"I can honestly say that I have always wanted to be a Nurse — what I never knew was how much Nursing would become a part of who I am. I graduated from a 4-year college and came directly to GBMC, where I have worked in the Emergency Department for nearly five years. I have seen the hospital evolve and I can truly say that nursing is at its prime here at GBMC. There is something special about the people I work with — you could say that because we work so intimately with each other in a high stress area to better our patients' lives, we have become a second family to each other.

I have the privilege of working side by side with some of the most intelligent, compassionate, hard-working people I have ever met. I like that there are opportunities to grow and become involved in both unit and hospital based initiatives — it is a great feeling to know that we as nurses are able to take control of our practice and create positive change. I see the great impact that becoming a "nurse's hospital" has had on my colleagues, and I love the way we are heading. My co-workers would agree. With the shortage of nurses, we have many choices about where we will work. I see myself working here for years to come. I am proud to say that I am a Nurse and that I work at GBMC."

- Amanda Hoover, RN

Are you considering a career at GBMC and wondering how you will be compensated and what benefits you will receive? Rest assured that GBMC is committed to making sure that employees at the medical center are paid competitively and that our benefit offerings are as good as or better than those at other area hospitals.

How do we assure a fair and competitive pay system? GBMC's compensation professionals are constantly monitoring the local, regional, and national markets for accurate salary data. If and when adjustments need to be made based on market movement or supply trends, they respond quickly to make sure that our employees' pay will be comparable. Additionally, performance reviews are held at least annually at GBMC, during which each employee gets specific information about his/her strengths and opportunities for improvement. In most cases, annual salary increases are based on employees' performance ratings.

Benefits at GBMC are designed to enhance the employee's experience both at the hospital and in his/her "outside" world. Several plans for healthcare and dental insurance are offered, for which the hospital pays 75% of the premiums. In addition, vision coverage, short-term disability, employee and dependent life insurance, tuition reimbursement, health club discount, and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) are among our other offerings. Information on these benefits will be explained to you during the interview process. GBMC takes great pride in its interview process, the goal of which is to select the very best candidates for each position, not only for the hospital's success, but for the candidate's as well. To that end, we involve many stakeholders in the interview process, including a nurse recruiter, the hiring manager, and sometimes department peers or other interested parties. The purpose of the interview is to reduce the risk of a bad match for both the hospital and the candidate. Although the interview process is sometimes perceived as pressure-filled, advance preparation helps to ease the jitters. Here are some things to think about as you prepare to interview at GBMC. You might jot down your answers to these questions, as you get ready to put your best foot forward:

1. Why do you want to work at GBMC?
2. Why, in particular, does a job in __________ department interest you?
3. Describe a patient experience in which you had a chance to prove your dedication to outstanding customer service.
4. What personal strengths would you bring to GBMC?
5. How would your ideal employer help you to develop as a nurse?
6. Give an example of a time when you contributed to teamwork in your previous job (or in school).
7. Talk about something you've done that you are very proud of.
8. What will your previous supervisors (or teachers) say about you, if asked for a reference?
9. What have you learned about GBMC either from research or talking to patients or employees?

It's also a good idea to think about things you want to know about the job, so that you can make a good decision about the organization you may be joining. An employer always likes potential employees to ask good questions about the position and the medical center and also wants to be confident that you, as an applicant, have done your homework. When you have, you can go into an interview assured that you will project the best possible image and increase your chances of landing the perfect position.

To help acquaint you with our safety policies and the GBMC culture, we've included our mandatory corporate competencies and mandatory nursing competencies for your review and completion. These competencies must be successfully completed prior to your working at GBMC. Once you have finished with the tests, please give them to your agency to be placed in your file.