Working @ SUNY Downstate Medical Center

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

Would like to hear feedback from nurses that are working at the university hospital facilities (both central Brooklyn and LICH) as well as the Bay Ridge location. Basically, how much do you enjoy working here? How are staff/patient ratios, working conditions, management, etc? I assume salaries are on par with other SUNY facilities? By the time I apply, I will have several years of experience as a BSN RN in a medicine/telemetry unit.

Looked at the employment page on the website and under nursing there are no listings. Is that possible that there are no openings even for experienced nurses? Not too worried because I won't be applying there for several years from now.

Thanks!

[dreamon]

I was approached today by an employee to sign a petition to fight the closing of Downstate. Anyone have any info on this? Such a major hospital- for the community and the teaching environment.

[bjorklover]

Whoa! Downstate may be closing! Is it really that bad now?!

[RNBean]

I spoke to a current employee a couple weeks ago and she said they're not hiring now because they're 'restructuring'.

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the info! I don't plan on making any moves from my current employer for at least 3 years, I would assume by then things will be different (on a positive note).

[gen_g06]

Thanks for the info! I don't plan on making any moves from my current employer for at least 3 years, I would assume by then things will be different (on a positive note).

hi paco...does your current hospital have vacancies for RN jobs?

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

hi paco...does your current hospital have vacancies for RN jobs?

I believe they do, they seem to always be hiring. My unit alone needs RNs, there is a high turnover there because it's a hard unit to work in. Check out Stony Brook.

[estrellaCR, BSN, RN]

FYI downstate is not hiring. The hospital is in financial troubles. They haven't been hiring for 2 yrs. It's been on the news that they had big layoffs due to budget. People I know that grad from downstate in 2011 and 2012 in the BSN program have been told there is no hiring going on for RN, esp not for new grads.

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

FYI downstate is not hiring. The hospital is in financial troubles. They haven't been hiring for 2 yrs. It's been on the news that they had big layoffs due to budget. People I know that grad from downstate in 2011 and 2012 in the BSN program have been told there is no hiring going on for RN, esp not for new grads.

Thanks for the update, estrellaCR! The only reason I was interested in working @ Downstate would be to continue my tenure for the pension as a state employee. Now I see that is not enough of a reason to transfer over. And to think I almost applied to the nursing program there instead of Stony Brook ... thankfully, Stony Brook was a much wiser choice for school and for work.

[gen_g06]

I believe they do, they seem to always be hiring. My unit alone needs RNs, there is a high turnover there because it's a hard unit to work in. Check out Stony Brook.

really?even for foreign nurses?is stony brook connected with white glove care?thanks...

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

really?even for foreign nurses?is stony brook connected with white glove care?thanks...

I don't believe they hire foreign nurses (I am assuming you mean nurses that don't have US citizenship or US permanent residency already). I know there are students graduating from the nursing program there that are on student visas and the hospital will not hire them after graduation, so I believe they don't sponsor for work visas. I have heard of White Glove Care but I don't believe they staff at Stony Brook. However, I have heard of them staffing at Brookhaven, which is another hospital on the south shore of Long Island.

[gen_g06]

I don't believe they hire foreign nurses (I am assuming you mean nurses that don't have US citizenship or US permanent residency already). I know there are students graduating from the nursing program there that are on student visas and the hospital will not hire them after graduation, so I believe they don't sponsor for work visas. I have heard of White Glove Care but I don't believe they staff at Stony Brook. However, I have heard of them staffing at Brookhaven, which is another hospital on the south shore of Long Island.

I see...yes they are not connected with white glove...if that's the case i can't understand why white glove can't find me one...thanks for the info...