any travelers worked at Johns Hopkins?

famurn · Aug 13, 2006

I worked at Johns Hopkins for 3 yrs as a Med/Surg RN. The interns, residents, fellows, etc are world-class. Hopkins is located in the heart of the hood (East Baltimore). I always felt safe b/c security is always patrolling the area. If you like working at teaching facilities Hopkins is one of the best. You will either have something good or bad to say - there is no in b/w. Good luck.

sexyaqr · Nov 27, 2006

The rumors that you heard about the staff is true. The staff are really cold and right out mean at times to travelers. I am presently here on assignment and although the pay is great, I am not re-signing. I work in the Cardiac SICU. And at first I thought it was just me but every traveler will say the same thing. Come here for the educational and resume building aspect and RUN.

sexyaqr · Nov 27, 2006

I worked at Johns Hopkins for 3 yrs as a Med/Surg RN. The interns, residents, fellows, etc are world-class. Hopkins is located in the heart of the hood (East Baltimore). I always felt safe b/c security is always patrolling the area. If you like working at teaching facilities Hopkins is one of the best. You will either have something good or bad to say - there is no in b/w. Good luck.

Sorry but I have to disagree with you on that. The residents are world-class. The fellows and some of the interns.......well you have to see for yourself. Probably because I have a little experience under my belt

cly7992 · Dec 4, 2006

SexyAqr, I am a traveling nurse on the Cardiac SICU at Johns Hopkins Hospital and have had nothing but a great experience, I've been traveling as a nurse for 4 years and would say this is one of the best assignments yet. The acuity is very very high, but usually 1:1 staffing, The staff are mostly type A personality as like most CSICU's. They are very nice, don't take kindly to mistakes or mishaps because the patients are so sick. As far as most of the rest of the traveler's I am speaking for myself. This experience has been great, I've learned so much, The charge nurses are very helpful and kind, the Doctors for the most part are great, I have been here two full 13 week contracts and have extended another 4 weeks. There are 16 travelers on the unit now and 11 of us have or has extended. I find that if most of the travelers didn't like this unit they would leave. Just another CSICU traveler's thought.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2006

I have worked a onco/CC as a traveler there in the past. I deal with higher acute chemo patients - the unit handles ICU/dialysis/vent/multiple drips, as well as less acute patients, receiving drugs that have a high propensity for crashing and requiring the previously mentioned critical care.

I like my coworkers, but took a few weeks to get a handle on a few of the more "difficult" ones. The environment can be stressful and intense but invigorating. Some of the procedural differences in my department can be difficult to get used to, but make sense. Very few facilities in the world have the resources to handle a unit or drugs like these safely, but Hopkins does it well. The manager, social worker, research nurse, and clinical manager are amazing people.

That said, I am an Onco/Hemo nurse traveler and there are CC travelers, and we work side by side. A unit like these requires adaptation and team work. Your assignment may change during the shift, per the need to transfer care on a patient that goes bad. Everyone has to work together - onco nurse giving chemos, orienting CC nurse on all aspects of the high level chemos and research drugs. And CC nurse helping onco, if stable onco pt crashes.

I love my fellow nurses, and many of our CAs (aides/NAs/NTs) and some SAs. A few of the CAs and some of the SAs (support associates/housekeeping/transport), I would rather claw my eyes out than ask them to do anything because of the rudeness that they display. Some of the support staff is unionized and managed separately from nursing, so that little can be done about the attitude.

Pharmacy in my department (not main facility) is pretty spotty and often the bane of nursing existance. You fax the order 2-5 times, and it still does not come. The pyxis does not get refilled often enough. You order narcs repeatedly - no one calls to say that they are not available. You call down (the phone rings forever), find out that they are out, "Can you wait until the refills come" (for goodness sake -IT"S A CANCER FLOOR"). You tell them, "No, we have 6 patients waiting for it". They fill it and put it on the next run....to come to the floor sometime in the next 90 minutes. I call back to see when it will come or I can pick it up. They say "I didn't know that you NEEDED IT NOW".

What part of "We have been faxing for hours - we have 6 patients waiting on pain meds"...do they not comprehend???????? I would like to see the pharmacist wait hours for pain meds.

The residents, interns and Attendings have better manners than the Community nonteaching hospital's MDs, and okay for teaching hospitals. But I have seen a hissy fit or two - no profanities or throwing things though. For the most part, they are good group though.

Baltimore is quite scary at times, and the area around the facility is particularly so. Their mass transit is quite poor.

I liked it but I can see where some might consider Hopkins an acquired taste.

sexyaqr · Dec 5, 2006

Cly7992,

It was nice of you to join just so that you can post here. Let me clarify and get things straight. I have also been traveling a long time(5 years) and I know of all the attitude that you get from critical care nurses but there are a few here that are just plain outright nasty. Do your research on the way they treat their travelers then reply. Ask about the stupid things that go on between SOME staff and SOME travelers. I personally have had no problems with anyone on the unit but listen to other Travelers. If no-one speaks up, nothing will get done and they will always treat "outsiders" like that. Secondly, I do not know where you have worked but I have been to places with a much higher acuity. The manager is awesome. I never said that she isn't. And there are some really great nurses here but what about the ones that just try their best to make the "new people" unwelcome. You are speaking from your experience. And guess what I am also re-newing and.........I really think you need to ask around again because not that many travelers are re-newing

pmay · Dec 5, 2006

Here is my 2 cents. I am currently working on the Cardiac SICU at John Hopkins. I have one more day to work to complete this 13-week assignment. I have re-signed and am looking forward to returning after the holidays and some minor surgery. I have found John Hopkins staff to be very helpful and friendly. The hospital in general is traveler friendly. I would not be re-signing if I did not feel good about the unit or the people I work with. No matter where you work, even at the local McDonalds, there will be people who do not get along, their personalities clash, and there will be that one who is the "Bad apple". That is not the whole unit. What you need to think about and realize is that this unit had not had travelers in years. Then because of multiple reasons, 20 plus travelers started in one unit. A small unit (15 beds). That is a big adjustment for anyone. I am sure there is some staff that may have felt threatened by all of us at once. However, the majority I feel are very appreciative that we are there. We are making their job easier. Beds that were once closed are open, surgeries are back on track. As a traveler, it is our job to help the staff feel comfortable with us. As for the above “If no one speaks up, nothing will get done” my question for you is, have you talked to the manager about your concerns and the unfriendly staff. You could help improve the situation, instead of making problems between the staff and travelers. Everyone will have different experiences, good and bad. But as the older more experienced nurse. ( 20 years of critical care nursing) I have enjoyed my time at John Hopkins, the experience, the unit, and most of all the friendships that I have found in some of the staff and other travlers on the unit. I hope that if you are re-signing you will also find the same. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

mrupp3 · Mar 9, 2007

I'm thinking of signing @ johns hopkins. Where you suggest I live and stay away from?

pmay · Mar 9, 2007

We have ejoyed living outside the city and taking the Metro in. It stops right under the hospital and we don't have to pay $10.00 a day to park.

There are a lot of good choices. I am sure your recruiter will have some good ideas.