registered nurse

nursing assistant

nurse technician

surgical technologist

sonographer

Health First

This place is behind in times in all aspects, they run like an old small-town hospital, you'll notice this especially if you come from a bigger more organized hospital. 
-There are no set policies, I spend most of my shift trying to figure out who to call for what and what exactly are the proper protocols. Which causes a lot of delay in care. 
-The HR policies that are in place work more in favor of the hospital and not the staff. 
-Management never has a clue about policies either and just seems like puppets for the higher-ups. 
-You come to work and are always short-staffed, one call out and the unit is drowning, all because of the strict number of staffing allowed against patient census (always causing unsafe nurse-to-patient ratios). 
-Doctors are very condescending here,  this is the culture and nurses are almost scared to speak up.
-They have a strict call-out point system, you are not allowed to accumulate more than 8 pts annually which includes tardies (.5 pt) and absences (1 pt), even if you have a doctor's note or had an emergency, doesn't matter it will still count against you. Employees often come in dealing with situations or sickness where they should have stayed home for fear of collecting a point. (Which causes other staff members to become ill as well as causing  a more highly stressed/hostile environment.)
-You are required to set your 6-week schedule 3 1/2 months in advance, which causes call-outs (no one knows what they'll be really doing 3 1/2 months in advance, things come up) and it's very hard to switch days around because it's not enough people to switch with because it's short-staffed and everyone is overworked. 
-In all my years of nursing, I never felt like I had no say over my license, they almost force you to work in areas or perform tasks that you're not comfortable, poorly trained or skilled in, by threatening to write you up if you do not oblige. 
-Working here I almost forget that I attended 4 years of college to have a nursing career, I feel like  I work at a brick-and-mortar job and am not treated as a professional.

They do these things because they are the biggest health employer in Brevard County with no real competition (and they know this), if another organization came in, they would have a mass exodus of healthcare workers. 

The job itself is fairly simple, answer calls and schedule tests. There is A LOT of favoritism. The management, who does not even know how to do the job, is all about quantity over quality. Keep your numbers up, and you're golden. If you ACTUALLY care about your patients and take the time to make sure they are getting the right care and it is medically safe for them well, your numbers will suffer so you won't be getting a good review. Management has also made the staff HATE coming to work. There is NO respect for the manager and quite honestly the manager has zero respect for anyone else. You are not introduced to anyone, to include the people you should go to for questions or even your 'big' boss. 

Training is nonexistent. You will be doing the same job until they want to train you on more to actually help out the team, so if you like sitting around doing nothing, it might be a good fit.  

Rules are never actually explained to you, so just learn them as you go. Dress code is easy to follow, very relaxed business casual. 

Health first as a whole has quite a few things that just don't make sense, why get punished for taking sick time WHEN IT IS EARNED...

Also, pay is incredibly unfair for most employees. Obviously you aren't suppose to 'know' what people make but of course you talk about it. There is no rhyme or reason of why who gets paid what. You can have a degree and not make a living wage or have barely a diploma and get paid fantastically. 

I guess if you keep your head down and answer your phone, it's alright, but it's not a surprise this place is a revolving door of new employees.

Too much ear given to favorites and critique is endless. yes they want you to improve but their philosophy is you will only hear from them when you screw up not when you achieve. If someone doesn't like you and has time there youre in trouble. Management is phony and doesn't stifle bad rhetoric but loves drama. They have their favorites and give ear to them so if they don't like you its over. 

Depending on dept your hours always change. They are operational 6-530 M-F and that's what you should expect to work on any given day/week. (6am lab opens, offices around 8-830) You can be moved around the town to satellites if you like that.

benefits are pretty good for Florida. their system for holiday pay is whacked. you don't just get paid holidays off but rather they incorporate into your paid leave accruals. So you must make sure you have time in bank when holidays come around or you wont get paid. 

Patients are considered and treated as "customers" which is whacked. they are patients! Its a medical business and facilities. 

You are replaceable at any time. If your like kissing up and are appealing you can do great. If youre very quiet and to yourself stay that way. if youre outgoing and get quiet you could get labeled with attitudes lol

Its all about the company/business and not you. remember that. Raises they give their soul up for are pretty small but you will have to earn them as a team. Don't screw up and cost the team or youll be called out.

Typical work day is manageable.  Management is never around and when she does tend to show up, she is too busy micro-managing the staff to the point that she has everyone in tears on a daily basis.  Went to HR with the matter and they really could care less.  There is no room for growth within the company.  Since I have been here, not one person has been able to transfer out.  

The employees are given a certain amount of sick time per year, however, no one can use it, because now they have implemented a point system to if you happen to call out due to an illness or an unforeseen circumstance, you will accumulate a point.  They have combined this point system with your time card, so if you clock in 1 minute late or early, forget to clock in/out, you will also accumulate a point.  Over half of our staff is on a disciplinary action due to this ridiculous system.   So sick time, means nothing here, if you take it, you are penalized.  For example, one associate lost her mother due to an illness, she received a point for missing work to go to the hospital to see her mother.  Another associate is pregnant and went into labor at work, was advised by her physician to go to the emergency room immediately and also received a point.  This is o.  Another associate had to leave early to put her dog down, and yes, you guessed it, penalized with a point!!! So, if you have any family, animals, loved ones outside of work, please do not apply here.  Health first does not value you as an employee or your loved ones.

A typical day at work, clock in on wall clock, beat the clock in 2 minutes sign in on computer phone system. Headset on, calls come in and you anser questions or listen to the mems of the plan rant and rave over everything. DIVA type rants and call to complain about getting a bill for $5.00 from doctors office, or they had to pay $10.00 for prescription instead of $5.00 like before....
Workplace culture is punch in, punch out, punch in, punch out, punch in and you have 2 min to get on the phone, punch out for lunch you have time to take a squat, eat 2 bites, take a squat again if you lucky, clock in and have 2 min to get on the phone. Really only have 28 minute lunch not 30. Some people almost at tears at time clock

One break for a total of 10 min;.allows for 2 min bathroom break and 2 min coffee 2 min snack and maybe another 2 min for another bathroom break o and don't forget the 2 min walk back to the desk!

Management is non existent. Really no support even if you need it. If you really need it, forget it. Take a message and they'll get back to the customer in the morning. Management puts everything on team lead, and then defers to supervisor...
This is a real "home-grown" operation and don't waste your time
Definately needs more professionals to run the business, not sure of physicians are willing to pay for it

A typical day consists of setting up for procedures in the morning and using the EMR to document all patient information. The doctors are great at explaining the procedure to the staff as well as the patients. Assisting in procedures is a daily occurance. Procedures include, cystoscopy, stent removal, urodynamics, uroflow, vasectomy, and bladder biopsy. Other duties include, removing and inserting catheters, testosterone injections, and trelstar injections. 
Each day is busy and can be stressful. The team is great and works together at all times. The management is understanding and helpful. Management also helps out when needed in times of high volume of patients. The most enjoyable part of the job is when patients who have had tumors in their bladder, come back to have a check up, and they no longer have tumors growing back. Another enjoyable part of the job is the help that the other employees offer each day. The team is strong and the patients notice. The hardest part of the job is the few times that we are all caught up and there is no other work to be done. I have gained a vast array of knowledge working here for the last year. I feel confident as a medical assistant thanks to the staff and the patients. It has been an amazing journey so far and it's only the beginning.

I worked at Health First for over 7 years, and really enjoyed my job until the last year. At first, team morale was great, everyone worked well together and got the job done.  However, the last year on my team was unalterable, to the point of having to leave the company to keep my sanity. It all stemmed from the team manager.  He used to be approachable, helpful, and would have your back.  That all changed, like flipping a switch. There were constant threats of being written up for any little thing. The manager has his own interpretation of policy, and it would be a deciding factor on being written up or not. Taking these concerns to management above him was met with deaf ears, and nothing would change.   If you were seeking another opportunity on the team or another team, if you weren't one of his "buddies", you were going anywhere. His interview process is absolutely ridiculous.  Be ready to sit before a board of inquisition with his favorite people.  You might get an opportunity to speak with him if your lucky.  I've never seen a interview process like this in my whole career. The work it self is really interesting if you like a good challenge daily. You can learn a lot about IT working on this team. There are so many things that you will have your hands in.  That made the job enjoyable.

A typical day at work includes educating new physician to the organization and current physicians in the health information systems, attending assigned committees that are relative to information technology initiatives serving as a liaison between the physicians and IT, and designing educational materials as needed. I have learned that the dynamics are very different in a hospital setting and a corporate setting. I have also expanded my knowledge base to informatics and the challenges of teaching physicians. I completed the HiTech Implementation Support Specialist Certificate and am now Nationally Certified. The Clinical Informatics management are wonderful, supportive, caring individuals and are committed to their employees. The hardest part is not receiving enough salary to survive as a single person, without any possibilities of an increase in compensation in the near future. The most enjoyable part of my job is that I am fulfilling my passion of education.

We have a regular schedule of out patients M-F, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.  This schedule includes invasive procedures.  We ensure all forms are complete, perform venipuncture (when necessary), provide a comfortable atmosphere, prep patients with oral contrast (when necessary) and scan all in-patients and E.R. patients as well.

As a lead CT technologist I have learned how to communicate effectively, order supplies in a budget friendly manner, coordinate schedules accordingly and act as an effective liaison between management & staff technologists.

Management has been very supportive of my growth as a lead CT technologist.  They have allowed me to take continuing education courses that benefit my role as a lead tech.  

My co-workers are awesome.  They are the hardest working individuals I have come by in my 13 years of experience.

I would say the hardest part of my job is trying not to be a perfectionist as a lead CT technologist.

The most enjoyable part of my job is the satisfaction I get when helping patients and knowing I play an active part in their diagnosis.

Review the daily schedule and determine pts that will require stretchers or prolonged visits due to complicated dressing changes. Pts are taken to the exam rooms according to the scheduled visit time. Assist the pt with getting prepared for the MD to examine them. Take the pt vital signs and review medical history making changes in the computer. Assess the wound and describe any changes that may have occurred. Assist the MD and take the orders and enter information into the computer for treatment plans. Apply dressings to the pt and arrange for future visit if needed. Teach the pt about the treatment and s/s to report if changes occur. Work with other team members to assist pt care including using the hoyer lift on quad pts. I am frequently called upon to look at wounds and determine if any recommendations are needed to alter the wound treatment. I enjoy my job because some patients have very severe wounds that sometimes end up in amputations, it is remarkable and satisfying to see a wound heal after several months and diligent treatment. These pts are so grateful.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Registered nurse 5 salaries reported	$38.80 per hour
Nursing assistant 6 salaries reported	$16.92 per hour
Nurse technician 3 salaries reported	$20.38 per hour
Surgical technologist 3 salaries reported	$23.67 per hour
Sonographer 3 salaries reported	$39.67 per hour

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