would like input from anyone who has experience nursing in those towns, ie. good hospitals to work for, patient ratios, etc.
Currently in Florida and seriously thinking about moving to either town within the next year. I have 1 year med/surg experience and am looking into tele right now. We moved to florida 6 months ago from the Northwest and just not liking it. We are more into the fishing, hiking, camping life-style and prefer a more 4-season climate.
I work at the salem hospital, as a CNA I am not a RN yet, however the Salem Hospital is a great place to work, we are building a whole new tower that should be done the spring of next year. The hospital employs 3000 people, it is privately owned. Great benefits, and opportunity's. For our med-surg floors, patient to RN ratio is usually 3-4, at times 5, but the hospital, is hiring to 100% instead of I think they said we are at like 70%-80% now or something, so that will make our patient ratio lower which will be awsome! Our doctors are great, the attitudes of employees are great everyone is always willing to help one another, its really nice to work with nurses that will help you instead of saying thats not my job, or they just get in there and do take care of business. I always see our nurses doing whatever they can to help eachother, if someone is behind they will get in there and do what needs to be done. It makes life much easier! and , the hospital is always doing some sort of activities for us, trying to make things fun, and keep the moral up.
Salem is a wonderful place to live, Iv been living here for 3 years now, we are only an hour-hour half from the coast,1 hour to Portland,Half hour to the casino, 20 min drive to the mountains, lots of outdoor things to do summer or winter. Its a good size town, but not to big, and not to small, lots of family and adult activities, and we have the state fair :) Keizer, is right next to Salem, they run into eachother, its a smaller town, nice place to live. If you are thinking about moving think about salem! check out the hospital website too. http://www.salemhospital.org/index.php
It has been interesting reading the conflicting viewpoints on Salem hospital. I just finished up nursing school and applied for their new nurse internship program. I got called back to arrange for a few interviews. I lived a few years in Portland, but don't know much about the Salem region and know nothing about the hospital, so I am both excited and concerned. I will give them a lot of credit since at least i heard something back. A lot of the Portland hospitals don't afford such a courtesy.
Since you just graduated last year futureRN07 (or anyone who has worked at Salem Hospital) what is your opinion of their orientation process? Has there really been a mass exodus?
The hospital loves new grads, our floor just hired 7 new grads. Everyone I talk to that has made that transition hasnt had any problems. But that is just my floor :) . I think that you will do well , and I hope you like it! Are you doing Med- Surg?
Thanks for the post fairyrage. It is nice to hear some positives about the hospital. I was told the same thing about patient ratios. They are trying to get the patient ratios at 4 to 1 24/7. I accepted a position on a surgical telemetry unit. Still have to pass the NCLEX though. Two weeks to go. Wouldn't be starting until late July.
I am a current employee of Salem Hospital, hired as a new grad last year. I work at the Family Birth Center and absolutely love it. I would agree that they are short staffed but I think that they are just suffering from the general nursing shortage that most parts of the country are suffering from. There are only two nursing schools close to Salem, both ADN programs, and not many large towns to recruit nurses from. On the other hand, Portland has five BSN programs and at least three ADN programs that I can think of to pull from, plus a much larger population and many surrounding towns to recruit RNs from. I was working at St. Vincent's in Beaverton, a suberb of Portland, and nurses were getting called off at least once a pay period because of over staffing and budget issues. If you are interesting in making a lot of money and picking up extra shifts, then Salem is the place to go. I can pick up as many shifts as I want and get paid time&half plus 20% for each shift. I would rather have the opportunity to make more money, but not be required, than be called off twice a month from my regularly scheduled shift. There's my 2 cents! :)
Hi!!!
I am a re-entry nurse and just relocated to OR. I would love your input on Salem Hospital! I applied after getting a few newsletters/postcards from them , online for the RN internship in Jan. They called me for an interview..I am really nervous! (esp. when they told me there will be 4-5 nursing managers in the room interviewing me also. I'm the type of person who when gets nervous,,really goes blank. Can you help me out? What kind of questions do they ask? Is it a really good "teaching hospital" esp. for nurses who have been out of the field for awhile? Are the mentors/preceptors very patient? How long are the internships? I would appreciate any kind of info/advice you can give! Thanks !!!
Specializes in ortho, flu shot clinics, call center.
I worked at Salem Hospital for 6 years, and I think it is a good hospital. I would not be afraid to have a loved one or myself be a patient there. They are building a beautiful new facility, I'm not sure how far along it is, but it must be done or close to it by now. Salem itself would maybe not be my first choice for a city to live in, it has a few scuzzy areas, but also some very nice areas, like most towns. If you end up at Salem Hospital, I think you will be happy. Silverton Hospital is nice too.
fairyrage
6 Posts
I work at the salem hospital, as a CNA I am not a RN yet, however the Salem Hospital is a great place to work, we are building a whole new tower that should be done the spring of next year. The hospital employs 3000 people, it is privately owned. Great benefits, and opportunity's. For our med-surg floors, patient to RN ratio is usually 3-4, at times 5, but the hospital, is hiring to 100% instead of I think they said we are at like 70%-80% now or something, so that will make our patient ratio lower which will be awsome! Our doctors are great, the attitudes of employees are great everyone is always willing to help one another, its really nice to work with nurses that will help you instead of saying thats not my job, or they just get in there and do take care of business. I always see our nurses doing whatever they can to help eachother, if someone is behind they will get in there and do what needs to be done. It makes life much easier! and , the hospital is always doing some sort of activities for us, trying to make things fun, and keep the moral up.
Salem is a wonderful place to live, Iv been living here for 3 years now, we are only an hour-hour half from the coast,1 hour to Portland,Half hour to the casino, 20 min drive to the mountains, lots of outdoor things to do summer or winter. Its a good size town, but not to big, and not to small, lots of family and adult activities, and we have the state fair :) Keizer, is right next to Salem, they run into eachother, its a smaller town, nice place to live. If you are thinking about moving think about salem! check out the hospital website too. http://www.salemhospital.org/index.php