My floor sees a wide range of conditions because we’re general surgery. It’s a step-down unit from the trauma ICU. If you can work in this area, you can work anywhere. I see things you couldn’t imagine... It’s an interesting floor. It grounds me, and I’m learning something every day.
Barnes-Jewish is all about education.
I work as a preceptor on my floor to train incoming graduate nurses. Right now, I’m working on my Bachelor’s degree, which Barnes-Jewish is paying for. When I started, having a BSN wasn’t a big deal, but now it’s important…My manager is all about education, so a lot of patient care techs are in nursing school. We are also encouraged to pursue continuing education. This year, I was involved in the Trauma Convention downtown. There are also Nursing Grand Rounds, and opportunities posted online, and on each floor, so I can choose what I’m interested in.
“Come on board, we’d love to have you!”
What makes Barnes-Jewish so special? They’re very supportive of change, and have a wide range of facilities so you can try different hospitals within the system. Even though you may transfer, you still keep all your benefits…The flexibility, the wonderful managers, educational opportunities, and overall benefits are all reasons why I stay.