Questions on Wyoming Medical Center, Casper !!!

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I will be interviewing with Wyoming Medical Center in Casper in the next week and a half! Any feedback on the Center, is it a good place for a New Grad....a "mature" (as opposed to an "older" New Grad :chuckle )? How do the nurses like working there? How is the pay, benefits, etc? I will be moving from out of state, so I would also like feedback about the town and people. Looking for a community to plant my roots!!!!!!! Thank you for any information!

I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience windyhill. As I'm sure you now know, WMC is has taken a turn for the worse in recent months. In fact, I am no longer working there either. I wish them well, there are some good people that are trying to make things work but unfortunately the direction they are going is not very positive right now. It has got so bad that they are requiring the new grads that are just signing on, to sign a 30 month contract... you would think they would get a sign on bonus, but they don't. They have lost so many RN's that they had to come up with a way to retain some of them. If the new grads leave before their 30 months is up, I think they have to pay WMC $6,000 or something upsurd like that.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, M/S.

So basically the new grads have to pay the hospital back for orientating them?? Is it true that last year they got flooded with new grad applicants from all over the U.S.? I recall there being a newspaper article about it. If you don't mind could you elaborate on what is going on that is so bad - or PM me, I was considering casper.

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sure hope... i can expand on the subject. the unit i was working on alone lost about 90% of around 20 new grads that signed on in the last 2 years due to dissatisfaction with the unit/facility. the facility has had quite a bit of experienced RN turn over in recent months as well. i heard a number that they are short about 30 RN's. I also heard that they are hiring about 30 new grads this summer to make up for the shortage as well as getting some travelers in. i can't speak for all 15 RN's that have left the small unit that i was working on (in the past 3 months), but when i left, the feeling among staff was pretty mutual. over worked, under paid, and not much appreciation for busting your butt every shift. the facility is trying to "go magnet", thus making many clinical changes that "must" be complied to... which is understandable. most units are understaffed due to the shortage of RN's, but management is seemingly trying to pinch pennies and keep units short staffed for some reason. there is an E.R. remodel going on, so this could be part of it. one part of being a hospital that has "magnet status" is receiving higher patient satisfaction scores, and that hasn't been happening with most units being short. kinda a domino effect if you ask me. short staffing = less than adequate patient care. another reason for RN's leaving is a new hospital that recently opened across town. it started off as a neuro hospital but now they are expanding to offer more. they pay around 20% more than WMC, run a tighter ship plus treat their employees like humans instead of dollar signs from what i hear. you can PM me if you want any more info. take care, and i hope this helps explain things a little better.

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Specializes in Telemetry/Cardiac Floor.

This facility will never get magnet status. Are they kidding? This place is so behind and so below current evidenced based nursing, to say the least. I recently oriented, and the most I got to do was empty the urinal for a patient. This place disgusts me! I am currently looking for a new job, how I hope and pray I can find someone to take me. By the way, I rcvd 3000 dollars from them, and am more than willing to pay it back.:madface:

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oh dear what have I gotten into then,

I go for my new grad interviews next week!!! Can anyone out there give me some much needed advice about whether or not I am getting in over my head. What is the process to get in and pay scale that from what I gather not so good?:uhoh3:

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Windyhill,

What did you hate about it?

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Can anyone tell me what is the starting pay here for new grads. Has something happened that the hospital went from good to bad? Is it really hard to find housing? thanks

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Hi can you tell me what has gone wrong? Do you not think that it is a good place for a new grad?

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Specializes in Mental Health.
I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience windyhill. As I'm sure you now know, WMC is has taken a turn for the worse in recent months. In fact, I am no longer working there either. I wish them well, there are some good people that are trying to make things work but unfortunately the direction they are going is not very positive right now. It has got so bad that they are requiring the new grads that are just signing on, to sign a 30 month contract... you would think they would get a sign on bonus, but they don't. They have lost so many RN's that they had to come up with a way to retain some of them. If the new grads leave before their 30 months is up, I think they have to pay WMC $6,000 or something upsurd like that.

Well, it does cost an arm and a leg to train new grads only to watch them get some experience and head out for the big city, most likely Denver I imagine. I can understand them not wanting to be used..

I'm a new BSN grad from MN and received an e mail Friday letting me know I was chosen for an interview for the new grad program at WMC. After a date is set I'm going to drive out and give it a whirl. No one but me is gonna pay my travel expenses and I'm not even guaranteed a place. Just gonna do my best. I've applied all over MN and the market for new grads is ugly. The 3 major health systems have closed their new grad programs and don't even have spots for all their internal applicants who are newly licensed.

I know it's probably a tough situation for long time nurses to have to go through major changes, ie, the pursuit of magnate status, and other corporate changes. I think it'd be a fun challenge to help the hospital achieve their goal and grow with it. No place of employment is immune to changes and growing pains. I can take a licking and keep on ticking..

Not real keen on packing up my life and moving 1000 miles away at the drop of a hat, but, beggers can't be choosers.

To SM31 and dmskoka, perhaps I'll see you there. :)

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Specializes in Mental Health.

Hey dmskoka, just wanted to let you know I got your email. I don't have enough posts to reply back yet so I'll just respond here. I'm not sure about the process or anything at this point. Only what I've read here on this post. I sent an email back today telling them when I'd be available and thanking them for the opportunity. I hope to hear back soon with a solid date and time. I think the opportunity sounds great!

I'll try to send you an email too from my outlook, I see there is another address there for you apart from the allnurses link. Let me know if it works. good luck to you too!

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Well- just curious now, as I live in northern Wyoming and absolutely hated the hospital! I had heard that the 'new' hospital was good, but didn't know anyrting about it- has anyone signed on with this new one and are you happy there. I just can't vision wanting to live in Casper...

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Specializes in TELE, ICU.
Hi can you tell me what has gone wrong? Do you not think that it is a good place for a new grad?

I wish I had noticed this before. This place is dangerous for a nurse's career. Watch your back. It's ugly.:mad:

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