mawst73

I worked as a new grad for UPMC, with some of the sickest patients in the world. I stayed for about 5 years, mostly b/c i wanted the experience (now I am in grad school). UPMC does not not pay enough, and every year the cost of health benefits rises. When the new grad starting salary rises, salaries for the 2-5 year employees do not rise equally, so by the time I left new grads were making about 50 cents/hr less than I was. Parking in Oakland (the hub of UPMC) is absolutely horrendous. Despite the fact that the quasi-non-profit organization makes record breaking profits year after year, budgets on hospital units are crunched tighter and tighter every year. This December, all prescheduled overtime was unceremoniously taken away, leaving nurses who were counting on the extra money for the holidays out in the cold. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently published a large article: "50 Best Places to Work in Pittsburgh", and UPMC was not on it. In fact, I doubt they recieved one positive comment from a RN working on a floor or in an ICU. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07079/770715-334.stm St. Clair Hospital (independent- located in the S. Hills), Mercy Health Care System, the VA, and Jefferson Regional Hospitals were all on the list for companies > 500 employees. I would suggest working at those places before UPMC (especially the VA).