Accept job offer or hold off for dream unit?

[costaricasurf]

Hello,

I am a graduate nurse and I just graduated last week. I was just offered a day shift job at the city hospital in a step down wound care unit as part of the GN program. It is a smaller unit, 10 beds, with a 1:3 ratio, and the nurses seemed really friendly when I interviewed with them. I wouldn't mind working here at all. For this position, I went through 3 rounds of interviews, and I was told I was being sped through the process because I made a really good impression during the initial screening interview.

However, at the same city hospital, I was also interviewed for a position in the Medical ICU (I think this may have been a glitch, as other candidates for the GN Residency Program only interviewed for one unit). I finished my second round of interviews and am waiting on a callback for the 3rd round of interviews (which is usually a panel consisting of the unit manager and staff nurses). I really loved being in the ICU when I was in clinicals during school and starting out in the ICU would be my dream job.

I am unsure on what to do - should I accept the offer from the wound unit, or should I hold out and wait on the ICU interview, where I may or may not get the job? I also may or may not get day shift (I am trying to avoid night shift if possible). Normally I would accept the offer while continuing to interview, but since it is as the same hospital, I can't do that, especially since the nurse recruiter is aware that I interviewed for both units. The recruiter told me if I wanted to wait on the ICU, she would have to let the director of the wound unit know I interviewed for another unit. I just don't know the best way to go about this.

[workingharder]

There are thousands of GNs who wish they had your problem. Take the sure thing. You may have to wait a very long time for another chance.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I agree. You seem to have a postive impression of the unit that has already offered you a job. I'd take it and get some good experience under your belt -- then apply for an ICU position in the other unit in the future.

Now is not a good time to risk losing a good job -- a job that will keep you on track for your ideal job someday. The ICU opportunity will be there in the future. If you role the dice and lose, you might end up with no job.

[bill4745, RN]

Take the job in the wound care unit. You can someday transfer to the ICU.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

Ditto...take the sure thing. If they really want you in the ICU they will arrange things. Take the sure thing and talk to the recruiter about why you can't interview for both. If you know the DON in the ICU talk to that person about the recruiter not wanting you to interview for both.

A new nurse not having to pay the dues of night shift! Whew that's pricless IMO.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Unless you can financially weather possibly not having a job for the foreseeable future, take the wound care job.

In addition, starting out as a new grad in the ICU may not as easy as you may think...yes, it's possible to succeed as a new grad in ICU or any specialty, but you have a very steep curve of both learning to be a practicing nurse as well as learning ICU.

[NurseCard, ADN]

Nice problem.

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

I agree with the others, with the caveat that if I could afford to I'd just turn down the wound care unit and hold out for something else, knowing I may not get the other position and end up without an offer at all. What I would not do is string the wound care unit along waiting for a better offer; that's just rude IMO. If I were the wound unit manager and knew you were doing that, I'd rescind the offer. If you liked the people and liked the shifts offered, and it felt like a good fit, I'd take it and reevaluate in a year or two. There will still be critical care units in a few years, where your wound care experience could be very valuable.