medical assistant

healthcare assistant

nurse practitioner

registered nurse

clinician

Planned Parenthood

Before I start I will preface that I worked for the Planned Parenthood North Central States affiliate. If you are applying to another affiliate, this review will not pertain to you. Unfortunately Indeed does not distinguish them differently.

The typical day of work in my position as an HCA I involves checking in patients, screening them for financial assistance, checking them out, various restocking tasks, and other office duties like answering phones. They often understaff the front desk though so if someone walks in or has questions beyond what is typical you can and will get behind leading to undue stress. I stuck with it for a while because I was both learning a lot about insurance and my job was essentially to help people get financial assistance for services they needed. Finding that help for them was by far the most rewarding thing about the job.

Starting the job, I knew very little about health insurance. I knew about as much as the average person. Upon leaving though, I have a depth of knowledge about all sorts of details that most people are not aware of.

The management at this affiliate was lack luster at best, and malicious at worst. The way I like to describe it is that our affiliate was unionized for a reason. They often work against the employee to achieve higher margins and care more about the money being brought in rather than helping people or helping their employees help people.

The workplace culture at the health center I worked at was mostly fine. Most of the employees were friendly and I got along very well with them. The solidarity from the union was definitely present among employees and I appreciated that. The recent layoff of employees did cause a large dip in morale though.

The hardest part of the job was working around management's misguided and poorly thought out policies. Often times one manager gave a different answer from the other and it was hard to tell what was the correct policy. The managers also kept pushing policies that were poorly implemented or though out to help speed things up but required more steps. This not only added extra work to a job that was very demanding of doing so many things, but also lead to slower and clunkier processes for the patients.

It was enjoyable to help the patients though. Seeing people's smiles and happy expressions for not only providing care they needed, but often finding funding for it was so rewarding and it helped me feel like I was doing something meaningful.

It all came to an end though when management decided to not properly accommodate my disability and targeted me for asking them to do so and speaking up for myself. In the end it showed me that those up the chain didn't care about helping others, but rather saying they did while still making a good amount of money.

I joined Planned Parenthood Southeast (PPSE) with high hopes, motivated by the organization’s mission and its promise of being a family-oriented workplace. Unfortunately, my experience did not align with those expectations.

As the *confidential*, I was the only member of my team and responsible for building recruitment processes from scratch. While I took pride in creating a recruiting dashboard, scheduling weekly meetings with hiring managers, and optimizing workflows, I often felt unsupported and undervalued. Despite being part of the HR department, I was excluded from meaningful collaboration or professional camaraderie, which left me feeling isolated in my role.

Leadership and communication were significant challenges. I never met my direct supervisor in person throughout my tenure—except for the day I was terminated due to my position being eliminated. The termination process was handled poorly, with no prior notice or transparency. I was asked to attend a “confidential meeting” in the office, only to be let go without a direct conversation about what to expect, despite previously inquiring about job security.

PPSE emphasizes being a caring and supportive organization for employees and the community, but this wasn’t reflected in its workplace culture. Basic human connection—like asking about my well-being or taking an interest in my family—was absent. Meanwhile, I made efforts to build rapport by learning about my colleagues’ personal lives, which was never reciprocated.

On the positive side, I appreciated the flexibility and autonomy I had in my role, which allowed me to deliver impactful results. For instance, I sourced a VP of Development candidate and provided them to leadership within a week, saving the organization significant outsourcing costs. Unfortunately, such accomplishments went largely unrecognized.

Ultimately, while I fully support PPSE’s broader mission and respect the important work they do in reproductive health, the internal culture and management practices left much to be desired. For a mission-driven organization, there is a stark disconnect between its external values and how it treats employees internally.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Advice to Management:
	1.	Foster a more inclusive and supportive work culture where employees feel valued and connected.
	2.	Improve transparency in decision-making and communication, especially regarding significant changes like terminations.
	3.	Invest in leadership development to ensure managers are equipped to support remote teams and promote collaboration.

Literally everything is broken at Planned Parenthood Great Plains. The ONLY reason the organization is able to stay afloat is because of the name/brand. Staff are treated like garbage because senior leadership knows that we are disposable. When we leave, there will be 50 people lined up to take our job because they care so much about the mission. I was in the Development department for 18 months (a long time for PPGP) and during that time 5 of my 8 person team left. Whenever I brought up concerns about the absurd turnover (which is seen across the organization), I was always told that is just how it is. PPGP does not see the turnover as a problem, so they will never fix it. 

Communication within PPGP is nonexistent, at best. We are not only discouraged to communicate with other departments, leadership will actually actively put up roadblocks to make that impossible. Leadership clearly knows that if departments start talking, we will realize that everyone is having the same struggles at this terribly run organization.

The CEO of PPGP is such a weak leader, that he allows ineffective senior leadership to stay, even though they accomplish nothing. I won't say her name in fear of somehow summoning her, but just google "VP of Development Planned Parenthood Great Plains". Let's call her "CM". This woman was an utter monster to work with and was wildly incompetent, yet was defended by the CEO. There were multiple times where CM yelled at members of her staff, either in the office where everyone could hear, or in large meetings. This behavior was allowed to go on for her entire time here. When the CEO was told about how toxic and horrible CM was to us, he said that he couldn't/wouldn't anything because she met her fundraising goals. It is directly because of CM that those 5 Development staff left the organization. I was blown away that the CEO would allow CM to stay, despite countless HR complaints, just because she made her fundraising goals. Literally anyone can fundraise for PPGP because the name does all the fundraising for you. What she did was not special or unique.

If you're in Development, the pay is fine. Any other department, you will be wildly underpaid for all of the garbage you'll have to put up with.

Don't do it. Don't take a job here. You will not only regret it, but you will also probably end up leaving within the year, so it isn't worth it.

Do not consider working here. For a company who prides itself on being inclusive, they are all talk. The clinicians are great but management is like working with robots straight out of a corporate playbook. Credentialing takes forever ( average 6 months) and they expect you to work before the credentialing process is complete. I was told I could just shadow and scribe while I was waiting, which may be ok for a week or two but beyond that is a waste of time unless you are a new grad. Other than that, you are only allowed to touch patients in abortion clinic under the doctors name, which in my opinion is sketchy. Fast forward 4 months from hire date, still not credentialed…. I had completed all of my computer training modules and was still expected to show up in clinic without being able to touch a patient. My solution was to pick up some extra shifts in my per-diem job until credentialing was complete. I arrived on a monday in clinic with essentially nothing to do except follow around my trainer again for another 8 hours of birth control and STIs ( yawn)  so I emailed the clinic manager as well as the lead NP to let them know I was going to go home and expressed my frustration once again. I came to work two days later for abortion clinic and was fired on the spot for a “no show, no call,” two days prior, even though I had emailed them and had reached out via text several times. They would not let me collect my belongings and essentially escorted me out the door like I had committed a crime. They could have easily just called me to tell me they didn’t think it was working out and arranged for a time for me to come in to HR to discuss and to sign the obligatory paper work. Instead, they found it necessary to bully and blindside me so they could flex their corporate muscle. It was pure power-play.
I repeat. DO NOT WORK HERE. Communication is horrible, and they take no ownership for the lengthy credentialing process and lack of transparency. Their protocols and proceedures are cumbersome to say the least, and the EMR is horrible. HR and clinic management are nothing more than a corporate wolf in sheeps clothing. Don’t be fooled into thinking you will actually be helping people. All you will be doing is hurting your career and wasting a lot of precious time. 
Side note: I have never been fired in 32 years of clinical practice nor have I ever been expected to work prior to credentialing. Its my license on the line and my professional time. They could care less. 

My experience spans over a nine year period. In this time things went from great to worse. There was a merge half way through this time and perhaps it was unfortunate timing for me, but being laid off due to attendance even though I "was not a problem employee," in terms of attendance, was unexpected. They tried to let me keep my job, but after four years of holding a now-satellite (once local) position to the department, my belief is they simply wanted to consolidate. My local co-worker was laid off within the month after they let me go. The termination was cold and heart-breaking, after nine years of dedication and hard work, I lost my paid time off and was told my supervisors could not be referrals for me. When once they could be flexible and understanding, especially when a sick pet is involved, over the years they changed to mark each time I left 30 minutes early or arrive 15 minutes late (to attend to my pet,) as an occurrence. And with my supervisor being in Seattle, it was often difficult for me to reach her in a timely manner. Earlier that same year I had applied to two different Clinic Manager positions because I had enough knowledge and experience to do the job. When once that would have been encouraged and one would have been uplifted and mentored, after the merge, because I had no management experience, they refused to promote me. It used to feel like a family, working together to meet the needs of our community. Then transformed into more of a cold, corporate-centric business with the demands of a out-of-state union out-weighing my history and dedication with them.
The best part of my job was feeling like I was working with friends every day, and the sense of satisfaction that came when a client was truly satisfied and received the help they needed. When management was at it's best, I learned something every day, felt loved, supported, and listened to.  At it's worse, I felt invisible, disposable, unappreciated and under-utilized. It was often stressful work, and I'm not sure management understand that and the energy it took to do well at the job. I miss my friends/co-workers, I miss the benefits, I miss helping the clients. It's sad to think how things went down when previously I held them in such high regard and defended the organization when outside the work place. I still appreciate the service provided by it, but cannot shake this feeling of disappointment.

I have truly enjoyed working with the patients and employees - I love and support the mission at PPOSBC, and the clinical staff is AMAZING! I loved working with my health center team; I appreciate how impactful it is to work with the patients and communities we positively affected, and if I went back in time, I would still choose to work here and do it all over again, just to be apart of the mission.
My perspective is as a health center manager, so it won't necessarily align with everyone else's perspective. In the beginning, I was made aware that we were understaffed and it was all hands on deck, and I was eager. My training was minimal, and it was basically a baptism by fire. I had other managers I knew I could call, but overall, I felt overwhelmed and exhausted each day. I soon realized that managers are almost always understaffed, and it's always all hands on deck. 
I've been called, texted, emailed, on video calls, etc on my days off, and I honestly cannot recall the last weekend in which I didn't work.
The difficult part is that you love the mission, and your staff, and you want to do everything you can to help; but the workplace culture (starting from the very top) does not acknowledge a work/life balance. It's been frustrating because they say it does matter, but then there's another urgent call they need you to be on, or audit you need to come in for, and a work/life balance isn't put into practice or prioritized.
I felt terrible when my staff could see how exhausted I was, even though I tried to hide it, but you can't necessarily hide burnout...
Again, I LOVE and support the mission; the clinicians/doctors are incredible, and the health center staff are so empathetic and kind; the work being done there is impactful and amazing. Managers however seem to always be understaffed, overworked, under appreciated, underpaid, burnt-out, and often unheard. My mental health has taken a SERIOUS decline since working in this role, affecting my personal life and health...
I am thankful for the team I worked with, the mission, and services we provided; Managers would stick around more often if a work/life balance were available, they were paid correctly for the hours/work they put in, and they were able to be staffed correctly.

A typical day with Planned Parenthood is rarely typical. The job requires excessive flexibility and multi-tasking. It is also required that you are committed and dedicated to more than the in house work, but to a lifestyle of education and reaching out.
During my course at Planned Parenthood I have had the opportunity to really round my skills. I have learned everything from public policy, marketing, and community education to inventory control, reporting and quality assurance. I have also acquired skills that enable me to give the best customer service imaginable in the most sensitive and attentive way.
Management within Planned Parenthood is grueling and time consuming. The hours can be long, the stress level can be insurmountable, and the commitment is overwhelming. That being said, I found myself never bored and truly happy. The balance of learning and maintaining your center comes easily. I do believe that due to funding problems, the pay is lacking for the work management is plagued with, but the personal feeling of changing lives every day compensates for it incredibly.
My co-workers with Planned Parenthood have taught me so much about so many things, I fail to find the vocabulary to describe it. The people I have had the honor to work with are strong, diligent and smart people that rise above so much in order to care for others.
The hardest part of this job is finding a work and home balance. Between my passion and drive for perfection, the life of defending the hard and honorable work you do, and the level of responsibility and time it requires, it is important for you to be able to balance your work with giving yourself the off hours attention need by. The other hard part of my job is that though I am passionate about what I do and committed, I am ready to move forward. My commitment and love for this job keeps me from walking away from it.
My experience at Planned Parenthood is the best experience of my life. I have made family there that I care for deeply. The change in men and women's lives you aid with every day is rewarding and overall, I suggest the strongest try and have the experience I have.

A day at Planned Parenthood is very unpredictable, but in the best way. From the start of our day, I open our lab and exam rooms and perform control testing. I prepare our clinic for the day ahead and have the proper instruments necessary for each patient visit ready. I am able to anticipate the needs of my manager and clinicians by always paying close attention to the requests of each one and ensuring they have all that they need. I clean, and sterilize the instruments for our clinical procedures several times a week and keep very detailed, organized logs of each time autoclave is used. I perform the proficiency testing for our clinic, submit the results, and keep organized records of documentation. I also ensure every day that our lab is in compliance with government and state regulations, so that when we are audited we are well prepared. I perform phlebotomy and other lab testing as requested such as pregnancy testing, std screening, hemoglobin and urinalysis. I thoroughly enjoy what I do because I am helping to educate women on their reproductive health, birth control choices, I counsel them during difficult times and assure that they are given the proper resources. I enjoy empowering people and making them feel like they're in total control of their health, while influencing them to make healthy choices on a day to day basis. I am able to work in a fast paced environment, while still working efficiently and I am always eager to learn something new. My co-workers are a pleasure to work with and we all work together to make planned parenthood an organization that is patient oriented while also working towards the goals of the company. Our health center manager at Hamilton is an amazing team leader as well as a team player. she ensures that the needs of the clients are getting met, as well as the needs of her employees and that makes for a very pleasant environment to work in. She is willing to educate us on something we may not be familiar with, while giving us the space to learn hands on and expand our level of experience.

I am a current employee at Planned Parenthood in the call center. I take calls in both English and Spanish. On a normal day I take calls for the better part of the day, some days are a bit slower depending on the day of the week. Callers usually are looking to make an appointment, inquire about the services we offer, pay a bill, ask about test results, or to confirm insurance information.

I've been learning, and continue to learn, all about health care and reproductive care, insurance,and the kinds of services Planned Parenthood offers at each clinic. I had amazing training that allowed me to feel comfortable on the phones on my own. Of course since PP is a politicized organization, I'm always learning more about the political climate and how the laws and decisions made by our representatives affect our patients directly. 

I've been very impressed by management in my department. My supervisor is kind and has a passion for her work. I feel comfortable approaching her with any questions or concerns I have regarding the job, my hours, benefits, etc. I feel more than lucky to have her as a manager, along with a wonderful team of caring coworkers. I can really tell that everyone here has a passion for the organization and the care we help provide to our patients. Around the office there's always something going on; a potluck, a treat day to celebrate a birthday, a book club, and of course many volunteering opportunities at PP events!

The hardest part of the job would be hearing people's stories, sometimes our patients can be in really tough situations. The worst part is when we can't offer the services they need, or maybe they don't qualify for a discount, and you have to be the one to tell them. It breaks my heart. Overall though, patients that call in tend to be very pleasant people, with only a few rude callers every now and then, much less than you'd expect.

The best part of my job is knowing that I have the knowledge and training to get people the services they need and want. I couldn't ask for a better organization, office team, or patients. I'm very thankful to be where I am!

Let me begin by saying I love Planned Parenthood and am so proud to tell people I work for this organization. However, this is by far the most stressful work environment I've ever experienced. The teams are severely divided, there are many antiquated practices, and there is no consistency in expectations. The health center staff and admin rarely interact and there is resentment there for sure. Despite new leadership's attempt to "restructure", the inefficiencies remain. The lowest paid staff members are given ridiculous amounts of work, while middle management and senior leaders have no accountability and are praised for their work. Cliques are a real problem -- buddy up to the right people and you can get away with being mediocre at best.

If you need validation or even general acknowledgment that you are valued, please look elsewhere. Excuses are made constantly for the incompetent members of staff, while the hardest working people in the organization are burdened with extra assignments. There seems to be this idea that the high rate of turnover is just a "nonprofit phenomenon". HR does not seem to take employee concerns seriously. Instead of adding new positions to decrease the workload on their current employees, they tack on extra tasks (far outside the related job description) for workers who already have too much on their plates. PPGP does not seem to value its staff, give feedback to their employees, or provide flexibility to work from home. Without the mission and spattering of wonderful staff members, I can't see why anyone would stick around.

Some advice for the senior leadership: Turnover can be significantly reduced if you would listen to the concerns of the employees who are clearly so dedicated to this cause. Please consider who the people are keeping this organization afloat and hold people accountable when they are not putting in the same level of effort. Change is uncomfortable but IMPERATIVE for sustainability. I truly want things to get better and see this organization become the best it can be.

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