offered PH job 3 months after interview..what to do?

Specialties Public/Community

Published

Specializes in SICU, PACU, Public health.

I graduated last july. I started off working nights in SICU. After 8 months, the hours and stress were killing me and I looked elsewhere. i applied and interviewed for a Public health nurse job in my hometown and PACU at my hospital at the same time. I got offered the PACU job and was passed over for the PH job. I love working in the PACU and everything was peachy keen until out of the blue i got a call yesterday from the PH people saying the job was mine if i wanted it. Apparently the more experienced nurse they picked over me was not working out because she commutes and is having issues. The lady told me that the only reason i did not get the job was that the other candidate had PH experience. Anyway, now I am contemplating changing. I feel horrible because I am still new in the PACU and hate the idea of leaving them. However the PH job is 2 miles from my house and the PACU job is 25 miles away. PH has daytime no weekend/holiday hours and tons more days off. I work 3 12 hour shifts a week in the PACU and the days drag on after 4 pm. The pay is lateral because i am a new grad and still make new grad pay. i do get shift differential in the PACU and take call one weekend a month (great $$ bad hours) I don't know what to do.... Can anyone who is a PH nurse tell me what they love about their job? I like the idea of working independently and away from hospitals but honestly I no clue what all the job entails. Thanks

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Specializes in SICU, PACU, Public health.

I took the job. :lol2: When I weighed all the variables, it just made sense to take the PH position. I visited the clinic and discovered all the different aspects of what I would be doing and now I am very excited to begin. :lol2:

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I took the job. :lol2: When I weighed all the variables, it just made sense to take the PH position. I visited the clinic and discovered all the different aspects of what I would be doing and now I am very excited to begin. :lol2:

Dear CheesyPeach, I'm glad you decided on the PH position, I am an LPN, but I've always felt that the PH nurses, had more options, and advantages, with flexibility. I wish you the best!

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Specializes in SICU, PACU, Public health.

Thank you. I do not start until August 1st. My current employer has been notified. My boss is very understanding and most of my coworkers are too, but of course of few of the nurses do not feel the need to be as friendly with me anymore. I hate it when people do that. Oh well.

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Congratulations! I am entering my last quarter of Nursing School. (I am in an accelerated program so I am doing public health for the next month.) I decided that I want to go PH as the job is doing everything that I wanted to accomplish by going into nursing. Prevention focused, uunderserved populations and it is a needed area of nursing.

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Hi CheesyPeach,

I am new RN, that interviewed for a community health center position in the urgen care........I love the fact that there are no nights...one saturday a month, nurses seem really happy there....so if offered I think I am going for it.

I was told in school, you should at least 6 mos of med surg...but this oppurtunity came up as this position is usally given to a more season RN.

is there a great difference between a public health nurse and a community health nurse....just curious as I have no clue.....what are your reponsiblities???

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smart thinking and good choice the PH jobs seems better and congratulations to you.

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So how's it going now that you have been there a few months?

I was a PHN for about a year and enjoyed it. We did TB management, worked in Immunization Clinic on occasion, followed up on STD, Lead Poisoning, failure to thrive, high risk OB, worked with the schools on drug/alcohol issues, nutrition, safe sex, nursing as a career, and hygiene issues, and did lots more that does not come to mind just now. Oh, yes - we monitored the shelters that were put up after a huge flood left a lot of people homeless. We made sure there were no rampant infectious diseases and that sort of thing.

The role was sort of nebulous to me and I had terrible personal problems at the time, which probably made it more difficult than necessary. I did enjoy it, though, and liked the freedom to set my own schedule and work away from the facility, although I did not like the winter weather and heat of summer. Can't have everything. I'd do it again, given the chance.

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