registered nurse

patient care technician

licensed practical nurse

medical assistant

registered nurse - emergency room

CarolinaEast Health System

When I began at Carolina East 15 plus years ago, the average employee had been there an average of 7.5 years.   Many move, change jobs, but 7.5 years was pretty good.  By 2015, it was 8 months, then by 2017, it was 6 months.   Speak with a staff educator and she'll eloquently tell you that "its tough to keep people (because the hierarchy are manipulative and mean to new hires)"
Excellent training for new hires, however the social environment is, well, mean and backstabbing.  Its really sad.  HR doesn't really want to hear any complaints.  You can't blame them.  They're there to assist with W-2 forms and to hand out yearly awards for not quitting.
There never used to be an award until you hit your 5-year mark, but there were so few, they began with 1 year pins, pens and plaques.  HR knows this but also you can hire new hires for cheaper.  Not bad on the accounting side for the hospital, however the management in place are generally cruel, except orthopedics and oncology.   Crossroads manager is an honorary patient herself.  Other managers hit that category too yet I point that one out as she displayed very bizarre behavior in management meetings to where she excused herself on 3 occasions.  Don't rock the boat is the mantra.  Many staff are kind, depends where you are.  Management positions are filled with clones made from frozen cells of Hollywood divas with past schizophrenia diagnoses. Not really but not a bad speculation either.
Schedules are based on how well you are liked and how long you have been there.  Don't have an unscheduled baby within your first 40 years of employment or you will be disciplined for calling out.  

When you go for treatment, it hit or miss.  They're understaffed:  8:1 ratio on floors for nurses to patients on average.  That's 7 minutes and 30 seconds per patient (actual study), but factor in 45 minutes of every hour is electronic charting.   That's 1 minute and 48 seconds of in-room patient care, per the last consultants, if all 8 patients are checked on each hour.  Makes you think!

ER is OK.  There is a new holding area where you're not admitted but not seen either is a medical purgatory to ensure the 15 minute advertised wait time on the billboards along the highways is accurate.  You're "seen", then stored for another 6 hours, then actually seen.   If you were to, say, go in at 4pm and out by 2am, you've gotten a bill for 8 grand easily, then we bump up your prices according to our perception of your ability to pay.  You never look at your bill, that's what we want.  Its a business.  

Some hospitals are teaching hospitals, others are world renowned or regionally desirable.  Carolina East has a reputation for being a high-school cheerleader squad who hates all the other girls at school and make them miserable, as far as a workplace.  Ask any employee where they would go if they go sick?  Usually Vidant (for proximity) then Raleigh area.  Employees like the personality of the providers there, however your management doesn't want you to enjoy your job. Its a really odd culture.  I can't tell you how many staff have left crying when they were right, and quit.  Few are fired, they quit.  Probably helps with unemployment payments from the HR end.  

Not all is bad.  The fried okra in the cafeteria is exceptional and I've never had my car door dinged in the parking lot due to wide spaces.  The payroll is always on time.  If you do not require feedback or a pat on the back, that's a plus.  Never complain about a superior or engage in a fellow staff concern, even if a patient's life is at risk; this is due to the potential cause of the concern may be directly related to a friend of the superior you are speaking with, so you will be the blame.  No, I was never blamed, but stay there long enough and you end up speaking on behalf of the disenfranchised.  

Many will read this and smile.  Is there a cure for the social cancer that permeates Carolina East? A takeover by a larger corporation? Perhaps.  Holy water? Tried it, failed.  By direct correlation, the staff with a higher religious affiliation are usually the mean ones.  Just an odd observation over the years.  Link up with an agnostic. 

Housekeeping, maintenance and CSS are the most downtrodden in the whole hospital and yet they keep everyone running.  This is not from a natural managerial perspective but stems from the hospital caste system that had formed since the hospital was created.  

Advice:  if you take a job there, quickly scout your path to promotion via marriage potential or befriending your manager.  NEVER COMPLAIN.  We won't like you because you cause us to do the right thing and we won't so we fire you. Its the only way.  If you're uncertain how to accomplish sidling up to managment, watch Housewives of Beverly Hills or the Kardashians for brushing up on your shallow social skills.  If you're kind, courteous and have a good heart and accomplished a CNA certification, an RN degree, a CRNA cert, etc, then congratulation!  However read this post again after 1 year of employment.  Make that 6 months.  You will laugh and remember this post.  I survived, but PTSD is highly overrated.  Find a happier place.

The people I work with are extremely intelligent, motivated, helpful, willing to assist and will back you up if needed or when you're going to be out of work.  My manager is top notch and really cares about how we're doing and feeling about our jobs and workload.  She always keeps us informed and wants our input.  She is very straight forward and you don't have to wonder where you stand with her.  She shows her appreciation for our hard work and really thinks all of us deserve to be better compensated for what we do.   My training experience was wonderful and very informative because I got to work with different people with two different approaches to how they taught me the expectations of the job.  I was allowed plenty of time to get to know what my job duties entailed before being released on my own.  The hardest part of my job is handling the workload balance during month end accruals.  We have to put together an excel spreadsheet containing all vendor accruals to expect for the month we are closing, which requires ALOT of research, attention to detail and time.  You still have to handle your everyday job duties and emails during this time, so it can be difficult and exhausting at times.  The best part of my job is knowing I can count on my team members to pick me up when I'm having a rough day and being confident that they are there to back me up if I want or need to take a day off.  I never had that at my previous job.  I really had no help and no steady support or leadership from my boss and he was a workaholic who put that same pressure and work load expectation on his employees, even though we didn't have near the stake in its success like he did.  It was always a problem if we wanted to take a day off or were sick.  It got to where I would go to work sick bc I knew I'd have a pile of work to come back to and the thought of that was worse than being at work sick as a dog.  So, even though the pay is not what I feel we deserve for what we do, the people and atmosphere I work in now makes it all worthwhile and leaves me feeling confident I made the right move when deciding to become a part of the team at CarolinaEast.

Management is absolutely horrible. This is the most unorganized and toxic environment in which I have ever worked. Upper management does not listen to their employees. To describe the management as inept would be an understatement. The hospital does not get involved even when employees have begged and pleaded for something to be done. Nothing. There are amazing employees that the patients love that are going to keep leaving because of the lack of involvement of upper management. Also, if you work in the physicians offices you do not get paid holidays. The offices are part of the hospital when it benefits the company and not part of the hospital when it doesn’t. Infection control is not valued or followed. So be careful. Coworkers are great and it is sad they are subjected to such a poor work environment.
If everyone is unhappy and morale is in the gutter, it’s not them, it’s you. Hire managers with expertise and experience who lead by example. People who are willing to learn what their employees actually do. Put people in management positions who are not confrontational and accusatory. You need people who will listen and be fair. A manager cannot earn respect by being rude, passive aggressive, and unorganized. Managers with no clinical background who do not defer to those clinically trained in medical matters are utterly useless.

As a Certified Medical Assistant at CarolinaEast Internal Medicine, I play a vital role in supporting physicians and ensuring high-quality, patient-centered care. My responsibilities include rooming patients, obtaining accurate vital signs, reviewing medical histories, and documenting information in the electronic health record to ensure continuity of care. I assist providers with routine examinations, minor procedures, and diagnostic testing while maintaining strict adherence to safety, infection control, and HIPAA guidelines. I also administer injections, perform EKGs, draw blood, and prepare specimens for laboratory testing as ordered. In addition to clinical duties, I support front-office operations by scheduling appointments, coordinating referrals, and communicating effectively with patients regarding test results and care instructions. Working in an internal medicine setting requires strong attention to detail, compassion, and the ability to manage patients with chronic conditions. I take pride in creating a welcoming environment, addressing patient concerns, and contributing to the efficient daily flow of the practice while upholding the standards and mission of CarolinaEast Health System.

I had high hopes for coming to work here. While I appreciate the flexibility my role provides, there is a lot to be desired from this facility. They are JUST NOW attempting to implement TeamSTEPPS. Conversations with upper management tend to include phrases such as “if you don’t like it, you can leave,” “this is going to be a one way conversation,” “criticism of management will not be tolerated and will be dealt with accordingly.” Their PTO/Major Sick leave policy is absurd. You HAVE to contribute to MSL before you can begin to fully earn your PTO, and it takes almost 3 years as a FTE to fill up your MSL. If you leave and haven’t used your MSL, they keep it. That’s right, they don’t pay out the time sick time that you have earned and contributed from your PTO. They are overrun by locums and over budget in every way possible while equally inefficient and ready to blame staff for their poor business decisions. The CEO should really step out of his office, don a pair of scrubs and go visit as many locations within the hospital system to get a real idea of what’s actually happening in his hospital.

First off, I had to fight for three days to get a decent salary. Almost ten years of experience and they wanted to start me off way lower than the average. I was hired as a medical assistant then told on my first day I’d be a front desk receptionist. When I questioned this I was told that they requested a front desk person and was denied so they decided to hire a medical assistant as a “float”. Basically someone who’s trained to do every aspect of the office and be responsible for doing it all. Without a job description or a real “position. Most of the staff and physicians were great but there’s a lot of gossip in the office. Drug rep lunches most days were nice but they don’t always cater to dietary restrictions. I was floated to several different positions in one day, only to be told “this position isn’t going to work”. No communication with staff and management and no structure. Pay is low and not very competitive for the market area but the workload is minimal for the most part. Overall, not the best experience. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
The people I work with, the friendly compassionate atmosphere and the ability to make a difference in the health care field. Comparable benefits and retirement opportunities.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Micro managing in my department, but honestly that not the nomal  throughout the facility. You alway have to be ready to make judgments and decisions on a minutes notice. Which would be much easier without the micromanaging.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Like I said if not for the micromanaging it would be easier to do your job. I probably wouldn’t suggest or recommend anyone to come to the engineering department if they have other opportunities.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
You never know, that just because of the type of thing we do. You can never predict if something may break or when.

The culture at CarolinaEast is to do as you are told, and they don't care what you think.  This hospital is a big fish in a tiny pond.  The pay rate for most positions is laughable...for the actual laborers such as myself.  The management, many of whom can be found in the cafeteria at any given time of day, is compensated handsomely. There are quite a few cliques...either you are in, or you are not.  You will know fairly quickly where you fit.  They love to preach about how to treat one another, but it is seldom put into practice.  Many employees are unhappy...barely lifting their eyes as they roam the hallways.  There is much shiny new construction with little to no debt....while the little people toil away for pennies in hidden, dilapidated departments. Morale is as low as the starting wages.  Cut rate, bargain basement health care insurance plans are the latest insult to injury.  I'm there because I have to be...for now.

So much I could say about Carolina East Health Systems. Especially since I feel like I've been here a life time almost. I've worked in so many different departments. ER, OR holding, PACU, CVICU, CVIMC, 3IMC, Nephro, Neuro, Central Sterile Supply, Xroads, Rehab, CIM, and the list goes on and on. Over the past 28 years I've learned so much with so many titles: Clerk, ccs, Unit Secretary, Certified Nursing asst, I & II, Patient Care Tech I & II, and now as an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse). So with all of these titles my hours varies a lot over the years from part time/full time/floater etc. 4, 8, 12 hour shifts. weekends, holidays, it all.  The most enjoyable part of all of these job titles that I was blessed to have is learning, taking care of people and at the same time getting to know a whole lot of people.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Employees are valued and encouraged to rise to their best potential!

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Unexpected situations arise that result in short staffing.  Sometimes that just can’t be avoided, but it has to be dealt with.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
When I worked at CarolinaEast, we had adequate supplies and were free to ask for things we needed to accomplish our work as needed.  Generally, employees got along well.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
We were expected to be on time and prepared for a full day of challenges.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Registered nurse 25 salaries reported	$39.74 per hour
Patient care technician 34 salaries reported	$18.83 per hour
Licensed practical nurse 16 salaries reported	$26.52 per hour
Medical assistant 7 salaries reported	$20.25 per hour
Registered nurse - emergency room 6 salaries reported	$40.75 per hour

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