This may seem like an obvious decision, but it's wayyyy complicated now. I'm a new RN, graduated 8 months ago and have stayed home with my new baby who is now 9 months. I wanted L&D but there were no openings. Now I have gotten 3 job offers: two at a large teaching hospital (telemetry and cardiac stepdown), and one in the ER at the main downtown hospital. Both hospitals are Magnet. All 3 of the managers are fantastic.
My gut instinct was to go for Tele since I'm brand new and I think that will make me more marketable and give me a good skills foundation, despite the boredom I'll get after a few months. However, the hours suck for us. 7-7 nights until a spot on 7-7 days opens. Either shift sucks, but especially nights, and even doing nights for a few months while on the waitlist is going to be really hard on our little family because my husband works long crazy hours 7 days a week.
ER, while I'm sure is "shark territory" for a new nurse, has the flexible, multiple shifts, ER hours. I think i'd be taking a 3p-3a shift at first, which has a much less severe sleep lag to catch up on than 7p shift, and I'd only have to have someone watch her for a few hours until my hubbs got off work as opposed to throwing her in a daycare or hiring a nanny.
So I'm at a crossroads of what's best for my career vs. what's best for my family. I need some help!
I would hate to see you lose your job or your license by taking an ER position when you do not have experience to work in a fast paced environment in today's healthcare situations of high expectations and inadequate orientation.
You also will be much more stressed out if you are constantly worrying about getting it together and keeping an ER job that you are not prepared for. This will affect your life in worse ways than a shift you do not like.
This is the type of response that gets to me, which I knew was coming from someone. New grads CAN and DO succeed in ED's. To generalize that it isn't possible is offensive to me and the many other new grads who are entering this type of nursing. I have no fear or losing my job or license. I am getting a very adequate orientation, along with hours of classroom time to help me be better prepared to work in the ED. I have wonderful preceptors and managers. I have mentors who are there for me to help me when needed. I never feel as though I am risking my license.
Amen. I got kinda irritated with that response too because there are A LOT of smart new grads that can handle even Level 1 Trauma centers with the right training. I'm glad you're doing well there. I have decided to take the Tele job, but for other reasons, and hope to transfer to either the ED or a high risk L&D unit here.
futurecnm
558 Posts
This is the type of response that gets to me, which I knew was coming from someone. New grads CAN and DO succeed in ED's. To generalize that it isn't possible is offensive to me and the many other new grads who are entering this type of nursing. I have no fear or losing my job or license. I am getting a very adequate orientation, along with hours of classroom time to help me be better prepared to work in the ED. I have wonderful preceptors and managers. I have mentors who are there for me to help me when needed. I never feel as though I am risking my license.