The numbers show it, and hospitals know it: ICU nurses are among the most sought-after clinical professionals in the healthcare job market.
Increasing numbers of high-acuity patients in today’s (and tomorrow’s) hospitals call for rising numbers of ICU nurses with the high-level skills needed to care for patients with complex, technology-dependent conditions.
That’s especially true for critical care nursing jobs in California, a state that has historically ranked near the bottom in securing enough nurses overall to manage the needs of a burgeoning population. Researchers predict California will experience the greatest shortfall of RNs across the country in the coming decade.
Whether you’re an experienced nurse pursuing a change in your specialty or you’ve invested just a few years into the nursing profession, you’ll need to run through a checklist to prepare for an ICU nursing job. Got the right traits to succeed in the ICU? Check. Completed or updated your Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support training? Check. Up to speed on critical care nursing topics through journals and continuing education activities? Check. Made a plan to further your knowledge with certification(s) as a critical care nurse? Check.
You’re well on your way to landing a challenging but rewarding ICU nursing job. Before you jump on the first job post you see, however, there’s one last, but important, consideration to bear in mind: your choice of employer. Where you work can be as vital to your satisfaction on the job as what you do.
At Eisenhower Medical Center, we understand the connection between the work environment and the success of the ICU nurses who share their skills with us. Here are the top reasons why you’ll find success at our state-of-the-art medical facility:
1. You’ll Work for a Distinguished Leader
There’s nothing quite as helpful to “upping your game” as surrounding yourself with people who have upped theirs.
As a renowned healthcare leader in the Palm Springs area, Eisenhower Medical Center attracts top clinicians. Our 542-bed, not-for-profit teaching hospital fosters an environment of innovation, collaboration, and research; and our clinical staff, from nurses to physicians to respiratory therapist and other allied personnel, enjoys a variety of opportunities for growth and advancement.
Our commitment to providing the highest-quality patient care — what we at Eisenhower Medical Center call “Healthcare as It Should Be” — ensures that our patients will benefit from our renowned expertise. This year, Truven Health Analytics named Eisenhower Medical Center among the nation’s top 50 cardiac hospitals, and U.S. News & World Report’s annual hospital analysis ranked our Rancho Mirage-based facility No. 1 in the Palm Springs area. The ranking recognized Eisenhower as one of only 63 organizations across the country to achieve a “high-performing” rating in all nine types of procedures and health conditions reviewed, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recognized Eisenhower Medical Center in 2016 with a four-star rating in overall hospital quality, making our organization the only healthcare system in the Palm Springs vicinity to achieve this distinction. Likewise, the Leapfrog Group, an independent watchdog of the healthcare industry, bestowed its top Hospital Safety Score on our organization in 2016.
As frontrunner in healthcare technology, we’ve made the U.S. “Most Wired” hospital list; and as a proud trailblazer in inclusive care, Eisenhower Medical Center has been recognized as a leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for the fourth straight year.
What’s more, Eisenhower Medical Center was only one of 20 hospitals in the nation to be named a 2016 Workplace of the Year by the Advisory Company.
2. You’ll Find a Supportive Culture Centered on Excellence
What makes Eisenhower Medical Center such a great place for an ICU nursing career? Our culture.
We’re dedicated to providing exceptional experiences not only for our patients, but for our employees, as well. Across our organization, we cultivate a culture of integrity, respect, honesty, and professionalism. We nurture collaboration among and between disciplines, and we help our clinicians forge strong connections within a genuinely supportive environment. We recognize that your success translates directly to our success as an organization.
Our longstanding commitment to excellence in nursing care gained official recognition when we achieved the prestigious Magnet Hospital designation in 2015. Eisenhower Medical Center is only one of 27 hospitals throughout California to have achieved the Magnet distinction, considered the gold standard for nursing excellence, from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
We applaud the skills, education, and dedication of our much-admired nurse-employees; and we trust RNs throughout our organization to exercise initiative, judgment, and discretion in their practice. In fact, we encourage nurses to be bold, transformational leaders. Nurses at Eisenhower Medical Center set the standard for our unsurpassed reputation as our region’s premier healthcare provider, and they have a strong say in patient care decisions.
We support the evidence-based practice and professional development of ICU nurses and other professionals in our organization throughout every stage of their careers. We offer access to a variety of continuing education and other clinical and professional learning activities, and we provide generous tuition assistance to degree-seeking RNs.
Nurses new to the ICU environment will also benefit from an active, comprehensive orientation program.
3. You’ll Have Access to Leading-Edge Patient Care Technology
Our expanded $212 million Walter and Leonore Annenberg Pavilion at our Rancho Mirage campus includes state-of-the-art facilities for medical intensive care, including dedicated cardiac surgical, coronary care, and neurological units.
Supported by cutting-edge monitoring, imaging, medication dispensing, and electronic health record technology, nurses in our ICU enjoy a level of evidence-based, patient safety-centric care available only in a hospital of our caliber.
Our ICU nurses practice within 1:1 or 2:1 nurse-patient ratios and enjoy collaborative relationships with expert physicians. They receive additional support from a respiratory therapy team and round-the-clock monitor technician staff. Our ICU nurses’ knowledge and input within this team model are highly valued and respected.
4. You’ll love living here
What’s not to love about the easygoing, resort-like atmosphere of Palm Springs and the surrounding Coachella Valley in Southern California? If sun is your kind of happy, you’ll find it here in abundance. The Palm Springs area enjoys 360 days of sunshine each year.
From serene to vibrant, you’ll find nearly endless opportunities to enjoy both outdoor fun and cultural activities in a scenic surrounding that beckons you to come out and play. Known for its dramatic mountain backdrop and cool, inclusive vibe, the Palm Springs area offers a chance to live a vacation-like lifestyle every day of the week.
For such a renowned destination, Palm Springs is surprisingly affordable as well. The cost of living in the Coachella Valley is lower than the California average.
Remember, where you work is a vital component of your overall job satisfaction. Consider pursuing a critical care nursing job with a respected healthcare leader committed to excellence and your professional development. Learn more about Eisenhower Medical Center, and search and apply for open positions.
Originally posted on 16/12/2016