Considerations between Hospitals

[bitter_betsy, BSN]

I will be graduating in May and will be choosing between 2 hospitals.

They both have state retirement so that will be the same. Insurance may be the same as well or at least very similar. Both qualify for rural tuition reimbursement. Night shift is my goal.

I don't know what the difference in pay is but not much - $2-3 at most and I don't know who is actually higher - oddly no one can tell me what new grads make at Hospital B (some say it depends on department) and I haven't asked at my current job because it seems inappropriate at the moment. With my current vehicle and expected new vehicle (my car has 250,000 miles and I'm praying she makes it through until after I'm off orientation) travel to Hospital B will require a minimum of 2 extra gallons of gas per shift.

Hospital A is 30 minutes from my home and I am currently employed there and guaranteed a position as an RN somewhere there in the hospital. They tell me the plan is to keep me in the department that I'm in because they have already invested in my training and will continue to do so. The plan is to get me from Intern to RN faster (ie less than normal 6 mos orientation). No residency program but we have in services and a ton of trainings available. So far every nurse has grabbed onto me and been open to explaining everything. They say as long as I want to learn - they will teach. I love this department. Its a much smaller hospital and many things get sent out - but I get to see them before they go and package them up for the rides out. It isn't peds - but I get to see them anyway. Always bonuses for picking up shifts - one girl picked up a $300 bonus last night plus overtime pay and all that comes with it.

Hospital B is 1.25 hours away from home (from home to parking lot with zero traffic, plus additional time for getting from lot to hospital - at least 15 min - it has taken me as long as 2.5 hours to get to the parking lot). It is a large teaching hospital (I'm a student here) with a brand new giant kids hospital. I don't currently have a job there - working on getting interviews so far but last year 60% of grads got jobs and that was without the new hospital opening. Love the thought of working around this level of knowledge - hate the idea of that much travel. Pick up shifts are available, but not as much and no bonuses for pick ups. Has a 1 year residency program with mandatory trainings that no one has good things to say about.

Have applied for DNP - ultimate goal is research - but not for 10 years or so. Plan for DNP is part time online (though same school) - will most likely delay for 1 year since program only starts in August (would like to be off orientation before starting program).

Have aging mom and elderly grandma that I don't get to see nearly enough - and they live in same town as Hospital A. Long term goal is after loss of mom and gram (20 year plan), we move to another state for "retirement" and potentially a slowing down and not in the hospital environment anymore. Child is not a factor - she is grown.

Logic stands to reason Hospital A is a better choice regardless of difference in pay - but what other considerations should I be aware of when making the choice.

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!