ER or Urgent Care After Hours Clinic? New grad.

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I recently was offered a job at an after hours/urgent care clinic about 45 minutes from my home. Benefits are great, the people are nice, hours are good (4-12pm m-f, every other weekend 10-5), holidays off etc. Pay is about $4 less than what the hospital is offering but that's to be expected since it's in a clinic setting and I'm fresh out of nursing school.

However, today I received a call to interview at a local hospital for an ER position. This is where I done my precepting so I already know the managers and the other nurses. I have a good chance of getting this job. It's night shift 7-7 and I'm not too crazy about the insurance. The med-surg floor offers 21.50/hr so I figure it'll be in that range.

The afterhours clinic sent over my info to HR last week but I haven't heard anything back. She told me she was waiting until they received my info before she could formally make me an offer. She talked like I had the job she just couldn't officially do anything yet due to HR processing my info at the moment.

I'm kind of torn about what to do. RN jobs in this area is scarce and I don't want to burn any bridges or make anyone mad by turning down an offer.

Any advice you guys could give me I'd really appreciate! Thank you :)

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I would say go to the interview. Until you are at the clinic working or have signed something stating that you indeed have the clinic job, you don't have the job. That's just how I look at it. Then if the ER offers you the position, well then that's another thing. You have to do what's right for you and your career. Of course you don't want to burn any bridges but you are the only one looking out for you in this situation. Just my thoughts. Congrats getting some offers/interviews. Send those vibes my way!!

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You have no job offer at this point and you'd be foolish not to keep your foot on the job-hunt accelerator until you do.

ER vs urgent care: I'd tend toward the ER job since it will provide broader, more valuable experience than the urgent care.

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Thanks guys! I'm leaning more towards the ER job (if they offer it) considering it's so close to home & the experience factor. I really enjoyed my time there when I was precepting, the only thing drawing me more towards the AH/UC was the benefits & how the shifts were set up. I plan on going back to school to become a nurse practitioner (I have to have 1 years experience before I can apply) and I think it would be a big benefit to me to work in my hometown.

Good vibes coming your way SpunkRN! :up:

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$4 less per hour than the hospital??

They are offering an RN $16.50 an hour?? INSULTING!!

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It ended up being $18.25 for the clinic job. There is no demand for nurses in my area, jobs are scarce and the opportunities are slim to none. Some people that I graduated with are driving almost 2 hours ONE WAY for their job.

Regardless, I interviewed at the ER on Friday, was offered the job on Monday & have already started my new hire paperwork & completed my physical. I am extremely, EXTREMELY lucky to have landed this job. It's less than 10 minutes from my home, pay is great for this area & I am already familiar with most of the nurses & the ER from being there for my practicum. I am more than happy/thrilled/excited/nervous to start!

*& I tried to reply to this once before & it never showed up, so if 2 responses show up that's why :)

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Yay Congrats Tiff! I'm glad it all worked out for you... More money and close to home! Wish the grads here in Ohio got offers that quick from hospitals. Most grads have to wait weeks to months after an interview to get an offer.

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Thank you! :)

I still haven't heard anything from the Urgent Care place, so if I was still waiting around on that I'd probably be almost insane right now. There & the ER were the only places that I had gotten interviews so I'm VERY lucky I got this job.

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$4 less per hour than the hospital??

They are offering an RN $16.50 an hour?? INSULTING!!

Depends on what part of the country you are living in....in the Southeast US, $16 for clinics and $20 in hospitals is about par for a new grad.

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