Working in a small hospital....

Betty_SPN_KS, LPN · Jan 5, 2004

I work as a CNA in a LTCU at our local hospital. We have about 40 beds and a 11-bed SCU (Alzheimer's). Not sure how many beds the hospital has, maybe 20. We are in a town of about 3000.

I am also a student nurse (LPN program). Some of my fellow CNAs are assuming I'm going to work there when I graduate and be their "boss". They seem to like the idea because I'm fairly easy-going and try to get along with everyone. I'm not sure I want to work there as a nurse. At least not exclusively. I'd also like some experience in a city hospital where I can work under other nurses and learn more.

I guess one advantage is I already know the residents and staff. Also, it's just a 5 minute drive to work (could even walk or ride bike on a nice day). I guess I could start there and add another job later on. But I don't want to limit my experience to a small town nursing home.

I never applied for a nursing service scholarship or asked my employer to sponsor me, because I didn't want to make a commitment to work there after graduation.

ernurse2244 · Jan 5, 2004

I work in a 32 bed hospital. No surgery or OB. 29 bed Med/Surg, 3 bed ICU, 5 bed ER. I work ER (like duh with my name) and our reputation in ER has really gotten better after we quit using Rent-a-docs and settled on 4 docs who are really good (well one is just fair). Also the ER nursing staff has settled to 5 who have all been in this ER 2 - 10 years. As with all rural hospitals, you get alot of repeaters and now that they know the ER docs and nurses well, they feel more confident and spread the word through the community. I think ER is the mirror to the outside world about the hospital. So many people seen there never see the rest of the hospital.

lol...one aside...with only 4 docs, the patients can tell who is on duty by which car is parked in the ER space...the drug seekers don't come when the two docs who won't give them pain meds are on duty.

I have worked in this hospital almost 30 years and love it! I started in Med/Surg (being pulled to other areas as is the case in small hospitals), then to ER, then to ICU, then to Infection Control/Employee Health/Inservice, now back to ER. I did some moonlighting in the "big city hospitals" as agency when my son was in college and I needed every dime I could come up with, but quit that as soon as he graduated. I may get trapped into going big city again for the money but doubt it. I'll take the reduced salary here to know almost every patient who comes in the door...and making the other patients feel like they are family too.

mcmike55 · Mar 21, 2004

I work in small hospital which is about 80 beds. We have M/S, tele, peds on one unit. We have a 5 bed OB and a 5 bed nursery. 22 skilled nursing beds, 4 ICU beds, and some psych beds, plus ER. I think we have a good hospital but like a lot of small facilities we have a reputation for being a band aid station. Of course there are things we can't handle like cardiac caths, transplants, dialysis, CABG and stuff like that. We can give whatever clot busting drug is current now for MI's that need them and transfer them to a larger facility. We can at least stabilize the pt and have them transported. So, how do we go about improving the image of our facility? Anyone else have this problem? I would like to hear from you. Thanks.

I work and live in a small southeast Ohio community. I have worked at the only hospital for at least 30 miles in any direction. We have around 100 beds, give or take, now a new OB, a really nice ED around 15 bed a 6 room OR. For as long as I can remember, and I'm in my 40's, our hospital was considered a "bandaid station" at best. We are now well known and respected, not only in the area, but the state. I must tell you this path is evolution, not revolution, and there is never a finish line. I think some of the key is well educated, caring staff, from the nurses to the housekeeper to the dietary. Who ever has contact with pts and visitors. Another is great doctors, we are blessed to have some great surgeons/trauma doctors, ED docs, OBGYN doctors, as well as general practice, critical care, radiology and others. Through a lot of work we are a level III trauma center now. We still do not do open heart, neuro, etc, but we do have a nice cath lab and are affiliated with OSU Medical Center. I also agree with the person who said the local media can help. Special articles in the paper, radio stories and ads, TV can all help. Out reach programs like health fairs, BP clinics, open houses etc are all great ways to get the public aware of the great job you are doing! Now of course, no matter how good you are, there will be some that just don't like your hospitial. That will never change. Forget about it, and move on.

I hope this helps. Mike