ernurse16

I worked there.... personally I thought the hospital was awful but then I have worked 3 Kaiser facilities and feel they are all bad. Oakland is quite dangerous with a very high crime rate. I hated the assignment and will never go back there again. Oh.... the housing wasn't bad down by Jack London Square but you really can't go anywhere at night because of the crime.

I have followed my recruiter to NIP and think he is the best!!! He works with me closely and has never let me down... if you want to email me, I will be happy to put you in touch :)

Before the union was voted in at SJMMC the nurses had gone to admin on multiple occassions about working conditions and concern for pts and their nursing licenses in what they felt were unsafe staffing ratios and poor pt outcomes due to those staffing ratios. Admin made promises to all of us at that time that they didn't keep. The nurses began to rally again for a union and admin decided they would keep out the union at all costs. When the union got voted in the CEO at that time was fired and a new CEO was brought in. He was notoriously know for his union busting background and hired for that purpose. And that is exactly what he did. Admin started firing nurses that had supported the union. Those that were most vocal to other nurses, to the press etc, were fired for various bogus reasons and most won their fights in the arbitration system, but it took it's toll on them. A huge number of veteran nurses quit and went to other facilities in which they didn't have to work under the constant pressure and stress of being called in and terminated without cause. Three years later when the contract came up for a vote the nurses voted to go on strike. The contract expired in Oct and admin kept dragging their feet in negotiations untill the bitter cold right before Christmas that year. It was freezing outside but the nurses voted to strike and manned the picket lines until they finally caved in and went back to work. Admin's promise of divide and conquer worked and nurses no longer had to join the union to work there. It is my understanding they are coming up to vote to either disband the union, join another union or stay with the present one. It will be interesting to see what happens. The union busting CEO is no longer there since he accomplished what he was hired to do. They have another now who is also an antiunion CEO. All I can say to anyone considering employment there is to watch your back and if you are a union supporter, keep it to yourself. Every other hospital in the St Louis area learned from the SJMMC experience except St John's. Care at SJMMC has changed so much in the process. It was the cream of the crop facility. That's no longer the case. Attitudes there are lousy, a huge number of new grads and the loss of the veteran nurses has cause a tremendous decline in the quality of care. I personally saved my dad's live twice while he was hospitalized there because the nurses didn't notice his OBVIOUS decline. If I had not come in, my dad would have died both times. If you want to keep your nursing license, I would suggest you find another place of employment to begin your career or continue it. All I can say is run as fast as you can away from SJMMC

St John's is, was, and always has been run by the Sisters of Mercy. There has never been "another company" brought into St John's. They have, however, changed administration several times since the nurses voted the union in. But they all had the same agenda, beat the nurses, beat the union. Yes they are voting again on union issues. Decert, go with the other union or stay with UFCW. This doesn't mean things are going well there. It means many weren't happy with the UFCW, not that they are happy with St John's admin. I am sure decert probaby has a better chance of getting in since John's has run off most of the good veteran nurses that were there. Oh and staffing ratios... are you kidding me there? It's your butt in a sling if you keep buying admins bs. At least make an educated decision about the union issue... go to the meetings, listen and learn. But you are a fool if you buy what St John's admin is trying to selling you.

thanks for your post... I completely agree with you :)

They didn't go on strike... but were ready to when they came to an agreement. It was about the same time the St John's nurses were fighting their battles. I am considering apply at AB myself where maybe I can make some real money and might even be appreciated by my employer... At least I will know I am making those that drink the beer I would be bottling appreciate what I do!!!! I really do think it's pathetic where priorities lie

A few years ago Anhueser Busch workers avoided a strike when they reached an agreement to pay (I think it was the bottlers) $50.00 an hour. Nurses here in the same city (St Louis) with an average of 10+ years make on average $25.00 per hour. hmmmm... does it give you an idea where priorities are? We save lives and they watch bottles go by on a conveyer belt and make twice as much! There is something so wrong here!!! When are nurses ever going to stand up for themselves and unite and demand to get paid what they deserve for what they do?:angryfire Sadly... it's doubtful they ever will ... we are whimps and just keep taking it!:trout:

I can't answer your questions except give you my thoughts on St John's... run run run as fast as you can to anywhere but there!!! Administration there hates nurses and will stick it to you whenever they can. The nurses went union because they were treated so badly... now they are treated even worse! Many of us left in disgust and anger. I wouldn't go back there or recommend anyone work there!

You forgot to mention the backstabbers... they tend to be the most successful of all... rather sad isn't it!

Does anyone happen to know the staffing ratios of RN to pt in the ER at Barnes. I was told it is very high at night... as many 7 pts to 1 RN. Anyone know if it's true?

They have no pwer because they were too stupid to stand as a united front. The entire sitation at St John's was a sad one. Administration was out to break the union and many of the nurses had no backbone to stand up for what was right. Admin scared them and the broke. Now things are worse than ever. So many left there. If you go to the ER there it's so many new grads ... and for a level 1 trauma center that's a scary thing. They are trying to regroup but admin has them so afraid they won't accomplish anything again. Sad thing, the union would never have gotten in to begin with if admin would have just pretended to listen and care about the nurses concerns.

It is my understanding that sternal IO are only used on adults, not on peds. I personally don't like them and have never been in a situation where we were not able to get IV access tho I have taken care of pts that had them inserted in the field. In both instances they IO line was not in place and we had to obtain venous access anyway. The only ones that I have been trained on are the ones that are forced into the tibia... even in practice, they are creepy going through the bone

I don't know about the OR I never worked there... sorry :)

If Nurses in Partnership is one of the four you are talking to I would go with them... fantastic!!!

Well, I hate to get started because I am not sure that I will be able to stop. Yes SJMMC is partially unionized. The nurses were divided and still are. I worked there for 10 years and coworkers were wonderful. However, administration is the most hated admin in any hospital I have ever worked in. They are viscious, vindictive, backstabbing and hate the nurses. The union has not protected any jobs. The admin is out to destroy the union and will fire anyone at anytime for any minimal infraction. They use the lack of "mercy values" as their reason. I know many excellent nurses that were fired after the union came in. I finally could no longer stand the constant stress of management and decided to hit the road and travel. It is my understanding that many of the best veteran nurses have also left in utter disgust with working conditions. I wouldn't go back there if they paid me $100.00 an hour. Nothing is worth the harassment that admin is giving the nurses. Sadly every other hospital in STL has learned from the mistakes that SJMMC admin can't seem to grasp. Due to the unionization of SJMMC, other hospitals began treating their nurses better so they wouldn't go union. I would stay as far away from St John's as possible. There are too many good facilities to work in.... why go where the headaches are??? Your choice, but from one that's been there, done that... avoid them like the plague!!!

I went with RN Network... will never go with them again. They lied several times. Once is enough for me with that company... don't trust them and if you go with them... get EVERYTHING in writing. They tend to have a poor memory about what they promise when it comes time to pay off on their promises!

I think it takes about six weeks.

I completely agree with you. I wish more ER's would utilize the medic as resources and the territorial nurses would open their eyes and not see medics as a threat. I love it when medics in the ER are allowed to work within their scope... makes my life a lot easier... my hat is off to the medics!!!! BTW... all you that think only nurses can save lives... I hope a nurse doesn't show up at your door next time you call 911... unless of course... they were trained medics first!

My last assignment in Chicago was not downtown but close enough that I lived there and drove to the facility. I am hoping to find something similar. I know that Northwestern does use some travelers, but right now they don't need any ER nurses Thanks for the reply!

Anyone have or know of any hospitals hiring travelers in Chicago... looking for the downtown area? Specialty is ER. Thanks if anyone can help out :)

Why should well trained well qualified medics be relegated to tech duties? I have worked in places that use medics like you described and I think it's a waste. We are short staffed and have excellent resources and are not able to utilize the medics as the assets that they are. More and more ED's are beginning to evolve and get a bit smarter. Medics in those facilities are able to do in the Ed what is in their scope of practice. They are allowed to push meds if it's in their scope, ie, morphine etc. They are not allowed to hang antibiotics since it's not in their scope. They start IV's, intubate when the docs can't get it, push ACLS meds (generally are better at knowing when and what to give than many of the nurses), assess pts... anything they can do in the field. Why would you want to limit them? Nothing like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Nurses are so territorial at times, so much so they shoot themselves in the foot!

I too am sorry you have had such a bad experience. I am a travel ER nurse and have worked places like the one you described. I don't renew my contracts there. I put in my 13 weeks and move on. The majority of the ER's I have worked in are not like that at all. We generally work as a team and when a bad pt comes in we all join together and get everything that needs to be done initially in minutes. ER's can be stressful in and of themselves... the last thing we need is to work in a hostile environment or one that is not conducive to the best for our patients. You may want to consider looking around for a part time job or maybe agency nursing and scout out some of the other ED's in your area and find one you like that has a positive work ethic of their staff. Best of luck and please don't give up emergency nursing. There is no better place to work... rarely a dull moment and a comaradere (?sp) like no other! I would quit nursing before I would work in another arena.

I think you are much better starting off in a permanent position as a new grad. There is so much to learn and to walk into a facility as a new grad without ANY orientation would put your license at risk. I don't even know if new grads can work agency. I suggest you get your feet wet first before you jump into the agency or travel frenzy. Either way... best of luck in your future and welcome to the nursing world :welcome:

Nurses in Partnership... they rock!

I just finished a contract in Chicago. I actually extended it three times. I loved it but it was an extremely high acuity ER. That particular hospital has for the moment, stopped using travelers. I know of another facility in need of an ER nurse but it's on the south side and it's my understanding it's a pretty rough neighborhood. I loved Chicago and can't wait to get back there. I had to come home to be with my daughter that just had my first grandchild :) Time to hit the road again!!! Also... there really aren't a lot of travel positions in chicaog... tho they hire agency nurses a lot but then there's no housing. But the agency nurse pay is great!