seattle/bellingham hospitals

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Hi

I am working with agencies to find a job in Seattle, Bellingham or maybe another town nearby to start next month. I would like to know what the hospitals are like from your experience. I'm looking for ICU and step down Tele units. Also, is it atypical for hospitals working with agencies to offer shift differentials?

This will be my first assignment. I currently work in a trauma 1 county hospital in Houston tx. I work in the trauma/surgical ICU (1.5yrs) and have work on a imu Tele floor (1.5yrs). I have worked with neuro and medicine ICU pts when they overflow to us. I'm wondering how I might get on in the hospitals in WA. Some of the positions are ICU float and not sure what that entails.

I'm moving to be closer to my boyfriend in Canada. So I am willing to go anywhere in NW WA but no south of Seattle. I just would like the town to have enough to keep me entertained.

If you have any input regarding specific hospitals, towns or tips, I would appreciate it.

Thanks.

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Hello,

I know there's some travel positions in the Franciscian hospitals up here. Some of the nurses I work with are travel nurses. I'm not sure what exact agency's but you might want to check with favorite staffing and maxim staffing agencies. Indeed lists all kinds of jobs as well.

Good luck.

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Specializes in ICU, Tele, OR.

American Mobile and Cross Country both had assignments all through Washington. I am also headed that way in May or June, but haven't committed to anything yet. I'll be headed to ICU as well. :)

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I am Swedish Medical in Seattle. There are no differentials offered with most agencies. Flat rate no matter what shift you work, there are call back, OT diffs of that nature but not the shift you work. I hate Swedish because they float their travelers to every campus (some are far away and the ones downtown you have to pay for your own parking in the garage) no matter what is in your contract and they will float you every 4 hours if they need to. I just pointed out that it's not in my contract to do that and they are like too bad that's what we do. So be aware because they won't tell you that in the interview even if you ask.

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Thanks for the heads up, MsConstrued! A couple of my agencies had M/S (ortho) assignments in Seattle, including Swedish. Reading these posts reinforces my desire to do this work for the HIGHEST bidder.

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I am on the MS ortho unit right now and I do enjoy that unit (it's in the brand new hospital) but I found a place to live near there so when I get floated I spend over an hour in traffic each way. I did just receive an email for EMR conversion positions in Bellingham next month for top dollar if you PM me I will refer you. I am going to take one of those next I think in the summer. They have immediate and August start dates.

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

I worked at Swedish Cherry Hill campus, which is the smaller hospital about 1/2 a mile from the main campus. No major complaints from working there. I was able to walk to work, but if you work nights parking is much cheaper than during the day. I think the garage was 10-20/month for night shift and there was plenty of street parking.

I just found Seattle depressing.

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I ended up taking a job in a suburb of Seattle for days. I found a place in W. Seattle which worked out nicely. I just heard about not having free or low pay parking for hospitals in Seattle proper. Glad I didn't do that. I also found out that the agency I went with goes through a middle man who was the one who actually contracted out the job. Idid have one issue I was not happy with and learned more questions to ask. Before orientation, my agent told me the hospital only wanted to give my 4 hrs orientation then see if I needed more than that and go from there. Well, I was not happy and I couldn't get around there bs. Come to find out after speaking with the manager he wanted me to have at least 12 hrs orientation but he said the agency(don't know which of the two) only wanted togive me 4. In the end I got 12 but I still wish I had another day or two still. I would also ask from now on in interviews if the unit uses CNAs (they don't) andhow many nurses they have scheduled for ICU a shift. I wont speak of how I like the hospital bc that's a whole other thread.

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Specializes in ICU.

I'm currently at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue which is right across the lake from Seattle. I live in Seattle and it takes me about 15 minutes to get to work. Free parking in attached garage on nights. Also higher rate than Swedish or UW. It's not my favorite assignment in the world but it's nothing that makes it unbearable. I'm actually extended because I got a great rate on an extension and I like Seattle. They're pretty much always hiring and use several agencies.

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I just finished up the great assignment at Swedish Cherry Hill. I would love to go back there sometime. It was very traveler friendly and I felt very appreciated. Only had to float occasionally.

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