registered nurse

licensed vocational nurse

nursing assistant

student nurse

patient access specialist

Kaweah Health

I worked as a CNA fulltime while I went through nursing school, I'm not impressed with the place. 

Nurses eat their young and they eat each other. When I worked in the Telemetry unit, the manager would low ball our salaries. In 5 years, I only had a difference of $1.50 raise so the unit can save some $$. Some CNAs left because they were paid way too low and I don't blame them. For the amount of bullying you receive and the salary you receive, I don't think it's worth it unless you were desperate. It's a very cliquish work environment.

When I left, some of the RNs also quit because they felt they were unfairly staffed. There were times when telemetry had 5 patients per nurse, no free team lead, no unit secretary and 1 CNA. Some of the RNs switched to a different department, some switched to a different facility, 3 CNAs quit (including myself) and some of the CNAs who graduated from nursing school didn't want to work in this facility some didn't want to work in this unit. If applying, I would ask about the turnover rate. 

When I worked as CNA, I noticed that some of the new grads weren't confident being on their own in comparison to other facilities that offered a new grad program. The nurses would go in the break room and talk about how this person or that person were too slow, etc, etc to their face behind their back and one time in front of a patient.

During my clinical rotation, I floated over to other units. Some units were better, I guess, others were worse than tele...(like the med-surg floor, rehab and the OR). I witnessed one time a mix up in work assignments at the beginning of shift and one of the older nurses yelled at another nurse and they had to send both nurses home. In endo, one of the male LVNs were making inappropriate racial jokes during my clinical rotation which was both insulting and unprofessional. 

During my time at Kaweah, I was actually depressed working there. It felt like a giant high school. I started off confident, but it slowly ate me up. I blamed myself into thinking I wasn't good enough. Don't get me wrong, there were some GREAT nurses out there who I LOVED working with, but over-all it was pretty toxic. I've also witness some nurses talk smack about other nurses to their patients instead of backing up everyone on the unit as a whole. There is no sense of unity. 

When  I went from fulltime to per diem as I went through nursing school. The manager's condition for remaining employed per diem was to get a pay cut and to work a minimum of 2 days a week. Imagine how it must have felt to get those kinds of conditions when you've been in a company for 5 years?!!??! It was insulting and it felt like the manager didn't value me as an employee. I wasn't a slacker or anything and I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED my job which is why I stayed there for so long regardless of the drama, but the manager just didn't value their employees and viewed some as favorites over the others.

The story goes on and on, but do I recommend? No. I left without giving two weeks notice and I don't regret it at all. I am now at a better facility in which the work environment and the benefits are better. For a long time I  blamed myself and thought it was me that needed work, but long and behold, some of my co-workers I currently work with has had the same experiences in both the unit and the facility over all and I'm glad because I know I am not alone....

As a Lab Aide, you are in charge of preparing patient samples for testing. There is something new everyday but essentially you log the sample into the system, prep according to the specific requirements, and then take it to the corresponding department for testing. In addition to the entire hospital's samples, you are also in charge of ordering outpatient samples from affiliated facilities, and sending out samples for referral testing. 

You are mandated to answer every single phone call "by the third ring" and deal with whatever issue the nurse/ doctor/ provider puts upon you in that moment. They may call about results, lie about you misplacing their patient's samples (has happened multiple times), or tell you about a patient needing blood drawn. The Team Lead should be in charge of keeping phlebotomists informed about their draws, but it's also another job for Lab Aides to deal with as our Team Lead is often one of the phlebotomists needed upstairs. You also have to get supplies from the warehouse for floors when they call. 

Shifts are split between AM, PM, and NOC (overnight). AM's deal more with inpatient samples, while PM's deal with both inpatient and outpatient samples. Expect mandatory overtime a few times a week if you want to work PM's because the outpatient workload is often heavy. There are usually only two or three Lab Aides at a time to juggle all of these responsibilities daily.

Management will continue to push more and more responsibilities and processes onto lab aides, often without proper training. Speaking of training, new hires are often trained by the employees that just finished training themselves. If you can't adapt and learn quickly, this is an issue because of the nature of the job; people's lives can be at stake. You also don't get paid more for having to do those new responsibilities, just are expected to do them and do them right.

The job itself would be less mentally taxing if we were adequately staffed everyday, but the amount of responsibilities and samples we have to deal with versus the amount of Lab Aides on-hand (like 4 at most) is highly stressful. Not to mention we are often left to figure issues out ourselves as management and coordinators have meetings and other stuff to deal with. One of the only redeeming qualities is that most the Lab Aides vibe well and share similar opinions about the laboratory, hospital, and how they treat us - there is definitely a sense of "We'll get through it together."

If you want an example of systemic horizontal bullying in healthcare, this IS THE PLACE. You are made to sign a no union contract at beginning of hire, BTW that is federally illegal. No amount of 'choose kind' will fix this place. The reason why over half the RN's in this hospital are under 5 years old is because the older nurses are pushed out or leave due to poor treatment.This place does not want to pay what older nurses are worth or want anyone with a voice. From top down this place is rotten. The CNO got their job by clique maneuvering. The major directors are either unethically related to one another or nepotistically connected via churches. Promotion from within is nepotism based. Newer managers are brought in from outside so they are controllable. The managers promoted within are so vicious, eager to please, young and inexperienced they are puppeted by the directors to fulfill personal vendettas. There is massively high turnover on several floors due to behaviors such as micromanagement and targeting. Even when staff get together to write a letter of concern about safety conditions and propose it in appropriate forums the response is to silence them. That is why state regulators have to get involved. Even the doctors are aware and have noticed execs giving themselves perks while cutting joint commission encouraged staff development due to 'budget'. If you look at Joint Commission guidance on toxic environments that create bullies this place is textbook, they check all required boxes but never actually address the real problems even when their employee surveys plainly spell out that the problem is MANAGEMENT. The coworkers that are not management puppets are wonderful caring people who work hard. Despite changes to match area rates the pay remains low with weird fine print to obtain 'bonuses'. If you must work here, regardless of your job title or department be VERY careful, the harassment policies only work for their enforcers they are not there to protect you. Do not assume that because someone is nice to you they have your well being in mind.

I first worked on 3S. It was a nightmare. Hardly got breaks ( unless you smoked then you got 20) and yes you had to cover that smoker so your ratio went from 6 ( cause we were CONSTANTLY over ratio) to 12 patients about 20 times a night and the patients were high acuity. I hated it so much I prayed every time that I’d get stuck in the elevator.. good part...my co-workers were very awesome people. :)  Finally I landed mother baby. I was soooo excited. I tried and waited and finally got it! What a mistake. They ate their young... ALL OF THEM with the exception of a lovely CNA. They gossiped, and were in cliques. If you didn’t know something, they told EVERYONE and made you feel stupid. I came from death and dying to now being around new life. I had a lot to learn and they chewed me up and spit me out.  My first preceptor made me cry, they would ignore me but say hello to others. I’d walk in the break room and the laughing would stop, it was heartbreaking. My preceptor took my phone and talked to her husband for 45 mins straight ( I timed it) and I was warned by a previous employee later on that she hurries with her work so she can gossip in the corner nursing station. They act like they are God’s gift. I finally left at 7 months cause I couldn’t take the stress and toxic work environment anymore. The sad part was I LOVED the patients but as soon as I left the room, dread would come over me. When I went back to my old floor some of the mother baby nurses came over to “ visit me” but in reality one was spying on her ex- mother in law cause she “ wanted to see her fail training” as she told me before I left, so no, they didn’t really care. I can go on about all the horrible things but I won’t. I eventually got a mother baby job in San Luis Obispo ( after staying away for a few years from pure terror) and what a difference! Warm helpful coworkers, I cried when I left and miss them everyday! Please do not work on this floor at KDHCD or even this hospital in general. There are better hospitals out there.

I don't want to start out as a sour puss but the truth is the benefits and pay are the only perks to the job as KDMC Security. Your upper management will start out with concern and it will go away the longer you are employed. You can expect to be wrote up if you try to do your job according to the policies which change when it suits management. You will wear a sharp uniform and badge but don't count on any respect the EVS employees actually are more respected than you. The medical staff will never see you as important unless a patient goes crazy and tries to kick their Butts.Then you will be patted on the back but soon laughed at and joked about. So what is your job comic relief for staff and a person they can vent their built up hostility towards. No matter what situation do as little as possible you will be respected by your supervisor more. Also the manager preys on the weak and will try to obtain information about your co workers so he can create a paper trail for termination purposes. If you are looking only at the pay find another job even if it pays less you will have more job security. If you fall for the bait be ready to constantly be scrutinized by everyone and don't count on all the promises they will make you regarding protective gear or oc spray, tasters, etc the other staff working there are better equipped than you will ever be as a private citizen waiting on VPD to respond as you deal with the same thugs they do. They are armed and have back up it will be just you and more than likely you will eventually get injured or fed up of all the political bs. Be careful who you try to reprimand or you will be getting your pink slip and last checks. I have always been told if it looks to good to be true it more than likely is. Good Luck and make the right decision.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Insurance/health care. Other than that, there are none.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
 It's a toxic environment where people are treated unfairly, get bullied by coworkers and management, and HR doesn't do anything to help. Supervisors and managers in the Food Services department absolutely love to degrade their staff and write them up. Schedule is inconsistent, and no consecutive days off.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
By far, the most toxic work environment I have ever experience. Supervisor monitors staff via cameras on his days off, and if you even take a moment just to stretch, he will immediately call on the phone and say he, "sees a lot of standing around happening." Manager shares confidential information with other staff.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Clock in, put on hair covering, wash hands. Go to station. Take a break and hope that you're able to get food (cafeteria lines long, runs out of food, break in between when food is served) and use the bathroom—if you're even 30 seconds late because you couldn't get into the bathroom, the Supervisor will write you up. Meanwhile, other staff will take extended breaks because they pretend they are doing work-related things. Often left without coverage.

A typical day at work includes the ability to ensure help and information to patients, visitors, and employees. It is my responsibility to coordinate the changes that occurs every minute. I learn to always adapt to the changes. The diversity group I work with is the profession in adapting to a variety of people or duties. I manage the issues that is presented to me while working and direct it to proper area or group that can better assist the problem. My co-workers are a professional diverse group that continues to help others the best they can. It is a pleasure to work with such an amazing group. The hardest part of my job is not being able to go outside of my job role. I tend to want to do much more to serve the best for the patients or my co-workers because I enjoy the work that I do. This, the reason for my passion to move forward with my career where I can do much more. I am looking for a career job in the field of Health Administration. Although, I may not fit some requirements, I always strive to learn the process of the industry work flow. Let me prove my abilities to you.

The management on the floor I was on was horrible! Management was very high schoolish, gossiped, had favoritism, and were very negative! My co-workers we’re leaving slowly one by one! They were constantly hiring because people would quit so fast! Management would give you write ups for stupid reason and I ended up feeling like every time I was going to work I was feeling like I would loose my job, like they were trying to fire me! It got so bad that my main manager tried to get me fired and get my license taken away because supposably I wasn’t doing my job to their satisfaction! They couldn’t prove anything so they gave me a write up instead and that’s when I left! Now they are black listing me from going to a different floor or getting any type of job at the hospital! I left on good terms and did my 2wks, so they did me dirty! My coworkers on the other hand were wonderful! I loved all the nurses and employees! Just beware 4s!!!!! Don’t ever apply for that floor!

What is the best part of working at the company?
Employees are like family unit on many units.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Understaffed,understocked, unorganized and more about caring for the higher ups than any patient, employee or traveler.    

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It used to be a happy family like environment, the last year or so, it has really started to turn.   We are losing employees quickly (all positions!), halting the use of travelers (to fill employment voids) and instead over working those who stay.  

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Quick, short hand overs, and rushing non -stop, often missing breaks/meals, and rarely sitting throughout the entire shift.   Most days there are not enough employees to staff the floors, throughout the night, more and more are pulled until we are operating at the bare minimums.   This is reoccurring, but nothing is ever done about.    Attempts at assistance are almost always ignored.

Overall, working here has been great. It’s giving me the experience I need while also showing ways in which one can move and progress forward in this company. It also shines a light if this is truly the career path you want to continue working in. I think the only downside to working here is the low compensation that I get as a mental health worker, especially since minimum wage increased a dollar more and my wage only got increased $0.60 more while having a B.A. Other than that, the coworkers are fun, you really develop a good rapport with patients, great management, (they listen to your needs) and you have a great support system. As well as only working minimum of three 12hr and 30mins shifts a week for full time: which, you do get good benefits. For instance, I’ve only been here for 4-5 months and my PTO is already at 36hrs. And if you like a schedule that maintains the same pretty much everyday, then that’s also a plus! 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Registered nurse 117 salaries reported	$58.47 per hour
Licensed vocational nurse 27 salaries reported	$37.13 per hour
Nursing assistant 84 salaries reported	$25.68 per hour
Student nurse 32 salaries reported	$23.89 per hour
Patient access specialist 49 salaries reported	$25.01 per hour

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