Choosing between two paths

Nurses Career Support

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Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to choose between two job offers at the moment and could really use some advice/input from the greater nurse community.

Me: 2 years out of nursing school, worked inpatient psych and doing remote crisis counseling for COVID through a FEMA grant.  The FEMA program is ending and I'm looking to get back into things.  Also, first child is due in early July.

Job A: Inpatient detox/stabilization.  CIWAs, medications, admissions, etc.  3 12s a week, days, alternate weekends.  Within 5 minutes of my apartment.  In a state that gives 12 weeks of family leave for a new baby.

Job B: Clinical education dept for a psych hospital.  Orienting new nurses, working 8-4, Monday-Friday.  30 minutes away.  State has 6 weeks family leave.  Worked there as a floor nurse and they actively recruited me for this position.

Pay is functionally the same.  Job B has a daycare center on site but it's expensive and might not have an opening. 

So yeah, I don't know which way to go on this.  Does anyone have any insight or suggestions?

Sean

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Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.

Not a psych specialist, but it seems to me that A gives you more time (less commute, days off midweek) you can spend c a newborn now, and good experience and insights that you can take to B when it opens up again in a year or two. 
I’ll be interested to hear other perspectives. 

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Job B - "They actively recruited OP for that position". That says a WHOLE LOT to me! Already familiar with the agency. No weekends.

Daycare, altho expensive, is a possibility. Unless OP already has reliable daycare/babysitting 'in the bag' set up, it will still be needed. This is a +  option.

A 30 min commute is NOT a terrible burden.

Clinical education is NOT a responsibility for OP as a direct care provider. To be there, yes. But NOT her assigned task.

At the end of her 8-4, she goes home. Very doubtful she'd have to stay for any OT floor time. As staff devel , and as long as I had newbies/classes, I  NEVER did floor even in a floor staffing shortage.

The only 'downer' I see is the decreased family leave time, BUT, as a new employee, is she even ELIGIBLE for that time off yet???I really don't KNOW this!!

JMHO

 

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

How stable and permanent is Job B?  Is it a newly-created position?  Can a sudden axe to the budget uncreate it?  I'm worried that they're going to have you "fill in" as a floor nurse occasionally and suddenly that's all you're doing.  I'd want to be pretty sure that this isn't a bait and switch.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Good points ^^^^^^

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