Rumor about contract changes at EMMC

[MelissaRN]

I have a friend finishing up her last year of nursing school next month and she was told by a nursing instructor that things at EMMC aren't going to be fun this summer due to changes in contracts. Anyone else heard this?

[manx2ts]

Dear Melissa, I wish I could be of more assistance to you with your question. I have been gone from emmc for over a year now so I do not know much about current contract changes. In the years that I worked for emmc I found it to have excellent nurses but it seemed administration was more concerned with breaking the union. As you probably know, you either join the union or you must give a donation to a charity every week. Anyway, I thought it was too bad that things had to be so political. Because of this, I do not find it unbelievable that there are issues at hand that will negatively affect nursing now. As a new grad I thought emmc was the place to be to learn as much as I could. I was mistaken as I became very proficient in the area that I worked in but, I had little knowlege about the other parts of the body. I went to a smaller hospital and found that I had to become stronger in all areas to best serve my patients. I now have strong backgrounds in cardiac, neuro, surgical, respiratory and pediatrics. I currently work in the e.r., o.r., pacu, the icu, and as charge nurse on the floor. I also spend time in the clinic and working in one of our local surgeon's office. These are opportunities I could not have had at emmc but it is not perfect either. So I guess your friend needs to look at what is important to her in her practice. Emmc has much to offer but is not without its problems. She may want to overlook these for the time being while she builds experience as a new grad and is then able to move on to a hospital where she can be more independent. Or, she may take a job there and love it. She needs to look closely at all angles as it is her nursing practice and she is legally responsible for the decisions she makes. I would be interested to know what changes your instructor has said are coming as I left many good nurses back there! Best of luck in hers and your career.