Heart in ED; job offer in med-surg

Specialties Emergency

Published

I am a new grad with 2 months of school nursing experience. I really want to get into an emergency department. I've had two ED interviews, but no offers. I was recently offered a residency position on a medical floor. I have friends on the floor, got onto day shift, and have three months of orientation. That's all great, except I'm worried about being able to move from med-surg to ED. If I take the medical position, what should I do to make myself a better ED candidate? I already took ACLS & PALS, did my senior practicum in an ED, and have gone to conferences, etc. I'm not sure if I should take this job or not.

Specializes in ER, Addictions, Geriatrics.
I am a new grad with 2 months of school nursing experience. I really want to get into an emergency department. I've had two ED interviews but no offers. I was recently offered a residency position on a medical floor. I have friends on the floor, got onto day shift, and have three months of orientation. That's all great, except I'm worried about being able to move from med-surg to ED. If I take the medical position, what should I do to make myself a better ED candidate? I already took ACLS & PALS, did my senior practicum in an ED, and have gone to conferences, etc. I'm not sure if I should take this job or not.[/quote']

Why wouldnt you take the job? Any experience is good experience :) I worked on a telemetry floor before moving to the ED and never felt like it was to my detriment. Job offers can be pretty scarce.

Specializes in ED.

I agree. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

A lot of EDs do not hire brand new nurses or they might limit the amount of new nurses that start in a particular time period. It takes significantly more time to train a new grad than it does an experienced nurse. I say take the offer you've been given and work there for 6 months or so then try for the ED again if that's what you really want.

meredith

Specializes in ER, Addictions, Geriatrics.

I would think it would be easier to move into the ED through an internal job posting as well, rather than an external. It works that way where I am, anyways! :)

Specializes in Med/Surg, Float Pool, MICU, CTICU.

I agree with the above posters. Take the job and transfer when there is a vancant ED position. It's much easier to obtain a job if you have your foot in the door. Jobs nowadays are hard to find. I'm a FIRM believer new grads (like myself) can get jobs in a specialty area straight out of school. However, it is totally dependent on the hiring processes in each hospital.

If you do decide not to take the job, expand your job hunt to different cities within/outside your state and emphasize your ED practicum experience. Good luck!

lol Im kinda in same boat as you except my heart is for Ob. a month ago i was actually offered OB 5 days before orientation the CNO took the offer back due to low census.. my heart was crushed! so at a different organization i was offered an ER position. which im taking so i can get experience and transfer to ob hopefully sooner than later at the hospital in my town same company as the Er.... landing a job is hard these days everybody wants experience but every now and then you will find a manager that will give you a chance. I was debating to take the er job or just wait out an OB job but if i get in there get experience i think it will be helpful.

It's not the time to be picky. I would take the job. Besides it may help you to have more than school nursing experience.

Do six months on the medical unit, learn time management and of course tons of nursing skills, and you will be a stronger ED candidate. It will sooo not be a waste of time. Especially if that job is at your number one choice hospital.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Take the job that offers ANY experience......Residencies are hard to come by, never turn down a sure thing. I think you will become a better ED candidate with some med-surg experience.....remember the med-surg patients come to the ED as well. Focus on getting the one year under your belt. While some new grads do get hired to the ED......they have an extremely hard time assimilating all of the information I found as a manager that about half of the new grads quit after about 4 months because they are so overwhelmed by the pace, inexpedience at the beside....trying to assimilate your basic skills of organization and recognition of simple basic ailments and the fast pace of the ED is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

I am much more likely to hire a "new grad" with a year under their belt and a residency that a new grad no experience/residency with ACLS and PALS.

Thanks everyone. I decided to take the med-surg position. I have a good friend on the floor on the same shift and two other classmates on the floor as well. That makes it a little easier to decide. And, I got onto days! I think I will learn a lot and gain skills that will make me a better nurse when I do start in an ED sometime in the future. Where I live, almost all hires in ED have to have a year of ED experience or have to get in through a residency. That is the scary part, but can be overcome. I found out that my new facility has a job shadow program and expects new grads to work with the nurse recruiters after a year to get where they want to be.

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