Wentworth Douglas

palesarah · Feb 9, 2006

Hi,
I will be a new grad in May and am thinking about wentworth douglas. Does anyone have any experience there? Whats the starting pay for new grad? How does it measure up to Frisbie, Portsmouth, and Exeter
Thanks!

I started as a new grad at WDH in June 2003. Their GN orientation program was great,I think the first week was all hospital orientation with good food provided. One Full month of classes, with a day on the floor (maternity/L&D for me) here & there, then two months of 4 days on the floor with our preceptor and alternating Wednesday classes or Wednesday "field trips" in the hospital system- some went to Same Day Surgey to work on IV start skills, I went to the prenatal clinic and one of the OBGYN's office, and then spent a day with the postpartum VNA. It was a very good orientation that helped me a lot. I then went to nights to orient to L&D, decided I needed a little more orientation so I oriented then worked with a resource in labor on days through February, went back to nights and was flying free in postpartum and labor, and soon began orienting to the Level 2 nursery that spring and was able to work in it for much of the summer. They truly believe (on that floor) that it takes up to two years to be fully competent on that floor- and it is true. By about 18 months there I felt competent, around 24 months I started feeling bored, soon started feeling incredibly frustrated that there weren't enough experiences for me to get highly skilled in the Level 2nursery (which had become my goal) and further frustrated by the way the unit was being managed and so I left in October. But I would love to work there again someday. If I hadn't been so impatient, I think the things that were frustrating me would have resolved.

The hospital is very good to it's nurses, in general. I gained about $5.50 in merit raises and market-based salary adjustments in my 2+ years there, not bad eh?

The starting salary now for a new grad is I think somewhere between $18-20, but all the hospitals you mentioned keep their starting salaries pretty even because they are all located in a rather small area. When I worked at WDH my commute was about 10 minutes; Frisbie is about 7-8 minutes away from me also. POrtsmouth is 30-45 min (depends on traffic & time of day). I interviewed at POrtsmouth and while they did offer a nice sign-on bonus and similar pay, I didn't like the way the floor I applied for was run. I didn't even consider interviewing at Frisbie when I was looking for a new job back in Oct/Nov/Dec. I don't know much about Exeter.

Hope this helps you

kathesan · Feb 9, 2006

That helps a lot, thanks. How long were you on days? The whole three months? Where do you live that's only 10 minutes away? Do you like it? Are there lots of rentals there? Where would you suggest looking for semi-affordable rentals. (I know the seacoast isn't too affordable, but what's most affordable.) When did you send out your resume? Did they place new grads in the ED?

Thank you!

Katrina

palesarah · Feb 9, 2006

That helps a lot, thanks. How long were you on days? The whole three months? Where do you live that's only 10 minutes away? Do you like it? Are there lots of rentals there? Where would you suggest looking for semi-affordable rentals. (I know the seacoast isn't too affordable, but what's most affordable.) When did you send out your resume? Did they place new grads in the ED?
Thank you!
Katrina

I oriented on evenings through the summer, then on nights, then went to days for more orientation for 2 months in January & February.

I live in Somersworth. It's OK. Nothing to brag about but it's a convient location. I don't know what you consider affordable for rentals. I haven't rented for years so I really don't know what they're going for these days. I know a year ago a 1-bedroom in a nice complex that allowed pets was about $950, a 2-bedroom $1200 but I think prices may have decreased a little in the past year (FINALLY!)

I sent my resume in March, I think, and the hospital had an open house of sorts in April where they took resumes and conducted interviews for new grads, and made their choices based on those interviews. They were taking new grads into the ER when I worked there, but that's depending on need, and also they tend to favor people who have worked there as LNAs or HUCs (health unit coordinator; basically the unit secretary)

Do you live in the area now?