San Francisco General or Highland Hospital

[adamdt]

I have one year ER experience as a nurse and am moving to the SF Bay area and wondering which hospital is more recommended to work at, San Francisco General or Highland Hospital.  I'd like to be in a level one trauma center that I can work my way up to becoming a trauma nurse.

Has anyone worked at or knows about both emergency departments? Who gets sicker patients? Where would I get better experience or any general advice anyone may have regarding both hospitals.

[resus_RN]

SF General has more volume in terms of trauma patients as the City has a larger overall population. Highland has more penetrating trauma (I.e. GSW, stabbings, etc.) though given that Oakland has a lot more violent crime per capita: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/crime-homicides-oakland-17739710.php#:~:text=Oakland recorded 120 homicides in,provided data to The Chronicle.

Lots of surgical residents come to Highland specifically for the trauma experience. Both are relatively high acuity, both are county/safety net hospitals, and both are very challenging places to work for reasons beyond just the patient acuity. 

[offlabel]

I was a Highland trauma nurse/MICN in a past life and worked on the ambulance in SF. Highland is situated in the middle of a war zone and SFGH not so much. It's the culture/community that is right outside the doors that is the main difference I think. When you work at Highland, you leave planet Earth. SFGH (we used to call it MEH, Mission Emergency Hospital) is still a little more connected to civilization. Just my opinion. SFGH a more academic vibe, Highland more tough and gritty but either one would be unmatchable experience for an ER nurse.