Disheartened by friends' reaction about Residency

[PJishere]

Hello everybody,

I really would just like to vent. So I moved from CA to Florida beginning of the year because my husband is in the U.S. Navy. We have spent 3 years apart so I could finish nursing school, and moved as soon as I was done. I had missed new grad programs during my transition so I decided to work in long term care for a little bit (5 months). I decided to apply again to a residency program at a reputable hospital even though I was close to passing my 1 year post-grad. Weeks had passed and I no longer was expecting to get a call for an interview. So since my husband was deploying, I planned to come back to CA and work in LTC through an agency and save up money.

Well the same weekend my husband left for a deployment, I was invited to interview which went really well! I was offered the job which I thought about overnight and then accepted.

However, I initially hesitated due to low rate, they offered me same rate I was receiving at LTC which was supposedly non-negotioable. But I was able to raise a dollar due to CNA and medtech experience. Plus when I get my BSN I'll get another dollar.

However, the other major hesitation came from the 2 year contract. Overall I would have to commit to 3 years. My parents are happy for me, but my in-laws and friends were sad and disappointed about being away for that much longer. My friends especially thought of it as modern day enslavement, like an indentured servant.

My friends are not in the healthcare industry and I should have known that they weren't going to understand. As for my husband, I haven't been able to talk to him yet since he's deployed but I bet he could relate since I'm sure he got the same reaction when he joined the navy.

I see it as taking a step forward in growing as the nurse I always pictured myself to be.

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

I'm not sure how to contact a guide or moderator for this forum but your question is going to get better targeted responses elsewhere. Though this forum is called "post graduate" it is referring to those pursuing degrees beyond graduate nursing degrees such as DNP or PhD. I used to know how to contact the moderator for each forum but things have changed and unfortunately I haven't kept up.

There used to be a forum for "1st year after licensure" that might have more nurses who are currently in or have recently completed nurse residencies.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Congratulations on your new job. I hope you like it. Sometimes, you simply have to do what you have to do -- even if not everyone in your life understands.