Job offers

[RN_Sara]

Hi everyone. I have posted here before about a similar topic but I have a more specific question.

I was offered a job in an office as a patient care coordinator. I am excited about the offer, however I am a new grad and this would be my first nursing job. It is a lot of paperwork and not as much nursing as I would like. I am afraid that if I still want to apply to a hospital later, that I won't have the "acute care" experience that most hospitals are requiring. This job is local to where i currently live.

I have also been offered a job near my hometown. It is part time (48 hours per pay) and I would have to move my family three hours. I am not sure I can justify that on part time pay. It would be a huge pay cut from my current job (social services). To take this job I would have to live away from my husband and daughter for a bit while he finds a job and we sell our house. This is a hospital job in ICU. The other thing about this job is they know I really want full time and I could wait for a full time position to open up which would give us more time for my husband to get a job and hopefully sell our house.

Any thoughts for consideration? The other thing is, if I would find a local hospital job, I would take that in a heartbeat which would leave the office job hanging. I don't want to do that either per se, since my friend was the one who recommended me for a job.

If anyone has any thoughts about the experience with acute care from an office job, I would greatly appreciate any opinions.

Thanks.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Take the patient coordinator job.

Do not even think that they will let you have first crack at the next full time job that pops up - many nurses I know got screwed with these part time hospital jobs and got erratic schedules, eg work one day one week and then nothing until the end of the next week and that turning into call in and doubleshift, etc. and call offs so much that they thought they'd for sure kill someone with the lack of continuity and learning.

Your other job is full time, and will give you an avenue into other jobs of the same type - transferable skills that will allow you to "stay in it" longer term. This may be transferable to different things (not hands on clinical) that will afford you better health and family life than bedside!!!!!

BTW I am looking non traditional but RN very desired positions myself

[DoeRN]

Take the coordinator job.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

[MJB2010]

Are you still looking? What type of nursing job are you interested in? Which clinical rotation did you like best? Sounds like number 2 is not goi g to work for a variety of reasons, but sou do like you want clinical experience or acute care? I would probably take the coordinator job and see how much nursing you do. It might be more or less tha. You expect. Can you ask to shadow?

[RN_Sara]

I am still looking. I have some apps in review at three different hospitals which is more than I have had for the past 6 months since I graduated. I liked OB (not happening) and trauma the best. The trauma floor I did my clinical on has openings frequently but it seems like they only hire from within even though they are posting externally.

Thanks for all the advice. I am still deciding but I have to let the coordinator job know by tomorrow.

Thanks again!

Sara

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Take the coordinator job. IMO, any RN experience is better than no RN experience.

Think about it. Yes, the patient care coordinator is probably not acute care experience.

But a year down the road, you could be a nurse without acute care experience but with a year's RN experience in healthcare, who has developed some skills, who has had the opportunity to network and make her name be known, who is building a resume, who now has professional references in healthcare that she can use when searching for work, and who can also use this time and her income to get certifications, take continuing ed classes, join professional organizations, and otherwise improve herself and her chances...

Or a year down the road, you could be a nurse without acute care experience, but without any nursing experience period, with little to no skill development, with a gap in the resume that needs explaining, with limited opportunities to network and probably without healthcare references. Employers get edgy when they see long gaps of unemployment and wonder why. And let's face it: a reference from a nursing school professor loses its influence the longer it's been since you graduated.

Now, when the acute care job decides to look at your application a year later (though hopefully sooner than that), which nurse do you think looks more appealing to them?

This coordinator job doesn't have to be forever. And no one says you can't keep looking for acute care positions while working. You may be able to find something acute care that is per-diem and get the best of both worlds.

And last but not least: you don't have to work in a hospital or in "traditional" Nursing Jobs to be a nurse. You became a nurse when you passed the NCLEX. No one can take that away from you. Sometimes I think new grads, in their "hospital or die!" quest, tend to forget that.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

[RN_Sara]

Thanks Meriwhen!

In a weird twist of fate, I turned down the part time job. Called her to follow up regarding the full time and they offered me a full time ED position. I accepted! So excited to start a new chapter in my life.

And you are right, I became a nurse when I passed boards, but I haven't felt "real" so to speak!

Thanks everyone for the advice!

Sara