registered nurse

senior certified nursing assistant

Carteret Health Care

I began my career at this company as a brand new surgical technician with many family problems.  I was pregnant within three months of joining this organization, and feared for my future.  This company worked with me through the pregnancy and delivery, helped me navigate the trials and tribulations of family life as I learned how to become a great patient care giver, and rewarded me with a salary and benefits to support my growth.  After six years of employment with CGH, I decided to become a registered nurse, and CGH helped me by creating a special work shift that fit my school schedule.  They also assisted my tuition and book purchases.  Once I became a nurse, I was continually supported through family changes, given excellent learning and growth opportunities, and encouraged to continue my career in the operating room.  I have seen a high turnover of staff, management, and physicians through the years.  People come to my area of the country to obtain an easier lifestyle, and are often disappointed at how much work there is to do here.  There isn't a lot of financial gain to be had in this community, and there is a great focus on retirement and tourism, so young people do not often find stimulation in this environment.  CGH does a good job at recruiting members, but has needed improvement in retaining them.  I had planned on making CGH a small stop in my career, however, it has been my home for 21 years.  I would recommend this organization to employees who are motivated to work, able to make funds stretch, and willing to dig in to the local community.

My day routinely started early mornings and afternoons or evenings and nights, depending on schedule rotation. I would make sure the work area I was assigned to was clean and stocked. I would connect with co- workers from the previous shift as to needs, timing and orders. I would go to the computer and log on to find timed, routine or STAT orders on my assigned work area. My work area could be the Emergency Department, Outpatient Department, the Nursing floors or wherever I was needed at the time. I was usually teamed with another phlebotomist and/or student in training. Working as a team was always a focus as it kept the work flow moving smoothly and efficiently. As a Sr. Phlebotomist I worked independently rarely needing assistance. I also had to be a role model for students and new hires. My shifts were between 8 to 12 hours and always busy. Down time was spent cleaning and stocking or assisting other phlebotomists with their patient load. The goal was to spend 5 minutes or less drawing a specimen and sending it to the laboratory in a timely manner to decrease turn-around time from collection to patient chart. 
For me the hardest part of the job was phlebotomy on elderly, trauma and children.
 The most enjoyable part of the job was talking to the patients and getting them to feel comfortable and cared for. 
My least enjoyable part of the job was dealing with critically ill and dying patients of all ages. You have to have the ability to put your emotions aside to be a support for the patients and their families. 

I liked the job. Most of the staff was great to work for and with. The problem is I was lied to about my potential for growth from the beginning. I was originally told I was going to start in float pool and after receiving additional training, provided by the hospital, I would be able to move full time to a unit of my choice and would be given a raise accordingly. Well, that never happened. I went through hospital orientation, but was told there was no additional training available, at least not at this time. I also never received the raise I was promised either. The final straw was when I was doing orientation, I floated to the ED and they were so impressed with me they contacted the director of the unit to see if I could be transferred to the unit on a permanent basis. The director told me to file an in-house transfer request and he would handle the rest, and since I was very interested in doing this, I did. My transfer request was rejected and I was stuck on float pool where I am the first to get and have gotten put on stand by or assigned as a patient observer or "sitter" which doesn't even require a  certification or license to do, instead of doing things that will actually allow me to grow, both personally and professionally. I have decided to leave to pursue other opportunities that will challenge me professionally and pay me better, as well.

Nurses are overloaded and overwhelmed with too many patients.They tell you it's your responsibility to make sure you take lunch or dinner and breaks but the reading states "as time permits" Well, what about when time DOESN'T permit?.. and you still get a half our taken away from that shift for a meal break. (That's illegal Carteret) It is very unsafe for the patients, and their lives are depending on YOU. It is also unsafe for the nurse and other staff. They risk losing their licenses they've worked so hard for, and could be sued for malpractice. This company would rather clean house and find reasons to fire senior staff in order to bring in new grads etc that make less money and have to start fresh on the benefits scale. Raises and bonuses are minuscule and rare. Management in some areas seem to be aloof to what's going on and no one seems to care that nursing staff is overloaded. I'm surprised more patients have not been in danger over insufficient staffing on the floors. North Carolina needs to wake up and change some laws for nursing to patient ratios!!

Very busy MedSurg unit, while working at CGH I was able to participate in different areas getting a diverse group of skills
I trained in the Oncology Clinic and worked additional days there
to be certified to administered chemo therapy to outpts admited to
MedSurg dept on the days I was working, for a few hours. not only for their IV chemo ,but also for bld transfussions, 
Other out pts, with PICC lines would come for antibiotic IV treatment.
The hardest part of my job : wanting to fit all I wanted to do for the pts
and sometimes I could not do all the extras I wanted to be able to give to pts.
Most enjoyable: the warm friendly enviroment at work and in the community

Management could be a lot better. Also, I feel that special treatment is given to specific employees who have been there over 1 year. What's funny.. is that those employees are the ones that spend all their time on their cell phones, shopping online while their work piles up in the corner of their desk. It's almost as if they believe themselves to be irreplaceable. 

There is no such thing as equality within this office. The providers are amazing people, however..when it comes to the business office... there is no truly loyalty or "Team" there are "cliques" and if they do not want you there... despite how hard you work and how reliable you are... trust me.. you will be terminated without cause.  This is what happens when entitled millenials start to RUN a business. 

A typical day at Carteret general is always different. I find that the first part of the week is always very busy with total hip/knee surgery. but this leads to learning how to work as a cohesive team to get the job or certain situation accomplished.

Management is always there to lend a helping hand no matter what the situation. My co-workers are always very dedicated hard working team players.

The hardest part of the job is to be able to handle the overwhelming workload when a co-worker is on leave, but as a team we always manage.

The most enjoyable part of the job is the exciting daily new challenges.

Working there was a great experience.  The people I worked with were amazing!  The benefits for those working full-time look great as well.  As a supply technician teamwork is important and my team had it. But I've also seen that teamwork mentally in other departments.  In a typical day we would arrive and sort of the materials that have arrived via truck and start gong to the different departments and fill their Pyxis machines of supplies that have been emptied or are low. After that is done, monthly inventories of the Crash Carts are done (which is a continuous process).  Any side projects can be done at this time as well, or assist the team member in charge of receiving deliveries from the different mail services (UPS, FedEx, etc.).

come in brew coffee make sure drink box was ready to go read tickets set up trays for patients deliver food carts to the floors pass out patient trays to rooms go back to kitchen and make special orders and deliver them go back and pick up food carts bring them to dish room and scrap trays and load dishes in dish washer pull dishes and put them away start restocking for lunch make tea read tickets set trays up for lunch delivery deliver trays to rooms go back down stairs make special orders and deliver them to the rooms pull tray carts bring them to dish room help get dishes done and put away restock all areas for next shift roll silverware sweep mop pull trash

Carteret Health Care "compassion runs deep" is their motto. However, the place is quite cut throat. I'm only leaving because of new management and almost 20 people have quit our department in a year. I've been promoted and trained in multiple positions but it seems in other departments the culture is that anyone will do what it takes to get ahead over everyone else. It seems like everyone is your friend, but they are not and you have to be careful about what you say and do. It's almost like a secret society of good ole boys and a club where if you don't fit in, if they can smell it, you'll never stay long.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Registered nurse 8 salaries reported	$32.50 per hour
Senior certified nursing assistant 1 salary reported	$12.00 per hour

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