Desperately Need ADVICE!!

[Kermie90]

I graduated as an RN this past June and have been looking for a job. I am currently working in a non-related field to pay my bills until I get an RN job. I have been finding that most places want you to have at least 1 year of experience. I ultimately want to work in ER but I was just offered a position at a psychiatric hospital and was wondering what I should do. I think it would be a great first job but I am scared that in 1 year from now when I am looking to work elsewhere, this will not be the experience the ER or a Med/Surg floor is looking for. Any advice??

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Take the job if you want to work as a licensed nurse. The longer you wait the harder it will be to get hired

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Take the job if you want to work as a licensed nurse. The longer you wait the harder it will be to get hired

THIS.

A PAID nursing job gets you experience; your path may end up at your dream job eventually; but get there by getting some experience.

[scaredsilly, BSN, RN]

JustBeachy and LadyFree are right! take it! After you have the one year experience you should have a relatively easy time transitioning.

[Kermie90]

I spoke to a Nurse Manager about my situation and she said that after 1 year of psych nursing with no med/surg experience, she would look at me as a new grad all over again.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I spoke to a Nurse Manager about my situation and she said that after 1 year of psych nursing with no med/surg experience, she would look at me as a new grad all over again.

And that's one perspective; didn't say they wouldn't hire you...

And if they did, there are other facilities that can and will.

Even if you are at a psych hospital, getting experience in a crisis center (which is like a psych ER) may give you a unique perspective and may help you transition into an ER; I know of a few people in my cohort that had that experience; I am sure if there are others here that may have had a similar experience that can weigh in, but again, nursing experience is what you want, or you have no experience and keep looking; it will be up to you.

[ILUVFLRN]

I was in the same position as you and 7 months after graduating with a BSN accepted a position as a new grad in the OR. It was my first and only offer and I gladly accepted. Needless to say, with the influx of many new grads from nursing schools all over the U.S., the competition is fierce. Accept the offer - get any experience you can. Who knows, this psych position may end up being your dream job! Good luck to you!

[chiandre]

Take the psych position. Sometimes the universe works with you to guide you in the right direction. Anyway, after one year, you can always go where you want to practice.

[RunBabyRN]

Take the psych position. Sometimes the universe works with you to guide you in the right direction. Anyway, after one year, you can always go where you want to practice.

Agreed. I took a home infusion job, and one of my clients works in a hospital, and is working to get me hired on if at all possible! You never know what can lead to something, but paid RN experience, acute care or not, opens more doors than, say, paid retail experience.

[RunBabyRN]

Additionally, you don't have to stop looking elsewhere...

[wooh, BSN, RN]

You turn this down you may not get another nursing job offer. Experience in psych nursing or experience not in nursing at all.... Which is better?

[Stephalump]

Convincing a manager to give you a chance at ER after only being in psych can be tough.

But convincing a manager to hire you after not working as an RN at all for a year wouldn't be any better.

Take the job and keep looking if you're unhappy.