Providence Portland/Beaverton Tele-advice?

[skydancer7, BSN, RN]

Hello all!

I have the opportunity to interview for a Telephone Advice Nurse job with Providence Medical Center in Portland, well Beaverton to be more specific. I don't suppose anyone has any inside info on this particular medical center's environment? I worked for Providence briefly on a med-surg floor and I did not like it at all, but hoping a different specialty would make all the difference.

The ad says "The Triage Service Center serves clients in a fast-paced, challenging, multi-customer telephone call center that operates 24/7."

To me that translates as: horribly stressful, noisy, assembly-line hurry up environment. Am I wrong? Please tell me I am wrong... I need LOWER stress, trying to get out of operating room nursing. They seem to have many postings, and often. I wonder if it's a high turn-over place, and why.

Thanks so much for any info!

[skydancer7, BSN, RN]

Okaaaay now 100+ views and no one has aaaanything to say? Please n thanks...

[TriciaJ, RN]

I worked med-surg in the Providence system; there were things I liked and didn't like. Overall I enjoyed the job. I did not do telephone triage for them. Is there a way to shadow someone? Find out what kind of call volumes they deal with and what types of algorithms they use. Good luck.

[BassCatchingNurse]

First, I do not know the answer to your question. I am not familiar with Providence MC or Telephone Advise nursing. Sorry.

Second, I'd say whether it is going to be stressful or not depends on you, ie: what stresses you. If answering the phone, talking on the phone all day or dealing with angry people on the phone is stressful, then I'd guess you will find it stressful. If it sounds like a dream job, well...it probably won't be after a few months, but it might be better than your current job. Although, OR nursing seems low stress to me. But again, that proves my point. Maybe OR nursing is extremely stressful or maybe it's not...depends on the individual nurse, see?

I work in a very busy level one trauma center. Many floor nurses would say working there is too stressful. For me, working the floor would be too stressful. I think I would love a telephonic nursing position!! That is what I am looking for now. I hope someone will be able to give you more information to help you with your decision. Some of these forums are "slooooow." I'd say...go ahead and interview and try to shadow a nurse that is currently working there. You would get a MUCH better idea if it is more to your liking than the OR at that point. Best of luck to you!!

[thetank]

Well, I have to agree with BassCatchingNurse, it all depends. Telephone triage nursing is not easy...but it might be a nice change for you. I really like it when I get actual triage calls. I really don't like it when opioid-addicted patients curse and yell at me. I love my co-workers. I wish we had the option to work from home, but our manager is an *******, so that's never going to happen. It's not a noisy assembly-line hurry up environment, but I work in a large doctor's office. We can use the bathroom when we want to, we take one hour long uninterrupted lunches, and we work 8-5, no weekends, no holidays.