Best Hospitals to Work for in Massachusetts

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Would you be interested in working at a hospital located in the same state as Harvard University? Here, you’ll read about five Magnet hospitals, as designated by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), in Massachusetts to work for as a nurse.

Massachusetts’s Top Hospital

• Baystate Medical Center
• Boston Children’s Hospital
• Boston Medical Center
• Massachusetts General Hospital
• South Shore Hospital

Best Hospitals in Massachusetts

The following top-rated institutions have Magnet status, which means they have the best workplace conditions, high nursing excellence, innovations and satisfactory quality patient outcomes. We also reviewed other websites such as Medicare and U.S. News & World Report to compile the list.

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Baystate Medical Center

This Magnet hospital has been ranked No. 5 in Massachusetts and is rated high performing in orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report. 

Baystate Medical Center has a huge importance in Massachusetts, as it’s the main tertiary care referral center for the region. It has received the Gold Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) in 2021, and it was named one of the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by IBM Watson Health the same year.

The facility has a three-star rating from the federal government.

Learn more about Baystate Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit
• Location: Springfield, Massachusetts
• Hospital network: five facilities 
• Employees: 13,000 (across the entire network)
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:1.1 – 1:9

Boston Children’s Hospital*

Boston Children’s Hospital has been ranked No. 1 in Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll for nine years in a row, No. 1 in Massachusetts and is nationally ranked in 10 children’s specialties, including neonatology and pediatric urology, by U.S. News & World Report.

Boston Children’s Hospital is the primary pediatric teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School, the best medical school in the country.

The institution has been considered a Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality by Healthcare Equality Index and was named one of 100 Great Hospitals by Becker’s Hospital Review in 2019.

Learn more about Boston Children’s Hospital:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Hospital network: seven facilities 
• Employees: 3,000+ 

Boston Medical Center*

Boston Medical Center is the largest hospital in New England, and is rated high performing in geriatrics and neurology and neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report.

In 2022, the hospital was considered the fourth-most socially responsible hospital in the country and was ranked No. 23 among 70 institutions on the Best Employers by State Forbes list. 

It also won the 2021 Nation’s Best and Brightest In Wellness Award  for its excellence in human resource practices. The facility has a two-star rating from the federal government.

Learn more about Boston Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Employees: 5,123

Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is regionally ranked No. 1 in Massachusetts and Boston and high performing in several procedures or conditions, including colon cancer surgery and lung cancer surgery. It also ranks No. 5 on the U.S. News Best Hospitals Honor Roll by U.S. News & World Report. 

In 2021, it was considered one of the Best Places to Work in U.S. by Glassdoor, and named one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare in 2015.

The facility, part of the Mass General Brigham health system, earned an “A” rating from The Leapfrog Group for its high-quality healthcare in 2022 and has been certified as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center for its excellence in stroke care.

MGH is also the university hospital of Harvard Medical School and has a five-star rating from the federal government.

Learn more about Massachusetts General Hospital:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Hospital network: 14 facilities 
• Employees: 25,000+ 
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:1

South Shore Hospital*

South Shore Hospital has been ranked No. 8 in Massachusetts, is rated high performing in urology and heart attack, among other procedures or conditions, by U.S. News & World Report.

The institution is the leading provider of acute and outpatient care in the southeastern region of Massachusetts and it was the first community hospital in the state to set up a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Also, its Critical Care Unit (CCU) has received the Silver Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) in 2022.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts recognized the organization for its spine surgery, bariatric surgery and maternity care and, in 2021, the facility was granted the WWCMA WorkWell Massachusetts Award for its corporate health and wellness programs.

The hospital has a four-star rating from the federal government.

Learn more about South Shore Hospital:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: South Weymouth, Massachusetts
• Employees: 5,400
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:1.6 – 1:1.7

*Incredible Health helps these hospitals find permanent nurses. Sign up to get matched with nursing jobs!

What makes a best hospital in Massachusetts

Top hospitals use several resources to attract the best talent to their staff. Employee benefits programs and hospital customer policies are some examples.

Benefits

Nurses working in Massachusetts have one of the best average salaries, in general — 16% higher than national rates. Additionally, the best hospitals invest in benefits such as financial resources, employee discounts and dental plans.

Growth opportunity

Massachusetts provides many growth opportunities, especially if you’re at one of the top Magnet hospitals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state is in the top five paying states for nurse practitioners. But if you’re a nurse anesthetist (CRNA), there are many ways to grow in your career as well. 

Employee satisfaction

Employee satisfaction is a must in any job. But in healthcare, it is even more essential. Job fatigue and burnout, for example, are commonly related to excessive night shifts and rotating shifts. High-performing hospitals, with their resources, are more likely to keep a normal nursing workload. 

High patient satisfaction

Good patient care quality and lower costs, which result in high patient satisfaction, are common features of the best hospitals.

Other factors that make a top hospital

There is no secret that healthcare is one of the most needed industries. But if they want to increase revenue and provide a great patient experience, they must be competitive. Here are some other factors that can help them stand out:

Safety record is critical

Among top hospitals, worker safety is certainly a priority. Limiting hospital staff shift durations, partnering with Patient Safety Organizations and measuring hospital patient safety culture are ways to help reach safety standards and prevent infections or workplace accidents, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Hospital policies focus on customer services 

When a hospital invests in a customer-first approach, they are more likely to prevent health problems and save money on treating diseases.

Latest technology and training improve healthcare

Technology is one of the primary factors that keep healthcare evolving. In addition, hospitals in Massachusetts have the advantage of having close to them not just Harvard University but also Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Ethics lead the way

Ethics is another strong point for high-performing hospitals. It helps to clarify staff roles and responsibilities while providing a north star to the professionals when dealing with common ethical questions.

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Next steps

Experienced nurses and recent graduates have career aspirations in common, don’t you agree? That’s why it is important to know and practice the best strategies to get the best job opportunities. Read more about it and start applying in the right way.

Build your resume

A resume basically shows an employer what you have done in the past that may contribute to its business. The AACN has provided specific guidelines for the nursing resume, and we summarized them for you.

Join a nurses association

Joining a nurses association is also part of the journey to getting your dream hospital job. In Massachusetts, for example, you can find the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) and the American Nurses Association Massachusetts. Similar to a nursing union, they are essential to advance the profession as a whole. But if you are looking for mentoring and networking, a nursing organization is recommended.  

Attend industry educational conferences and workshops

Attending nursing conferences is your next step to start working for one of the U.S.’s best hospitals. You can find some events at Boston Medical Center, via the MNA and in our section of nursing advice about Massachusetts.

Keep up with continuing education requirements

In conjunction with educational meetings, it’s advisable to study on your own — if you want to keep up with the nursing education requirements.

Don’t forget to start our free Massachusetts Continuing Education Units (CEU) courses. You just need to sign up to start learning.

Search for job openings

Did you know that, for a more efficient job search, you could have hospitals applying to you?

Enjoy our marketplace technology that matches the right role and the right employer with you. Create your account today!

Transfer your nursing license to Massachusetts

Massachusetts is still awaiting the passage of the Nurse Licensure Compact legislation. If you’re from a compact state, you’ll need to apply for licensure by endorsement and notify the board of nursing from your former state. That’s one example of how to transfer licenses, and it might be needed if you’re not a Bay Stater but got accepted in one of the hospitals listed in this article.

Read our guide and know what to do in your case.

Sources

• “ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®.” nursingworld.org. Accessed July 2, 2022.
• Medicare. medicare.gov. Accessed July 2, 2022.
• “Most Massachusetts hospitals pledge net-zero emissions by 2050”. wbur.org. Accessed July 2, 2022.
• “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021” bls.gov. Accessed July 2, 2022.
• “10 Patient Safety Tips for Hospitals” ahrq.gov. Accessed July 2, 2022.
• “The Future of Healthcare: MIT, Bayer & Others Leverage AI, Machine Learning.” biospace.com. Accessed July 2, 2022.
• “U.S. News Best Hospitals.” health.usnews.com. Accessed July 2, 2022.