New Grad: Should I take Med/Tele job or hold out for ICU?

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Hey everyone,

I am a new grad RN, BSN who has an interview on a Med/Tele floor next week. I did my senior practicum on the ICU and really want to have a career in critical care. I am ACLS, PALS, BLS and NIHSS certified. I talked to the ICU director today and she said she would love to hire me but that they don't have any openings right now. She said that they probably would later in the summer.

I was offered an interview by another department director for a position on a Med/Tele floor and have the interview next week. My question is should I take the Med/Tele position if offered or hold out for the ICU? I know that hospitals frown upon transferring between departments before at least a year, usually, and especially since I am a new grad and they will have to invest time and money into training me. I plan on working for this hospital for a long time, and I don't want to damage any relationships.

Should I hold out in hopes that I will get my dream ICU job later in the summer or should I take the Med/Tele if offered? I am in Denver, too, so the job market for new grads is virtually non-existent.

Thanks!

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I am not yet an RN so please take that into consideration however if you are SURE you want to do ICU and can financially support yourself until the summer then please by all means go for it. I am taking my pre-reqs now and eventually want to get into critical care, however, I have sadly seen circumstances where a hospital (on a tight budget, I'm in California and as you know our economy is in the toilet), didn't let an RN transfer to the ICU (so the ICU dept. ended up hiring from elsewhere). Go for the dream, it's worth it and/or in the meantime search for other ICU places. If I were you, I would also talk to the director that has more or less promised you a position in her dept. again to either see what other steps you need to take or any other classes or certifications you can obtain in the meantime (i.e. ACLS/PALS if necessary).

Good luck!!!

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I already am ACLS, PALS and NIH Stroke Scale certified. My main concern is that if no positions open up in the ICU, and I don't take the Tele position, I will have lost out on a new grad job which are so hard to come by. I know Tele is better than Med-Surg for experience and possible tranfer too.

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Take the job! You will get an excellent base of knowledge and if an opening posts in-house you will be easy to transfer. Most hospitals it is 6 months. As a new grad holding out isn't a good idea and the amount of money to orientate a new grad vs some experience w tele will make you a more appealing candidate. Trust me, i transferred from tele to ICU this same way. My nurse manager never would have hired me as an outsider bc I lacked ICU experience.

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Specializes in ICU.

What is your gut telling you to do? Whatever it is saying I suggest you go with that. That is what I am doing. My gut was growling and I needed to eat.

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hey everyone,

i am a new grad rn, bsn who has an interview on a med/tele floor next week. i did my senior practicum on the icu and really want to have a career in critical care. i am acls, pals, bls and nihss certified. i talked to the icu director today and she said she would love to hire me but that they don't have any openings right now. she said that they probably would later in the summer.

i was offered an interview by another department director for a position on a med/tele floor and have the interview next week. my question is should i take the med/tele position if offered or hold out for the icu? i know that hospitals frown upon transferring between departments before at least a year, usually, and especially since i am a new grad and they will have to invest time and money into training me. i plan on working for this hospital for a long time, and i don't want to damage any relationships.

should i hold out in hopes that i will get my dream icu job later in the summer or should i take the med/tele if offered? i am in denver, too, so the job market for new grads is virtually non-existent.

thanks!

hi, if i were you, i would definately take the tele job. i would take whatever job i was offered first to tell you the truth. ive been a critical care nurse for 12 yrs or so and i spent my first few years nursing doing med/surg. i know nowadays new grads are started right into specialties and its great for the new grads but i really think having my year or so of floor nursing helped me, i gained confidence and knew what i was talking about before i was thrown to the wolves (joking) before i was on my own with really really sick patients. it really cant hurt. you have a whole career ahead of you and working tele etc will help you, you really learn rhythms working tele. that way you can identify and treat in icu. it may sound old and boring , not going straight into what you want but being prepared is an excellent feeling, and dont worry that icu job will be there one day. i promise. have fun and good luck!

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Specializes in Emergency.

I think I would take any job that is actually offered to you. Right now you have an interview, and a nice statement from a NM. That was DEFINITELY NOT A PROMISE, not a more or less promise, but just some nice talk. At the point that some job becomes open in the ICU, she may find her mix of nurses can not support a New Grad, and that she wants to hire someone from outside etc. Unless it is in writing, and very formal writing at that, do not consider that an offer. your whole first year in Nursing will fly by. and then it will be time to hit that "apply for a transfer" button.

And don't be afraid, it is rare for a NM to disallow a transfer, and it is usually due to some sort of disciplinary action that other staff are not aware of..

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.
Hey everyone,

I am a new grad RN, BSN who has an interview on a Med/Tele floor next week. I did my senior practicum on the ICU and really want to have a career in critical care. I am ACLS, PALS, BLS and NIHSS certified. I talked to the ICU director today and she said she would love to hire me but that they don't have any openings right now. She said that they probably would later in the summer.

I was offered an interview by another department director for a position on a Med/Tele floor and have the interview next week. My question is should I take the Med/Tele position if offered or hold out for the ICU? I know that hospitals frown upon transferring between departments before at least a year, usually, and especially since I am a new grad and they will have to invest time and money into training me. I plan on working for this hospital for a long time, and I don't want to damage any relationships.

Should I hold out in hopes that I will get my dream ICU job later in the summer or should I take the Med/Tele if offered? I am in Denver, too, so the job market for new grads is virtually non-existent.

Thanks!

I'm in the same position as you. Take the tele job. It will give you a solid foundation for when u are dealing with less than stable/optimal pts. Focus on developing your nursing skills. That way when the **** hits the fan you are confident in what u can do.

U could have all the cents in the world but w/o experience behind them ---they don't really mean a whole lot ya know?

Good luck!

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