Best Hospitals to Work for in Tennessee

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From the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to the blues clubs of Memphis, Tennessee is known for great music. It’s also a popular tourism destination and a great place to live. In 2020 it claimed the No. 1 spot in U-Haul’s annual migration survey. Tennessee has a low cost of living, no state income tax, low property taxes, and incredible natural beauty.

For nurses, the state represents a caregiver’s dream, being home to  some of the nation’s most respected adult and pediatric facilities. The American Nurses Credentialing Center has designated several of them as Magnet Hospitals for their nursing excellence, and their excellence has also been recognized by other organizations.

Tennessee’s Top Hospital

• Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Maury Regional Medical Center
• Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital
• Methodist North Hospital
• Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
• The University of Tennessee Medical Center

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Best hospitals in Tennessee

Of the 129 Tennessee hospitals that U.S. News & World Report evaluated, several were either nationally ranked or rated as “high performing” in specialty areas, and 11 were awarded Magnet Hospital status. 

In our own rankings of the best hospitals in Tennessee, we also considered patient survey results from government agencies like Medicare, safety grades from organizations like The Leapfrog Group, recognition and awards from consumer and health organizations, and feedback from current and former employees posted on sites like Indeed and Glassdoor.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is a teaching hospital and the main hospital of the only medical system in Middle Tennessee to receive Magnet Designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. It was ranked #19 on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals Honor Roll, ranked #1 in the state of Tennessee as well as in Nashville, and nationally ranked in nine adult specialties. 

The hospital received a safety grade of “A” from the Leapfrog Group and four-star ratings from Medicare for both overall performance and patient experience. Additional awards that the medical center has received include being named one of Forbes’ Best-in-State Employers, one of Becker’s Healthcare’s 100 Great Hospitals in America, and as a consistent leader in LGBTQ+ healthcare equality by the Human Rights Campaign.

Notable facts about Vanderbilt University Medical Center include:

• General medical and surgical facility and teaching hospital
• Located in Nashville, Tennessee
• Independent nonprofit organization that maintains academic affiliations with Vanderbilt University
• Number of employees: 19,600 across the organization
• Number of nurses: 4,800+

Maury Regional Medical Center

Rated high performing in six adult procedures and conditions by U.S. News & World Report, Maury Regional Medical Center provides multiple advanced services including a neonatal intensive care unit, a cancer center, and an accredited heart program. 

The facility has been designated as a Magnet Hospital and earned an “A” Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, as well as four-star ratings in both overall performance and patient experience surveys as reported by Medicare. Maury Regional Medical Center has also received numerous awards and recognitions, including accreditation from The Joint Commission, the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines – Resuscitation Silver Award, and the Gold Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Notable facts about Maury Regional Medical Center include:

• Not-for-profit hospital and health system
• Located in Columbia, Tennessee
• Flagship hospital for Maury Regional Health
• Number of employees: 4,000+ across the system

Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital

Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital is the only Level 1 pediatric trauma center in the region and its neonatal intensive care unit is the region’s only designated Level I unit. It is also the only hospital in the region recognized as an ECMO Center of Excellence. It has distinguished itself by being designated as a Magnet Hospital as well as being nationally ranked in three pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. 

In 2017, the Leapfrog Group named the facility as a Top Children’s Hospital, and the hospital has been recognized with several other awards, including having been named a Center of Care by the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF).

Notable facts about Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital include:

• Comprehensive pediatric hospital
• Located in Memphis, Tennessee
• Part of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
• Number of employees: 11,245 across the system
• Number of nurses: More than 3,000 across the system

Methodist North Hospital

One of seven hospitals that make up Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Methodist North Hospital is a 246-bed community hospital that has earned Magnet Hospital status. The hospital earned a “B” safety grade from the Leapfrog Group and has received several awards and recognitions, including accreditation from the American College of Cardiology, the AACN Silver Beacon Award of Excellence,

Notable facts about Methodist North Hospital include:

• Community hospital
• Located in Memphis, Tennessee
• Part of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
• Number of employees: 11,245 across the system
• Number of nurses: More than 3,000 across the system

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital is the largest pediatric hospital in the Southeast. Part of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the hospital has been recognized with Magnet Status for its excellence in nursing standards. It was also named one of the Best Children’s Hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, which ranked it nationally in 10-out-of-10 pediatric specialties. 

The hospital was one of only ten children’s hospitals in the country to be named a Leapfrog Hospital in 2017, and as part of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Medicare has awarded it four stars in both patient experience and overall performance. The facility has won numerous other awards, including being named one of the nation’s 100 most wired hospitals and health systems and receiving the Overall Top Performer Award from Professional Research Consultants for Overall Quality of Care.

Notable facts about Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt include:

• Pediatric acute care children’s teaching hospital
• Located in Nashville, Tennessee
• Part of Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Number of employees: 19,600 across the organization
• Number of nurses: 4,800+

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is an internationally acclaimed facility specializing in the treatment of childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The nonprofit hospital provides care and treatment to its patients and conducts research without billing its patients for treatment, travel, housing, or food. Though the hospital does accept insurance, much of the treatment provided is experimental and not eligible for reimbursement, so an estimated 89% of funding comes from donors. 

A Magnet Hospital, St. Jude’s earned an “A” safety grade from the Leapfrog Group, and its unique operating model and high quality of service has led to it receiving numerous honors and awards, including being ranked as a top children’s cancer hospital in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, being named one of the 100 Best Workplaces for Women by Fortune magazine, and consistently being named one of Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work.

Notable facts about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital include:

• Nonprofit pediatric treatment and research facility
• Located in Memphis, Tennessee
• Number of employees: 5,000

The University of Tennessee Medical Center

The University of Tennessee Medical Center is an academic medical center, Magnet- recognized hospital, and Level I Trauma Center. It serves as the referral center for the region and has been certified by the Joint Commission as a Comprehensive Cardiac Center and Comprehensive Stroke Center. U.S. News & World Report ranks the hospital #4 in the region and High Performing in 11 adult specialties and conditions. The Leapfrog Group awarded the hospital a safety grade of “A” and Medicare reports that it earned a four-star overall performance rating. 

The hospital has received other awards, including being recognized by the state of Tennessee for its continuous improvement and best practices processes and being recognized by Blue Cross and Blue Shield as a Blue Distinction Center for its expertise and efficiency in delivering specialty care.

Notable facts about The University of Tennessee Medical Center include:

• Academic medical center and Level I trauma center
• Located in Knoxville, Tennessee
• Referral center for Eastern Tennessee, Southeastern Kentucky and Western North Carolina
• Number of employees: 3,747

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What makes a top hospital in Tennessee?

Whether you’re an employee, a patient, or a member of the community, it’s easy to see that the best hospitals in Tennessee are the ones that are constantly striving to improve their care and engagement with their patients. They uphold the highest ethical standards and ensure that their workforce is provided with all of the tools and support that they need to continue delivering safe, high-quality services.

Benefits

Prospective employees weigh multiple factors when deciding whether to join a nursing team, and compensation is high on that list. While the salary offered is critically important, the national nursing shortage combined with the stresses of COVID-19 have driven increased competition for nurses, and that has not only raised pay rates but also driven innovation in the benefits being offered. From more flexible schedules and on-site daycare to concierge services that arrange for dog walking and travel plans, the best hospitals are finding innovative ways to demonstrate how much they value their employees.

Growth opportunity

No matter an employee’s first position, the promise of career advancement is a powerful incentive to perform well, as well as an indication that their employer is interested in their professional growth. The best hospitals make it clear through tuition reimbursement and flexible scheduling that they want their nurses to maximize their potential and move into positions with greater responsibility and earnings capacity.

Employee satisfaction

Though nursing has long been thought of as a vocation rather than a career, even the most dedicated nurses were challenged by COVID-19 and the related job fatigue. Facilities that are mindful of the stressors that nurses face and that take action to boost employee satisfaction consistently score higher on employee satisfaction surveys.

High patient satisfaction

Patient satisfaction is much more than a statistic or data point. It determines whether families choose practitioners and specialists who are associated with a particular facility, as well as whether nurses choose those facilities as employers. The more effort that hospitals put into moving beyond medical care to provide their patients with excellent service, the higher patient satisfaction levels rise.

Other factors that make a top hospital

Hospitals that take their mission seriously have several things in common. Among these are their commitment to engagement with their community, their high ethical standards, and their willingness to invest in technology that both improves their delivery of care and that makes life easier for their staff.

Safety record is critical

Despite the profession’s pledge of doing no harm, there has been an alarming rise in hospital-based infections in the United States. Facilities that take aggressive action against this trend have proven themselves worthy of both patient and staff loyalty.

Hospital policies focus on customer services

The degree to which each healthcare facility attends to their patients’ satisfaction is a significant driver of their success. Hospitals that view their patients as customers understand that their role goes beyond medical care and reinforce that message to their staff via patient-centric policies.

Latest technology and training improve healthcare

Every day, researchers and innovators around the world are introducing new technologies that improve care and expand the potential for treatment. The best hospitals invest in these technologies and train their staff members so that patients can fully realize their benefit.

Ethics leads the way

Every hospital is established around a mission statement that reflects their values and their goals. The hospitals that truly commit themselves to demonstrating their values through every aspect of the care that they deliver inspire pride in their employees and are the employers that people most want to work for.

Next steps

You’ve identified Tennessee as the state where you want to live and work, and you may even have identified your dream employer from among Tennessee’s best hospitals. Your next step is to commit yourself to the goal of being hired. Even with an ongoing national nursing shortage, you need to shine a spotlight on what makes you the best nurse for the job and demonstrate that you are ready to work on Day One.

Build your resume

Every nurse needs a resume that reflects their experience, their skills, their strengths, and their goals. If you haven’t updated yours in a while, take the time to review it with a critical eye. Imagine yourself a hiring manager, and see whether it does a good job of highlighting what sets you apart. If not, then edit out what doesn’t help and add in details that truly make you shine.

Join a nurses’ association

For over 100 years, the Tennessee Nurses Association has been working to advance the interest of nurses in the state. Though there are pros and cons to joining a union, if you are interested in working at one of Tennessee’s best hospitals you may find that the network opportunities offered by the TNA help you move forward with your goals.

Attend industry educational conferences and workshops

Hospitals want to know that their employees are forward thinking and dedicated to self-improvement, and attending educational conferences is one of the best ways to prove the point. They advance your knowledge and skills while expanding your professional network.

Keep up with continuing education requirements

Medical knowledge is constantly shifting, and that’s just one of the reasons that Tennessee’s licensing criteria requires its nurses to take continuing education units. In order to maintain a Tennessee license you’ll need to complete at least five contact hours every two years. Incredible health makes that goal accessible by offering free accredited CEU courses, complete with instant delivery of the documentation you’ll need to prove your compliance.

Search for job openings

A job search can generate excitement, dread, and stress, all at once. The process puts applicants on an emotional roller coaster in which they feel both stressed by the effort required and entirely out of control as they wait for responses to applications they’ve submitted. 

Incredible Health turns that process into a pleasure, allowing you to post your profile and your list of desired characteristics in an employer, and then sit back and let hospitals reach out to you. It minimizes your effort, maximizes ease, and has been proven to significantly speed hiring time.

Transfer your nursing license to Tennessee

Tennessee is a nursing license compact state. That means that if you hold a nursing license in any other state that is a member of the compact, you are able to practice in the state without applying for a new license. Once you establish residency you will need to apply for a state license.

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