Advice with job decision

[RNin, ASN, RN]

A little history about myself: I am a new grad with no prior medical experience from NJ seeking to relocate to Texas. My career goal is to be in ICU but feel that I want to build my nursing foundation before jumping into ICU. I have interviewed and accepted a position in a Post Surgical/Med-Surg Unit at a teaching facility. I love the staff at the hospital and feel as if everyone is there to help.

Today, I received an opportunity to interview at JPS Health in Fort Worth, TX. It's in a step down unit for the ICU. The pay would be $3 more an hour. If anyone has had experience in this unit or hospital, please offer some information about working at JPS. Orientation is only 8 weeks for this unit which seems to be a little low for a unit with vents and potent drips.

I am very happy to accept my current position that I would start next month but do not want to regret not taking an opportunity to work at JPS. Which position would be best for wanting to be in the ICU in the future?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

JPS (John Peter Smith) is the level I trauma county hospital in Fort Worth. It is also a teaching hospital. Each job posting gets several hundred responses because so many new grads want to work there.

Personally, I interviewed there a couple of years ago for a position on tower 7 (med/surg oncology) and they were going to offer me 6 weeks of training. The unit manager's rationale was that, although I have nursing experience, I had never worked in a hospital before. Therefore, I would be getting a slightly longer orientation than a seasoned nurse with acute care oncology experience, but a slightly shorter orientation than what they'd grant to new grads.

If it is not too late, I would accept the job at JPS. I think it would be an experience of a lifetime, especially for the type of nursing you want to do.