Confused about which job offer to accept. Advice please

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Hi Everyone! I'm an LPN and newbie at allnurses.com and in real life nursing. In fact I am having a hard time deciding which offer to accept.

URGENT CARE, per diem position, 8 days/month 8hours per day. $20/hour

LTC, full time position, $23/hour

I would like to work in urgent care because I think I would be able to improve and learn new skills, possibly see different things that aren't in LTC. I prefer to work in a non routine environment. The thing is I have student loans and rent and bills to pay so I feel like I have no choice but to work in LTC. I thought of working at both places, however the schedule conflicts and it just won't work since LTC schedule is 4on/2off and so on. Urgent care requires 2 weekends and some nights per month which is fine since I would be able to use my days off from LTC job.:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:I am getting so stressed over nothing I think. Everyone's telling me I am lucky to have choices specially in our present economy but I have no clue what to do. Feels like I'm stuck... Sorry guys for venting but I really need help from you all wonderful experienced nurses out there.

Thank you very much for helping in advanced!

I hated LTC with a passion when I was a student. I had clinical rotations at nursing homes for the uber rich, and rotations at homes for the people who didn't have much and had a hard life. They were both the same (horrible!!!), the pts got treated the same (AWFUL!!), I came home every day from school crying.

Once I graduated I interviewed at 6 places (5 nursing homes,1 doctor office) I recieved 4 offers. 3 nursing home positions ranging from 18/hr-20/hr 2nd shift full time, and the doctors office position 15/hr part time. It wasn't a tough decision...I'd be poor but happy. My job was still stressful being a new nurse, and I continued to look for months after....eventually I found a job I love. So unless the money is reallllllly what you are weighing your decision on, you should pick where you would be the happiest. You may love LTC, everyone is different. I hope whatever path you choose, your enjoy it. Good luck, and of course CONGRATS!

:) atleast someone here understands me... i felt the same way when i was in the program. too depressing... unfortunately i need the money to survive... if not the money issue i would definitely go the other way :) routine and dragging work isn't my choice but i have to make it work this time or i won't have food to eat... oh well... i am hopeful :) thing is too, i have certs for IV, ekg, and acls... and i am ending up in a place where i won't need my certs except for IV (maybe) hehehe... :) well... atleast i am still lucky i got 2 offers in this kind of economy. I don't take it for granted and never will :) this is a blessing still :) Thanks for congratulating me :) peace!

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Specializes in Step-down ICU.
Why does everyone keep telling us that we need acute care experience for one year?

I can't speak for everyone, but I am a RN and caught hell trying to get hospital work or work in general without acute care experience. After almost 2 years in HH I am just NOW (literally, the last 2 weeks) being offered interviews. I will be going on my 6th and 7th interview next week. My opinion it's a great starting point for any new nurse that will open many more doors in the future. Of course you don't HAVE to, but you really have to be flexible in nursing now-a-days.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

@Spoiled1: my question was regarding the other poster's thought that new grads were to blame for the stigma associated with working LTC as a new grad. It seems that through anecdotal stories (like yours) and the fact that we're always told to "get acute care experience," the blame for the stigma is not on the shoulders of new grads.

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Specializes in Acute Spine, Neuro, Thoracic's, LTC.
I hated LTC with a passion when I was a student. I had clinical rotations at nursing homes for the uber rich, and rotations at homes for the people who didn't have much and had a hard life. They were both the same (horrible!!!), the pts got treated the same (AWFUL!!), I came home every day from school crying.

Once I graduated I interviewed at 6 places (5 nursing homes,1 doctor office) I recieved 4 offers. 3 nursing home positions ranging from 18/hr-20/hr 2nd shift full time, and the doctors office position 15/hr part time. It wasn't a tough decision...I'd be poor but happy. My job was still stressful being a new nurse, and I continued to look for months after....eventually I found a job I love. So unless the money is reallllllly what you are weighing your decision on, you should pick where you would be the happiest. You may love LTC, everyone is different. I hope whatever path you choose, your enjoy it. Good luck, and of course CONGRATS!

I must say, I did hate LTC when I did my clinical rotation there as a student too. But after working there for a while it did kind of grow on me...

Its not all bad, you may like it.

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so here's the update... I spoke to the nursing supervisor at the urgent care facility and she said it's not gonna work for me if I am going to make myself available for 8 days a month for the first three months since i need to undergo a lot of training. They'll need me atleast 24 hours a week so i can be fully trained in 3 months. She told me to think about it and call her back on monday. In the mean time I tried to get a hold of the LTC DON just so i can get clarity or narrow my options down a little, I've done my physical last friday 11/12/10 and i was expecting a call from them monday 11/15/10 cause they said that I "should be expecting a call from us on monday". Monday 11/15/10 didn't receive a call from them, so i phoned them at 9ish am, no luck didn't speak to anyone so I left a voicemail. I waited the whole day it was almost 5pm so i decided to call again, FINALLY spoken to the DON and said "you're good to go come here on thursday to sign your papers, and the following day be here to observe medication administration". I told them I can't be in on thursday and friday because my days off from another job (not nursing)falls on a tuesday/wednesday. She was rude about it and said "Well if you really want this job you have to make arrangements" So i said, ok I will try to be there on thursday but I don't know about friday. Then she asked "have you put in your 2 weeks?" I said not yet since i haven't heard from you. So she said that put my 2 weeks in and come in on thursday and friday. I WAS LIKE WTH???!!! she wants me to bend my work ethics just because I can put my 2 week notice in...? DON seems shady don't you guys think? or maybe it's just me... input please... I might just ditch the LTC and go to urgent care if they're so shady about it...

PS I haven't sign any paper work and they want me to put my 2 weeks in...? is this normal?

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Yes, it could be considered normal. Keep in mind that every employer is well aware of who Number One is, and they act accordingly.

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