teaching hospital VS. traditional hiospital

WolfpackRed · Jun 26, 2007

As being in a teaching hospital, the one difference that I have noticed and been told about, is that the new residents/house officers are often given first priority in practicing "nursing" skills. For instance, the new HO's may be asked to do foley cath's, IV's, NGT's.

cjmue12 · Jun 26, 2007

I have worked in a teaching hospital for the past 15 years. We work closely with the residents and help train/guide the first year ones a bit but we dont mind. Although we do dread July 1st, after a few weeks we develop a working relationship with them and can figure out which ones are good and which ones are clueless. There is always a physician around which is nice. As far as the patients and interventions, we treat such a variety of patients. Our hospital has an SICU and MICU. Thats it so we get open hearts, abdominal surgeries, kidney transplants, traumas, etc. and use CVVHD, IABP, LVAD, ICP/EVDS, swans, and name the gtt -we use it. I love knowing how to take care of the diverse population of critically ill pts. We also have lots of nursing students, and precepting them keeps us sharp.

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Jun 26, 2007

As being in a teaching hospital, the one difference that I have noticed and been told about, is that the new residents/house officers are often given first priority in practicing "nursing" skills. For instance, the new HO's may be asked to do foley cath's, IV's, NGT's.

Not at my teaching hospital!

RNperdiem, RN · Jun 26, 2007

Many of our trauma and surgical patients are transfered from non-teaching hospitals, our patients tend to be sicker and from a wider area.

We have many teams of doctors working with our patients. I have to explain to families about the various teams. There is never simply "the doctor".

Doctors are generally there in the building. I have never had to call anyone at home or use an answering service.

Organ transplants, severe burns, and anything really specialized you will find here too.

avatar78 · Jun 29, 2007

Right after I started thinking ADN someone turned me onto the show 'Scrubs', which I love. I have to ask, since it seems to be set in an ICU of a teaching hospital, is real life anything like the show? :)

SICU Queen · Jun 30, 2007

I've never seen Scrubs but it's been my experience that the show, any show, is RARELY like real life.

meandragonbrett · Jul 1, 2007

I don't like teaching hospitals. Just a preference. I prefer a large (700+ beds) teritary referal center which has a focus on cards/pulmonary where residents are not around. Just my .02

cjmue12 · Jul 1, 2007

I don't like teaching hospitals. Just a preference. I prefer a large (700+ beds) teritary referal center which has a focus on cards/pulmonary where residents are not around. Just my .02

Everyone has to learn somewhere...we did.

meandragonbrett · Jul 1, 2007

I simply stated my view. I didn't say we didn't need somewhere to learn.

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Jul 1, 2007

I just started working at a teaching hospital and it will take me some time to get used to it. There are so many interns, residents, fellows around, I get confused all the time. There is the rule we have on who to call for an order, who can we call for a critical value, etc. But the residents are so much nicer are more respectful than the doctors I used to work with in a small rural hospital.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Jul 1, 2007

I have worked at both, and prefer the small hospital.

Having done the tertiary care thing before, for right now I like the close relationships you can develop at a smaller facility. Not just with the docs, but with housekeeping, other nurses, administration (kind of), patients, everybody. We DO get the critical care but it's a few times a month instead of every day. You get to build a reputation, and know who you can count on for what in an emergency. You also get to be a jack of all trades if you do nights and weekends, and get a lot of say in how the unit runs. In my larger hospitals only a select few knew what was coming up as far as changes, and had any input.