Magnet vs. Closer to home

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 30, 2017

What is the commute like? Is it fifty minutes on the beltway fighting traffic or fifty minutes over country roads with nice scenery? Do you need time to decompress between work and greeting your family? Does driving stress you or relax you? Do you live in an area where your 50 minute commute may turn into 3 hours because there's been a heavy snowfall and there aren't enough plows to go around? Do you have family at home to greet? If you want to work in the magnet hospital, is it possible to move closer to the hospital? Have you interviewed at any of the hospitals, and if so, what was your "feeling" about the unit, the manager, your potential colleagues? Have any of the hospitals offered you a job? If you only get one job offer, that pretty much makes your decision for you. But say you've interviewed at all three and you get three offers. Close your eyes and point to one -- that's the one you accept. What you feel about that decision will probably tell you more about whether or not you accept that job than all the pros and cons you can list.

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2017

I've worked for Magnet facilities and non-Magnet facilities. The difference? The Magnet facilities are prettier hospitals and tell you constantly they're magnet facilities.

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 30, 2017

Magnet doesn't guarantee that a hospital is a better place to work than one that is not a Magnet hospital. Some non-Magnet hospitals are great places to work: they just didn't want to spend the time and money on getting the award.

Explore all 3 hospitals thoroughly. Talk to local nurses who know them well. Interview at all 3. Then choose the one that is the best fit for you.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 30, 2017

I've worked for Magnet facilities and non-Magnet facilities. The difference? The Magnet facilities are prettier hospitals and tell you constantly they're magnet facilities.

That's pretty much how I see it, too.

Sour Lemon · Mar 30, 2017

Magnet means nothing to me. I wouldn't consider it when deciding ...not even a little bit.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 30, 2017

See which facility would offer you the best opportunities for your career. That doesn't necessarily mean always going for the Magnet. Sometimes the better opportunities are not in the Magnet facility.

Otherwise, if all things are equal other than that fact that one is Magnet and others aren't Magnet...unless you prefer to have that drive time for whatever reason--and I'm serious, some people do want that "downtime" of their commute for their own reasons--I'd go with the one closer to home.

MrNurse(x2), ADN · Mar 30, 2017

The non-magnet hospital I worked at had better care than every magnet facility in the area. That title means nothing to me. Find employees from the three facilities and ask about working conditions. Good luck.

amoLucia · Mar 30, 2017

I've worked for Magnet facilities and non-Magnet facilities. The difference? The Magnet facilities are prettier hospitals and tell you constantly they're magnet facilities.

And then a couple years down the road, they decide to de-magnet themselves.

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2017

And then a couple years down the road, they decide to de-magnet themselves.

Man oh man, I was with a hospital while the magnet process was being undertaken. The crap we were spoon-fed to regurgitate back to the Magnet people? I'd rather hand-irrigate an SBO - at least that crap is finite. I wasn't "randomly selected" *wink* to speak to any Magnet people. Wonder why...

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 30, 2017

Magnet hospitals are the vegans of the world. They love to tell you they are magnet but most people really truly do not care.

BSN_to_ICU · Mar 31, 2017

Honestly, just follow the facility that is going to work best for your sanity. I had a similar situation, 40 minute commute or work 5 minutes from home. Commuter hospital is Magnet and the close one is not. I ended up picking the Magnet hospital, not becuase of its status, but I loved the manager, the unit, and my potential coworkers. The hospital closer to home was equally great, but were going through some transitions (new call bell system, changing over charting systems) that I was worried would interfere with my orientation. Also, I'm a youngin' and don't have kids which makes it easier for me to commute. Also, my commute is rather easy just up a straight highway. Make the decision based on what you SEE, not on a title :)