Too soon to change jobs?

[saradista, BSN, RN]

Hi,

So I just started a job as a tech on a gen med surge floor at a small hospital. I was hired in April, did training/orientation in May and June, and now (July) I'm thinking this isn't what I want to be doing. I have one more year before I graduate nursing school and I know that I want to go into peds. There are a couple of children's hospitals closer to where I live and I'm strongly considering applying and trying to get a job at one of them as soon as I can. The thing is, is it too soon to even be considering this? I want as much experience as possible now so I can make it a little easier for myself getting a peds job once I graduate (not saying that's going to happen immediately, but some experience working with kids at least gives me a better shot at getting the job that I want sooner). Anyway, should I wait a bit longer, or should I just go for it? Maybe I'm just getting antsy, but this is something I really want.

[OCNRN63, RN]

I think you'd be better off staying put for a host of reasons, the main one being that you may not be able to get a peds job straight out of nursing school. Your current job will help you gain confidence working with sick adults; you can apply that knowledge and skill to other areas, including peds.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I think you'd be better off staying put for a host of reasons, the main one being that you may not be able to get a peds job straight out of nursing school. Your current job will help you gain confidence working with sick adults; you can apply that knowledge and skill to other areas, including peds.

Exactly this. There are no promises that you will land a job in peds right out of school. What if you end up working in med surg? This experience is invaluable.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

The hospital offered you a tech position and trained you. Now that you have completed your orientation.. you see greener grass?

What are you going to give as your reason for leaving your current employer? A solid year of tech experience is what you need.. not being viewed as a job hopper.. priceless.

[CanadianAbroad]

If you leave, you can kiss that hospital system from ever hiring you again in the future. The experience you will get on that floor, will be tremendous. You are going on the assumption you will be hired in Peds, and that is more than likely not going to happen off the bat. Keep your tech job and learn as much as you can in the next year of school. Build your rapport and references and you will be better off in the end. Leaving now, will make you look unprofessional; as it hasn't even been six months and most hospitals make you wait at least six months or more for an internal transfer.

[ottersloveoysters]

I would stay. Otherwise you look like a job hopper. Get to know the people on your floor and you may find someone has a pediatric connection that may be useful down the road. The experience will not be wasted.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Stay. If you wanted to work a in a pediatric unit, you should have taken a job in a pediatric unit to start with. Now they've taken a chance on you by hiring you, and they've invested in your orientation. It's not cool to reward that by immediately seeking greener pastures. Don't think that won't show up in your background check when you apply for nursing jobs later, and it will make you stand out from other candidates in a bad way.

[WKShadowNP, DNP, APRN]

The medical community is smaller than you would think. Do your time and pay your dues, eventually you'll be able to transition to an opportunity you'd prefer. But to ignore the time and effort they put into orienting you to find something else is a poor choice to make, in any discipline (barring few exceptional circumstances). Prospective employers will ask why your time was so short in your current role. There's not a lot you could say to paint a pretty picture of it.

Good luck in however you elect to move forward.