Washington Hospital Center - Good for grads?

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Specializes in None yet, but O.R. intrigues me.

Hello,

I'll be graduating this May in New York but moving to DC -- the things we do for love -- and am thinking about applying to WHC. I want to do 6-24 months of med-surg before specializing.

Is the support/preceptoring for new grads adequate?

What are the working conditions/environment like?

These are two of my immediate concerns. I'd love to hear any advice or opinions that anyone with firsthand knowledge or even secondhand knowledge of working at WHC has to offer. Thank you.

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Specializes in peds hem/onc/research/cpon.

washington hospital center offers a "dream day" for new grads. this allows you to spend time on a unit with a RN to see what the unit is really like. you also can interview for a position on that day.

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chachi69-I just started at WHC in feb through the fellowship and I would highly recommend it. I did the critical care so I don't know first-hand what the experience is with med/surg. I think that the support and preceptorship is very conducive to a new grad. You have a combination of classes and time on the unit for the first 6 weeks and the last couple are specifically on the unit.

I absolutely LOVE working at WHC but again that could be unit based. I think it would be a great choice and definitely go to dream day, it will give you a better look at what the fellowship is like and you get to goto 2 units. Good luck!

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cnistler- I'm going to the dream day on friday! (Burn/Trauma ICU and NICU) It's good to hear that you've had a good experience there. Did you apply to many other places in DC? I go to school in Pittsburgh but will be moving to DC or Baltimore when I graduate and am having trouble narrowing down the hospitals I will be applying to.

Maybe I will see you there!

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Chachi69, Washington Hospital Center is a great choice. Plus I think they have the highest new graduate rates in the area, aside from being a very good teaching hospital. Acuity is high but this is what you need to really learn.

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hay there. im a traveler and thinkn bout movin closer to home in the fall. do you know if whc uses travelers or agency and what companies they might use.

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Specializes in None yet, but O.R. intrigues me.

cnistler - thanks for the good news. Is there a specific contact in H.R./Recruitment at WHC re: "Dream Day"?

Also, you mentioned that you started through the fellowship program? Is that the only way they hire new nurses? From what I've been reading it seems that a lot of hospitals hire you conditionally as an intern or an extern before making you a full-time, permanent nurse.

The gist of it seems to be money and commitment; they pay you less while they are training you and can terminate you without severance. Is that right or am I reading too many cynical posts?

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hey, I think if you goto the fellowship opening under job opportunities, it will allow you to email Eunice directly. I do not know for sure if the fellowship is the only way to get hired as a new nurse, but I would recommend it highly. When you are hired, you are hired as a nurse. I would suggest taking your boards before hand, otherwise you work as an "intern" until you get it. You get paid the same but legally you cannot pass meds ect without a license. But the pay is the same and you have the job that you are hired as. You are commited to them for 18 months afterwards because of the class time. I would suggest dream day because they answer your questions. They aren't trying to trick you :) It's a good job and a great experience.

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Specializes in Oncology.

Hi There! Washington Hospital Center does hire travel nurses. They are frequently on my unit. 3NE. We had one travel nurse on the unit for 1 year! Her choice. As previously stated, the acuity is high but the experience is well worth it.

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Hi, does anyone know what are the shift differentials at WHC? I am interviewing on Monday for a PRN position, they will float me to stepdown ICU and tele I think, is there specialty dif. as well? What is the PRN pay to begin with? Does anyone know anything about these units? Thanks.

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For those of you who work at WHC, do most new grads (at WHC) do rotating shifts? Or can you get straight shifts as a new grad? I'm sure the scheduling practices vary by unit. If any of you work (or have worked) shift rotation, what has your experience been with that kind of schedule? I believe most of the job postings on the WHC website say something to the extent of "day/evening/night rotation."

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edog334-My experience is that as a new grad you will be working rotating shift. I am a year and a half in and still rotating (happily though!) I can't speak for floor units but the people who went through the ICU fellowship with me all do rotating shifts. Getting a full-time day or night shift is based on seniority and there always seems to be someone who wants the spot :) Sorry!!

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