Excellent work ambiance and culture, very challenging workload
Pros
Mirabella communities cater to wealthy seniors and the buildings reflect this fact. They are beautiful and clean throughout, making it a very pleasant environment to work in. No bad smells (mentioned b/c this is an unfortunate issue in some places), very nice views, spacious, good looking interior design. Quite a contrast to all the other SNFs I have seen. This was also a benefit to the patients which was gratifying to be able to provide. The overall atmosphere (for patients and staff) was very cheerful and tranquil. An excellent environment to heal or, sometimes, move on. In general, everyone was kind and approachable. Coworkers were professional and friendly. I fail to recall ever being in an uncomfortable conversation where there was gossip or negativity. That is very important in healthcare. I really think bad attitudes, toxic interactions, conflict, etc. can make or break a work experience and Mirabella staff were always at the top of their game working to maintain a pleasant professional environment. Management was helpful, professional, and highly competent. All of the nurse managers were extremely invested in the patients and ensuring positive care/health outcomes. The seniors living independently were always very courteous and generous with the healthcare staff. They contribute to some of the benefits through donations and make a point to acknowledge and thank HC staff regularly. The administration does this as well. Admin works hard to create a culture of unity with all staff in the building by offering free/discounted/very low-cost meals, setting up large spreads of free food in the breakroom, playing games w/prizes, hosting parties, and more. Above-average benefits. Most managers/admin were hired from within which encouraged professional growth.
Cons
As all nursing facilities operate, the starting pay was well below what nurses (and CNAs) deserve. This may have changed in recent years. There were decent pay increases for healthcare staff throughout the years and some were satisfied with their pay. It took some time to earn a wage comparable to starting wages in other facilities though (hospitals or large clinics). No sign-on bonus. Many other large SNFs and LTCs with a lower starting wage often provide these. Not here. High turn-over too. Though I would guess that this is the case in many SNF/LTCs because it is usually used as a leg up into a hospital system with better pay. The nurse: patient set-up was unlike what I've seen in other SNFs. Instead of one nurse taking on all the meds and treatments for a portion of the patients, there was a medication nurse and a treatment nurse. This spread the workload out with more patients for each to provide care for which, in my opinion, led to an excessive amount of area to cover and an overall unnecessary amount of additional work for both nurses/medication aids. Staff often accommodates petty demands which are unrelated to care plans and/or create disruptions to workflow. Some patients have treated licensed/certified HC professionals like "the help" while they attempt to do their jobs well. Management would benefit from teaching staff how to set appropriate boundaries. They also need to let them know that they support them. Outdated, buggy, and/or non-user-friendly charting system. Caught a snag with glitches in the system on the regular. Frustrating and contributed significantly to inefficient workflows. While improvements were made, the facility would have been much better off with higher quality computers and software. Very challenging to communicate effectively with coworkers. The building was so well built that noise doesn't travel when doors are shut and it was often a struggle to relay a message or request assistance.