Sorry for all of my posts recently, I'm just struggling at the moment. I recently made a post about how much I disliked my current med/surg hospital job and wanted to quit. I have been in that job for a year and a half so feel I gave it a good chance. I tend to work night shifts weeks on end and it isn't sustainable for me anymore. I am looking into a position that allows me to have more regular hours. For over a month now I have been checking job postings every day and applying for any clinic position I felt was a decent fit. I have applied for 14 different positions and had three interviews. However, I am starting to feel really discouraged and am wondering if it is something with me or if I'm actually picking up some legitimate concerns for these postings.
The first position I interviewed for was a clinic for an independent company. The hours were good but during the interview, the manager stated the salary which honestly had me baulking. The price he listed was the lowest salary I have ever seen listed for an RN. It was $4.5 less per hour than I make now at the hospital as a newer grad, $2 less than at my community position. I ended up politely turning that one down.
The second was another clinic position in the community. Although it was listed as a clinic position, the hiring manager mentioned two or more times how I would make such a great community nurse doing home visits. I tried to as gently as I could mention I was just interested in the clinic, to which the manager stated that I would normally work in the clinic "but if the clinic is fully staffed that day we would need one of the clinic nurses to go out into the community." This wasn't at all listed in the job description. They also stated I would need to be available on call during some nights (1-2 a month) to answer phones about patient concerns and if I couldn't address it over the phone would have to drive out to see them in person. I am not sure if all of this is the norm for community nursing clinic positions, perhaps someone could shed some light. It also made $2 less an hour than my hospital job with little room for growth. I ended up turning down that position as well.
The third position was for a hospital clinic. The hours were listed as 8 hours Mon-Fri on the posting. As we were interviewing the manager told me that although the posting said 8 hours, I was expected to be available for 10 hours should the need be there. Another hospital clinic is being renovated as well, so they have been moved into the clinic listed. So there is double the number of staff with double the patients in a very small space. I am thankful to the manager for being so open, but it is giving me a bit of pause now too. I have heard people warning about the 8-hour shifts that then frequently transition into 10-hour shifts day after day week after week and the problems with being paid appropriately if the posting is listed as 8 hours.
I told my parents about my struggles and they feel that I'm being overly picky. My mom mentioned that no job is perfect. While I do understand this, I am nervous about what I perceive to be possible red flags. When I do transition over I want it to be for a job I see myself staying for years, hence why I am maybe being picky. My parents can also tell how miserable I am at my current job which is making me feel miserable about my life. They want me to find somewhere else asap now even if it is temporary. I guess I'm just concerned that I can't find any job that feels like it would be a decent fit. I'm honestly starting to wonder if I made a terrible mistake becoming a nurse since my health has declined so rapidly since starting my career. Any advice would be appreciated. Does it seem like I am honestly being picky? Or are there actual red flags in these interviews?
With all due respect and not to burst your bubble, based on your description earlier in the thread I would not say you're actually in the running for a position that doesn't even currently exist except for 10 months from now, nor would I personally be making any decisions based on this non-existent position that may or may not open up in 10 months.
So many things could go wrong with this magic position that is opening up in 10 months: If it is opening up because someone else is leaving then they could decide they aren't going to leave; the powers that be could decide it isn't in the budget to open the position in 10 months; more qualified nurses than you may apply and get the position (rightfully so).
My point isn't to be a Negative Nancy but rather to be realistic. MANY of us in our careers have been told by managers that they want us to apply for a position and then when it comes down to it, we don't get that position for whatever reason. Focus on your options now that exist in present time and then if, 10 months from now, you find yourself being offered that position you can decide at that point what the best move is.
Thank you for your honesty! I do realize that I definitely may not be hired in a timely manner that my manager had been hinting. I do think I may eventually get the job if I really wanted it since I have so much oncology experience compared to some of my other peers on the floor (placements, 3.5 years as a PSW at a cancer facility, 1.5 years on the oncology floor, have a chemo course x 2, etc). I also know two of the nurses in the chemo clinic that said they would be references for me which would also make a difference
. And you are right, I have decided to accept a PT position at either interview clinic #3 or number 4 since the situation with my health is so poor. It would be crazy for me to stay where I am on the off chance I could get hired there in a few months.
Your intuition is spot on. I have only worked outpatient positions. They will ALWAYS want more from you than advertised. You will find lower acuity in the clinic setting, but there are numerous other annoyances. Short staffing occurs in the clinic too. If they hire clinic floats to cover vacation, consider yourself lucky. Prior authorizations/triage take multiple phone calls and require more time than allotted in a day. If one of the MDs decides to change schedules or locations, you are expected to follow.
Have you considered a surgery center since you have that floor experience?
I actually did apply for a clinic that involves GI procedures. ? I would accept that role if I get an offer. Surgery/PACU/OR is something else I am considering longer-term due to hospital pay and better hours.
I think it's OK to be picky with the knowledge that it means waiting longer for a new job. In my experience most outpatient positions pay less than acute care, but in the county system I worked in clinic nurses made the same as hospital nurses. Also outpatient surgery centers that are part of a hospital or large healthcare system seem to pay the same as acute care, at least in my area. What area of nursing are you most interested in?
And, if you want to take your time finding the right thing but also want to leave your current job asap, there are tons of temporary jobs. I've seen contracts for giving covid vaccines full time for 13 weeks, filling in at outpatient clinics, etc. I've found tons of local contracts and travel contracts. I used to think travel nursing was only for acute care, but I was wrong. Might be nice to try a few things while you decide what you want to do next.
Unfortunately, I have applied to three vaccine centres throughout the year and never got in. I was told they wanted more experience. All my peers with over two years seemed to get offers and under two years didn't at least in my area. I am actually kind of torn between three areas of study. One is to remain in the clinic attached to my hospital if I get in. Mon-Fri 8-4 and hospital pay which would be great. But if I ever moved I'm worried I would limit myself. My second option is to go into the OR/PACU. A job where the patients are under and with regular hours would be helpful for my anxiety and health. Finally, my initial goal all along was to be a nurse practitioner for palliative care. But now I think I want a few more years of experience than I was initially planning. I guess I will see what roles turn up and kind of make a decision from there.
I think its important to be picky as an RN, because there are a lot of jobs, and a lot of them suck.
As far as the community clinic job that requires some home visits... is that a PACE program or LIFE program? Elder care? That is normal. The patients live at home but have nursing home level of care. Nurses usually either love or hate that kind of job. I'm a love it type. I absolutely love home visits and I love floating around to different responsibilities in the community setting.
Take your time to figure out what type you are. Learn everything you can about these jobs. Ask to do a site visit or to shadow.
Be as picky as you want and as you can afford.
I'm starting to learn I very much thrive in a more structured week. I think I am struggling so much because swapping shifts is really a struggle for me. I honestly don't know if I would have become a nurse if I had known this before. But what's done I done and it is possible to have a more balanced workday as a nurse for certain settings. Since I am living at home, now is sort of my time to explore and see what fits well.
That was my main reason for saying that yes, I felt you were being a bit too picky. Clinic nursing is pretty high in demand right now, and it's typical for it to pay $2-4/hour less than in-hospital nursing (due to the fact that it has very desirable hours and shifts), unless you are fortunate to work for a network that employs both clinic and hospital nurses and pays them the same, irrespective of their environment.
The clinic I am looking into for the long run is one of these clinics that pays hospital rate and is Mon-Fri 8-4 no weekends or holidays. My manager states he will interview me when a position opens up, but since it is a highly coveted job it could take a while. I did just have an interview for a hospital clinic (hospital pay and anywhere from 8-6) and another clinic that pays $2 less but I loved the location. Either of these I will 100% take if I get offered. ? I'm doing my best now to be realistic since you are right that most clinics in the community offer less.
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5 hours ago, Aliceozwalker said:
Thank you so much for your kindness. ? I did have another interview the other day and even though the money is less than I am making at the hospital, I have decided to accept either the third position (IV clinic) or the fourth interview position if I am offered. They will let me know if they are interested late this week. Unfortunately, with the way the system is now, a lot of nurses seem to be trying the same thing as me. The manager at my fourth interview has said she has never seen so many hospital applicants apply for the position before (due to the pay difference). I am getting interviews and screeners are giving my resume to the managers, but the competition for the clinic jobs seems to be pretty intense right now. I'm trying to keep positive and just keep applying. ?
So the takeaway from that is to know you are not alone. You need not feel badly wanting to leave the bedside. It's no picnic. Good luck and let us know what happens. I wish you lots of luck.
4 hours ago, Aliceozwalker said:
The clinic I am looking into for the long run is one of these clinics that pays hospital rate and is Mon-Fri 8-4 no weekends or holidays. My manager states he will interview me when a position opens up, but since it is a highly coveted job it could take a while. I did just have an interview for a hospital clinic (hospital pay and anywhere from 8-6) and another clinic that pays $2 less but I loved the location. Either of these I will 100% take if I get offered. ? I'm doing my best now to be realistic since you are right that most clinics in the community offer less.
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On 6/21/2021 at 4:39 PM, LibraNurse27 said:
And, if you want to take your time finding the right thing but also want to leave your current job asap, there are tons of temporary jobs. I've seen contracts for giving covid vaccines full time for 13 weeks, filling in at outpatient clinics, etc. I've found tons of local contracts and travel contracts. I used to think travel nursing was only for acute care, but I was wrong. Might be nice to try a few things while you decide what you want to do next.
Excellent point. I worked c a traveler nurse once and asked where she was from. She named a town 10 miles away. She worked normal hours and day but got paid a lot more than the staff nurses and went home every night, plus she got a housing allowance from the staffing company that she and her husband paid the mortgage with.
On the salary front, yes, I think your expectations to not take that much of a paycut going to a clinic are unreasonable. Every market I've worked in except for one (my current hospital's outpatient staff are in the same salary grades as inpatient staff, you just don't make any differential because it's all dayshift), clinic staff makes a lot less than hospital staff. But the other stuff just sounds like recognizing your expectations and not wanting to take a job that doesn't meet them. From looking at job postings in my area, it seems common for clinic shifts to be 8-10 hours (so 5 days or 4 days a week) or to have earlier to later start times to accommodate the hours of the clinic (it's becoming more common for offices to have one or two "late" days where they have evening hours available to patients), and I could see how a clinic that routinely over schedules might run late often, but they have to pay you for hours worked if you're hourly and not salaried. And it sounds like an office that routinely runs in to overtime isn't what you're looking for.
14 applications and 3 interviews doesn't sound like an excessive job search to me either. Ultimately I think "too picky" in your situation is going to be more about how long you are willing to wait it out for a job that fits your needs and if you are OK with your current situation in the meantime. If you are in a "gotta leave asap" place then maybe you need to have a shorter "must-have" criteria for the job hunt (ie must be days, must be M-F, but incidental overtime OK and paycut OK). But you ultimately don't want to leave a job you dislike for another job you dislike, right?
Thank you for your honesty. It is a bit tricky since I am in the running for a clinic position M-F 8-5 WITH hospital pay but it isn't for another 10 months (manager told me this when I expressed interest for the position). It's probably what is making me feel so picky in the meantime. I honestly should probably just find something temporary until that one opens up and I can apply. ?
It might be easier to get that job if you are still working in the hospital though. My hospital prioritizes internal transfers and if there's someone who meets the requirements of the position (and as long as there aren't disciplinary issues) they would fill the job before it's even made open to non-internal candidates to apply. Something to consider. 6-10 months can seem like a long time when you're miserable but if it's a wait for a job that checks off all your want items, it might be worth it.
You are in a position to be able to pick & choose what you do or do not want. If it don't feel like a match just keep trucking along till you find what you are looking for. You have a job while you are looking anyhow. Do what's right for you.
Thank you for your honesty. It is a bit tricky since I am in the running for a clinic position M-F 8-5 WITH hospital pay but it isn't for another 10 months (manager told me this when I expressed interest for the position). It's probably what is making me feel so picky in the meantime. I honestly should probably just find something temporary until that one opens up and I can apply. ?
Maybe you should just try to hang tight where you are if that clinic position is part of the health system you already work for. If so you'd likely be applying to that clinic position as an internal transfer instead of as a new hire. That would not only give you an edge over outside candidates it could also let you keep all your accrued company seniority and the benefits that come with that depending on how the employer handles that.
Of course if you decide to go that route you could very possibly be faced with the situation where you don't get the job at all. Just because they've already expressed some interest in you that doesn't at all guarantee you'll actually be offered the position when it opens up. So be prepared for the possibility of great disappointment if you stick it out for possibly almost a year in a job you really dislike only to not get the position you really want.
On the other hand if the clinic position is stand alone or affiliated with a different health care system than your current employer by all means pursue other options! Also feel free to entertain other offers that might be a good fit for you if you are not at completely certain you'll get that clinic job you want. Sadly the only way to be completely certain is to get an offer which probably wouldn't happen until the job is actually open and posted.
When pursuing other options though be aware that just about all clinic jobs pay less than hospitals. It's a trade off many are willing to take. If nothing else clinic hours are day shifts only, closed most major holidays and generally predictable. A couple of dollars an hour pay cut is acceptable for most people for that trade off of having a better schedule, I do agree though that a $4.50/hr cut in pay is more than most people including myself would be willing to take!
I honestly wouldn't be too concerned about the offer that was pretty forward about the eight hour shifts frequently turning in 10 hour shifts. As long as it's hourly pay you'd be getting paid for the time you work. If it's salary though that would definitely make me think twice about it. No way would I be willing to essentially work for free two hours a day.
I also don't blame you at all for turning down the community health clinic job that would also be sending you out for home visits when necessary, as low man on the totem pole guess who'd probably be stuck with that most of the time? Not to mention the probable need to go to home visits in the middle of the night when you are the on-call person. That would be a hard no for me as well.
Aliceozwalker
66 Posts
Thank you for your honesty! I do realize that I definitely may not be hired in a timely manner that my manager had been hinting. I do think I may eventually get the job if I really wanted it since I have so much oncology experience compared to some of my other peers on the floor (placements, 3.5 years as a PSW at a cancer facility, 1.5 years on the oncology floor, have a chemo course x 2, etc). I also know two of the nurses in the chemo clinic that said they would be references for me which would also make a difference
. And you are right, I have decided to accept a PT position at either interview clinic #3 or number 4 since the situation with my health is so poor. It would be crazy for me to stay where I am on the off chance I could get hired there in a few months.