Active Job Offer Help!!

Nurses New Nurse

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Hi everyone, I am new here! I graduate in May of 2022 with my BSN. I had 6 job offers after doing several interviews over the last couple of weeks. I was very surprised and felt honored to have so many offers. Anyway, I turned down 3 of the 6. And now have my top 3: 

1) A mid-size -ish hospital in my hometown (30min highway away from home- husband also works at the public school here). Job would be FT days on their medsurg floor, but also houses their small ICU, and really they see everything, no "specialty" floors bc its so small, other than L & D, and Mental Health. Rotate holidays, 3 12's, every 3rd wknd required too. $10k sign on bonus paid over 3yr. Highest paying at $30.78/hr plus shift diff from 3-7PM. Drive doesn't really bother me too much bc it is highway driving, and most people are coming into the big city, as I'd be driving out. Would suck to have to get up that much earlier for the drive, since their shift starts at 0645. And I would get home later also, due to the drive. **Note, this would also be a stepping stone job, as in about 2yr max when my child begins school, I would need to be working back in the town where we live and she will attend school in case of emergencies and I would never ask my husband to quit his admin job in that town..

2) Nurse residency at a Rehabilitation Hospital (I worked here as a CNA at the beginning of school- liked the type of work done and getting to see the pt's progress and getting to know them and their families often times since they were there for longer periods of time. DIDN'T like the RN's there, they were not very nice to me as a CNA, but they were nicer to me when I went back there as a RN student for Clinicals- due to covid and masks, most didn't recognize me). The managerial staff was not super nice either, forced me to quit bc they wouldn't give me a float position when school started FT and I had an infant to take care of too. So I quit. -Not on super great terms, but they offered me a RN job. Rotate holidays, 3 12's, wknds required too. $10k referral bonus paid over 3yr. Mid paying at $29.76/hr plus shift diff from 3-7PM. Close to home. It is small-moderate -compared to some of our huge hospitals that I would never work at due to being too too big for my liking. 

3) At an Women's OB-GYN office (attached to the only Women's Hospital in our area). This is traditional clinic hours: M-F 8-5 no wnkds or holidays. Close to home. I have it in my head that working for this large hospital system, with the Women's hospital that this would get my foot in the door, as I would like to end up in L & D someday (or so I think??). But I am not sure if they would like it more if I had the med surg or inpt rehab hospital as experience or the OB Clinic? Clinic is the lowest paying at $25.67/hr. $2,500 sign on bonus, paid over 1yr, I believe. (hourly wage might increase a little, they are working on price increase and she should know next week). I know it won't be bedside pay. I was thinking if I wanted to try and get some extra cash, I could pick up some weekend shifts at a hospital, or home health on the weekends to try and get my debt paid off sooner? 

I will add that my previous career is a Licensed Veterinary Nurse for the last 13yrs, so I am not new to medical field (human med-yes). That being said, I love the clinic aspect of being able to form relationships with my clients/patients over time. Getting to know them over the years. I also am really drawn to the hours, as I have a toddler, and trying for another (praying we can have another). 

I read through some other posts to try and get insight and saw someone posted a good point of clinic hours means you have to take vaca time you ever have a apt to attend, or child has an apt or something whereas when you work 3 12s, you can just schedule personal apts accordingly. 

I truly apologize for the post being so long, but I wanted to share everything at once, and be transparent on what my options are and what I am thinking in my head..but seeking advice from those with something I lack-Experience in human medicine!

THANK YOU!!

Specializes in ICU, School Nursing, Health Education.

Just my opinion, but if the drive doesn't bother you, I would go for the first job. It seems like the residency has a lot of negatives that you have identified. The clinic job would not give you the bedside skill set you would need to get into L & D. Best of luck to you!!

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