Advice on where to work?!

[loboscon08]

So I am graduating in May and have gone back and forth between what I want to do when I graduate. My mind changes each and every day, and I am about to drive myself CRAZY until I get this figured out! My heart is 100% in L&D and I am currently doing my final preceptor ship on a L&D unit where I was almost positive I wanted to get hired on to. It turns out that I am not enjoying myself one bit because the staff is awful. My heart is still there, I just don't feel welcome and supported as a soon to be new grad should. There is another hospital here in town that has 6 L&D night positions opened. I have never experienced this unit, but know a few people who work there and love it. I am just not sure if its a good sign or not with there being 6 positions opened. Kind of a "red flag" if you ask me!

There is also ANOTHER hospital that offers a nurse residency program for new grads. You get to pick a "track" and try out different units before you hire on to one of them. The track I would pick would be "newborn nursery, postpartum and then L&D. You have a year to do try out the units unless you find your "home" before that year is up, then you can quit the program and hire on. I have been told that this hospital is almost impossible to get a position on L&D, so I was told by a nurse recruiter to do the residency program to get me there. The only problem...I know nothing about this unit/staff either.

I currently am an intern on an orthopedic/med/surg unit and have been offered a day shift position (which is almost impossible to get being a new nurse). My heart is not there, but the staff is AMAZING! I know that I would get the best support there as a new grad trying to learn and figure everything out. I am also very comfortable with the unit and have figured out exactly how it runs, etc. The only problem- It's not L&D and I'm going to have to take 6 patients at a time and that terrifies me!

So my question to all of you- Do I risk hiring on to a L&D unit where I don't know anything about the staff or do I stay on the ortho/med/surg unit for 6 months to a year where I LOVE and get along with the staff??! Like I said before, my mind changes each and every day!

Any and all suggestions would be so greatly appreciated. At this point- I'm willing to hear anything anyone has to say! Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post! Best wishes to everyone graduating in May! I hope you are all having better luck at trying to figure out what the heck your doing with your life than me! :wink2:

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

I can't give you your answers (having enough problems with my own decisions, lol), but I know where we are competition is tough for those specialty units like L&D. Most had to be applied for by January or February and have already done their hiring. I would check with the hospital where you mention there are 6 openings to see if they're still looking for new grads and also the hospital with the residency program to ensure they're still looking at candidates. If not, then you have a large portion of your solution. If they are, then maybe it's time to start weighing pros and cons and also submitting applications so you can at least start their interview/hiring process.

There is definately something to be said for staying where you are, including familiarity with the staff and feeling a certain sense of safety and trust with them in addition to have the day shift if that's what you prefer.

Best wishes!!