What Factors Influence You to Pick One Hospital to Work at Versus Another?

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Hello fellow nurses,

Could really use some advice.... I am an Emergency Department RN in Maine, and am following a life-long dream of mine to move down south. Last week, I was flown down to Charlotte, NC, and interviewed with 4 hospitals within the Carolinas Medical Center Healthcare System.

I thought choosing the right hospital "for me" would be much like choosing the right college... and that "you would just know" when you found the right one.

The only problem is, I am seriously stuck between two of the hospitals- one is CMC-NorthEast and the other is CMC-Pineville.

What factors influence your decision to take a job? Salary is the same because they are both under the same Carolinas Healthcare System umbrella.

As far as location is concerened, both are within 30 minutes of downtown Charlotte. Pineville is closer to upstate South Carolina, and NorthEast is about 30 minutes north of Charlotte off of I-85.

Does anybody have any advice on what might be the deciding factor on two great hospitals? Anybody work in either NC or SC and have some insight about nursing in these states?

Any advice will be appreciated! Thank you all so much!

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

The most important factor for me is a pleasant work environment. I would want to know how high turnover is on each unit and I would want to shadow for a day.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

1. Nurse : patient ratios

2. Type of training / orientation

3. Low employee turnover rates

4. Location

5. Work environment

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

The day-to-day work environment is a direct result of the clinical manager. S/he sets the tone for the department and is generally responsible for the overall job satisfaction of people employed there. There is a long-standing HR 'fact' about turnover: People do not leave jobs, they leave managers. So, I'd say take a good long look at the manager. Opt for the department with the most experienced and expert manager.

Good luck on your new job & escaping the cold winter.

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