much input as possible.

My main feeling is that I can't really go wrong in that I will be very happy to be accepted into such a convenient program and be nursing in about a year or so:) I am a little torn there b/n UMC and TMC in that it seems most ppl had bad things to say about TMC in general but that their L & D unit is actually quite good and I am pretty sure that that will be the area that I end up in... I am also kind of leaning towards Carondolet though since I seem to keep hearing good things about their philosophies.

Anyhow, thanks for the input so far and please, I still very much welcome any further input on UMC vs TMC vs Carondolet, anything we can get as soon as possible would be greatly appreciated. Also, any interviewing tips that anyone would like to pass along would be really great too. Thanks for your time everyone and good luck to all!

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