Respect: My manager is a great manager; however, our SCM and Director couldn't care less for us and see us as expendable. We were actually told that the next person to make a mistake in our department would be "thrown into hot oil." This was the first meeting with our department after we had made one billing mistake in 3 months. Since that time (and prior to) we have never heard any words of encouragement from anyone other than our direct manager.
Benefits: This is an extremely sore spot with me. I came to Banner Health because I was interested in their benefits, mainly the Tuition Reimbursement plan. Banner paid for 1 year of Nursing school then they told me that 1) they wouldn't pay for my LPN and 2)I had too much time before I completed and they denied my reimbursement. (I had only 2 semesters left to my RN and had already completed my LPN - which they paid for already.) I requested an appeal and was denied with no reason. I applied again for my last semester of Nursing School and was told it wasn't part of their "Strategic Initiatives" and denied my request again and told that everyone who wasn't in a BSN program was being denied. (This was from our SCM who took a class on what lies to tell everyone that was denied.) Also, when I was hired, tuition reimbursement was for everyone. Now you have to apply by a ridiculous deadline with tons of paperwork and signatures then they require a contract for anyone who receives reimbursement. Sorry, I don't want my education paid for that bad.
Medical benefits are a joke here as well. I pay more than I paid for United Healthcare and Cigna with other employers. Plus, the Banner Network is extremely rigid! There aren't very many providers to choose from and you must go to a Banner facility or you will . I pay more for specialists, inpatient hospital stays, diagnostic tests, physical therapy, than my friends who have insurance through their employers. Everything requires prior authorization and it took me 1 year for my Dr. to get me cleared to have Singulair for my asthma (which they only authorized for 1 yr)!!! I also have back issues and they denied my claim for a portable electrical stimulation machine after I had it for (& they'd paid for it) 8 months and it was the only thing (minus meds) that gives me any relief.
Job Security: They think you're expentable in the clinical area while my area not so much since most people are new.
Career Potential/Growth: In my current department, there is no future. Supposedly, the clinical areas have more opportunity, but I see that it's all very political and definitely not where I will be. For me, I am just using this place to get enough experience to go somewhere better.
Work Environment: My department is crap in this area. We are lucky to get pencils/pens! We seriously have to beg for post-it notes or steal them from other departments. We also don't get to use our budget for employee morale boosters like in other areas.
Summary: As long as you come to Banner realizing that they don't care about you, I would recommend the experience you can receive here. If you can't get hired at any better hospitals, Good Sam is not the worst one out there. Just realize most "benefits" you get won't live up to what they're touted as. I am using Good Sam for what I can get then jumping ship as soon as I am able to get into a better hospital. Hopefully soon so I can have my BSN paid for!
