Any advice on which new position I should accept as a new grad

sourapril · Jun 14, 2013

I'd go with full time. Day shift is hard to come by

BonnieSc · Jun 14, 2013

I think you're asking yourself the wrong questions. If there's really not a difference in hours, it doesn't matter whether you take full time or part time. That doesn't affect your resume or future. If there IS a difference in hours, keep in mind that you will become a competent/comfortable nurse more slowly with the part-time job.

But you say it isn't the hours, it's the benefits. Do you need the benefits? Unless you are on a spouse's health care plan, go with the job with the benefits!

You say the part-time job is at a better hospital. How much better? How much better is their training program? If the full-time position is at a "scary" hospital (as in unsafe) or they aren't offering an adequate new-grad program, I would go with the part-time (unless I needed the benefits).

I have worked both days and nights. At night, in my experience, you learn to be a bit more independent. During the day, you learn more about coordinating with other disciplines (therapies, psych, discharge, wound care). Both are good to have. I think either is a beneficial start for a new grad, so that isn't the question I'd be asking, again. The right question is, do you think YOU could do a night schedule? Some people just can't--either because of family obligations, or because they just can't (or don't want to) sleep all day while everyone else in the world is up.

Last question: have you asked the nurse manager about the possibility of the part-time job turning into a full-time one soon? If s/he says that is likely to happen within a few months, that would be another thing to make me lean toward the part-time job.

CaitlynRNBSN · Jun 14, 2013

I'd go with dayshift, full time.

I was hired into day/night rotation. I was talking with my manager about why we don't hire strait day or strait night people. My manager told me, that we do hire but it is required you have several years of experience. Why? Because she likes new grads to work nights and days to gain practice in each. I do believe she is correct in saying this. During a day shift it is very busy and there are a lot more resources available. If something were to go wrong with a patient, there are more people to help you out or come look at your patient. On a night shift, it is all on you and who you have on the floor. If you feel a patient isn't doing well, it is YOU, your coworkers and the doctor on-call. Keep in mind they are on-call for ALOT ALOT of people. So they can't be there as quickly.

Yes its good to gain experience in that and what to do in situations like that, but you need to gain experience during the day as well. If you work strait nights, you will be "out of practice" with day shifts. Our strait night shifters admit they would never be able to work a day shift. Atleast with day shift you are more flexible and it is much easier to work into night shifts if you need to pick it up.

I kind of said a lot, but I do believe day shifts would be better for new grad. You will be BUSY BUSY BUSY but it will be good for you, and you will gain a lot of experience from it.

jtnewrn · Jun 14, 2013

Thanks everyone so much for the help and advice. Im still struggling with the decision. I think I can work nights but IDK how my family feels about it. Plus, it would be nice to not have to change up my schedule and also to have more people there to direct me through. I am pretty sure that the training programs are similar..... Full time seems to be smarter for me and then I can go back to school to work on my BSN in a year.... Thanks again for all advice!