hersheynurse

I work at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. There recently was a lot of openings in NICU. We are building a new Children's Hospital so NICU may also be expanding and have more openings. I work in L&D there and my dept does hire new grads if you want to keep an eye on the job board. They will probably hire three GNs in January. Good luck!

Thanks for all your input. I am prn and business is very slow. I am only doing 5-8 visits a week at this point. On call pays 10 dollars a night. They cover a large territory so it is a lot of ground to cover for visits. I am going to just move on - with the little bit of work they give me I don't think I want to spend my free time answering the phone all night for 10$ !

Hi everyone, I have worked at many hha's over the last several years. As a prn visit nurse I have never been required to take on call. On occasion I have taken it to help out but not mandated to. My agancy is now requiring me to take call and it is very low compensation. Does your agency require this of their prn staff and what do they get compensated? I would really appreciate your response as in my opinion it is an unreasonable request but maybe it is the norm nowadays. Thanks!

I have been a nurse at Hershey for 2 years now. I originally was hired for NICU and it was the whole reason I relocated to the area. The position was for 5 8hr night shifts a week and every other weekend. The manger agreed to allow me to work monday thru friday night instead of every other weekend but after I moved and right before I was to start she told me I would have to work every other weekend no exceptions and my two nights off in the week may not ever be consecutive. I spoked to HR and instead took a position that was 3 12's and that suited me much better. After I started at the med center I heard a lot of negative things about NICU that made me very glad I changed to another unit. Since the hospital is unionized every is under the laws of seniority. A NICU nurse that was transferring to my unit told me new nurses can not expect to get a week off during the summer or holidays because all the senior nurses put their time in and get approved ahead of you. You also have to wait a very long time to get a 12 hr shift position as the senior nurses have those. I got the impression that a bunch of nurses who had been there for a very long time have made it difficult for newer nurses. Keep in mind that was 2.5 years ago and things may be different. I would ask during your interview about time off and the turn over rate. Keep an eye on the job board also as frequent openings may give you a clue. Good luck!

Thanks for the information Calliotter3. I certainly don't want to do anything that would be perceived as underhanded. I just want to get a good rate and first dibs on the case if I am going to be going out there promoting the business. I am not sure what approach to take. Thanks again!

Hi everyone ! This is my first post but I have been lurking for some time and appreciate all the helpful information. I have recently returned to HH after being away for a few years and am so glad to be back. I went back to an agency I had worked for in the past but I am now in a different region and different office. I am disappointed that the visit rate I am geting is less than I got five years ago and the mileage reimbursement is low. I also am not as busy as I want to be. I am a PRN and want to stay that way. I interveiwed to work for a second agency to supplement and their reimbursement was higher. I would like to work for both - I feel a loyalty and comfort with the first one and I get a referral and do all the revisits and completely case manage. The second company only wants me to cover the visits that the full timers can't which means probably a lot of last minute work - but much better pay. So all that said here is my question : I have good relationships with docs and surgeons in my area and know a lot of the care coordinators at my local hospital. Can I market myself as a HH nurse, get the referral info and then turn around and give it to either of the agencies I am working for? Since I do not know all the medicare laws, codes, billing etc - I would need them to do that. I would want in return a decent rate and the chance to case manage it for the length of the cert period? Any thoughts would be appreciated. :typing