New Orleans was a unique travel experience for me as I didn’t contract with one specific hospital. Instead, I worked as a local per diem nurse. I worked in three separate hospitals during my time in New Orleans.
Ochsner Medical Center; West Bank Campus
- 2500 Belle Chasse Hwy, Gretna LA :: (504) 392-3131
- 199-bed general medical and surgical acute care facility
- Medical/Surgical Inpatient floor
- CNA, Secretary
- Parking available and Free
- Staff acceptance of Traveler: Very Good
- Would you return? Yes
- Rant: Facility was still on paper charting when I was there (2009). Probably computerized now.
- Rave: Although patient ratio’s were high, the staff was supportive which made the workload manageable.
Tulane University Hospital and Clinic
- 1415 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana, LA :: (504) 988-5800
- 235 Bed University Affiliated Teaching Facility
- Medical/Surgical/Telemetry floor
- CNA, Secretary
- Parking available and Free for Employees
- Staff acceptance of Traveler: Extremely Poor
- Would you return? NO
- Rant: Staff was very non-supportive to both full-time staff and travelers, floor management was disorganized and unavailable, supplies not readily available. Patients were primarily low-income population and highly acute. Mix of paper and computerized charting systems.
- Rave: The only positive for me was the other travelers on the unit. We (travelers) attempted to help/support each other to best of our ability.
East Jefferson General Hospital
- 4200 Houma Blvd., Metairie LA :: (504) 454-4000
- 250 Bed Magnet Certified Facility
- General Medical/Surgical Floor
- Unit Manager, CNA, Secretary
- Parking available and Free for Employees
- Staff acceptance of Traveler: Fair
- Would you return? Yes
- Rant: Staff was helpful although not overly inclusive of temporary staff.
- Rave: Fully functional/integrated computerized charting system. Well organized/staffed.
Housing
- Private rental via classified. On St Charles Ave (Street Car Line)
- Cost: Off-season was within stipend allowance. Potentially more difficult during Mardi Gras or other festival seasons.
- Pet-Friendly was difficult to accommodate
- Street parking easily accessible
- Drive time to work aprox 10 minutes or less
- Street car was still inoperable due to Hurricane Katrina at time of contract. Operating now with fair access to public bus system as well as frequent taxi services.
- Safety was never a concern.
- Convenience: Most necessities were within short walk. Major shopping centers within 10 min drive.
My Neighborhood Recommendations
See previous posting Laissez les Bon Temps Roulez
What I Liked Most
I love New Orleans. It’s a beautiful city with tons of history, fabulous food, friendly locals and a unique culture. I love the fact that as a night shift worker, there was always something to see and do no matter what time of day or night.
What I liked Least
I can’t really think of anything that I don’t like about New Orleans except maybe the traffic and navigation. Most of the drivers in New Orleans do not know what a speed limit is or if they do; they don’t care. The layout of the city is very confusing and it’s easy to get turned around/lost. I would recommend GPS at all times!
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TheGypsyNurse
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