Pros
From what I can tell OHSU is an excellent organization. I was hired as a new graduate nurse and have worked here for 6 months so far. As a teaching hospital, they have cultivated a culture that promotes learning and self-improvement. I would highly recommend it for a new graduate, or someone who values an atmosphere of supportiveness. I can't speak for other departments, but the pediatric emergency department is an incredible place to work. From the manager down, they really employ great people. Almost everyone is friendly, knowledgable, and more than willing to help if you need it. The people I work with make a stressful job much more bearable and I'm extremely grateful for that. As far as pay and benefits go, I have to say I was awestruck when I learned about their starting pay. Currently it's 37.02 an hour for all new nurses (0 years of experience with a BSN). And it goes up every year, all the way to 54 dollars an hour. Coming from Missouri where the starting pay was about 20.50 an hour at most hospitals, this news was a surprise. But that's what you get with a nursing union though. The differentials are impressive as well. There is a 6.00 dollar night differential, 2.30 evening differential, and a 3.70 weekend differential. There are also a multitude of other differentials depending on the circumstance. On top of the compensation, the benefits are impressive too. Full personal medical, dental and vision coverage if you are a full-time employee (0.7 FTE or greater) at no cost to you. There are several options regarding the types of benefits you can choose from and some do cost money. Retirement options at OHSU are excellent as well. You can choose from an state-run self funded pension plan or an employer contribution plan that essentially pays you 12% of your earnings a year to an investment plan, plus a self-funded portion. So far OHSU has more than met my expectations of a positive employment experience. I would absolutely recommend it to other nurses.
Cons
The worst part of the job is it can be very stressful, especially if you are new and inexperienced. Again I can't speak for other departments, so this downside is likely specific to the department I'm in. As you can imagine children can be a difficult population to care for given their lack of understanding and fear of strange people and places. Add into it parents who are panicked because their child is sick, and you can get into some fairly difficult situations. So ultimately, the job is physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing. Aside from that the only downside to OHSU is it's location. The state income tax in Oregon is one of the highest in the nation. So about 31.5% of my paychecks go towards taxes (FIT, SIT, WC, and SS). Living in and around Portland is expensive as well, at least compared to suburban/urban Missouri. The commute into and out of Portland is awful as well, if you work normal hours (8:00am-5:00pm). Luckily I work at night an avoid traffic for the most part. Lastly parking near OHSU "up on the hill" is very expensive (14 dollars a day) and can be very frustrating if parking spots are limited. Parking is free at night though. Overall the pros outweigh the cons and I would highly recommend this organization.
