Queens MC vs Straub? any takers?

[ericb]

Hello all:

I am a nurse with three years critical care experience and planning (dreaming) of hawaiian lifestyle. My wife and family and I have been trying to travel to Hawaii or find some way to work there and have possible found the place. I am hoping that we are able to find decent housing on Oahu as well as moderately good schools for our children. I was wondering if anyone had any experience working at Queens or Straub within their Cardiolgy units (cath lab and the like).

I am a cath lab RN with experience in diagnostic, interventional, Pediatric, cardiology. We do Interventional Radiology cases as well as device implants for the AICDs and pacemakers. We are a very busy hospital with 6 labs and we do approximatley 20-25 cases daily. Wonder if the new environment will be conducive to a good work environment....

Just wanted some info on the hospital facilities; if the nursing unions do more than collect dues; if it is possible to find housing within 30 minutes of facilities; and will I just hemmorhage money if i live/work in paradise.

The only other caveat would be: if I work in the cath lab in hawaii, will i remember the island or would i spend so much time in the hospital that would be all i remember? Hope not....

let me know any info on the area or facilities....

thank you in advance..

:)

eric

[buenavidaRN]

I am a bit late with the reply ... but I worked at QMC and absolutely LOVED it! It is a great hospital, all around. If we ever moved back to the island QMC would be my first choice. I worked on a tele floor (only observed in the cath lab), but I had a great experience with the cardiologists, cardiac np's and staff nurses. It is a teaching hospital, which I like, and everyone was willing to help and explain things (I was a new nurse when I was there).

I lived far away from the hospital (1 hr each way), but for me it was ok because I was only going in 3 days a week. You can find decent housing, and we found that we didn't really spend 'entertainment money' because we were always at the beach.

I am a bit biased towards QMC, but this is just my two cents!