First JOB!! THREE OFFERS!! Which one to PICK?!?! HEELP!

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Hi everyone!! Before, I couldn't find anything and ended up doing homecare after graduating. Now I have 3 GREAT JOB offers and can't choose! One is a city hospital in psych (night shift 11p-7a, about 5 days/wk), the next is a private hospital (Ortho/med-surg, 12hr day shifts/every other wknd) and the last is to be a public health nurse (I have a masters in public health) in a school - so school nursing (M-F, 8a-4p). So I am completely confused as I know I need my clinical experience from the ortho/med-surg, and the school nursing by the dept of health would limit my chances of getting back into a hospital. Not excited about psych or a night shift, but everyone keeps saying to take the city job for the benefits. My plan is to get some clinical experience then start using my Masters in leadership/public health roles. What should I do??

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I think you have answered your own question. Your heart is in public health...if you want public health go for it...if you want that "hospital" experience, go for the ortho floor...but, again, I REALLY think you answered your question already. ;)

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Working in public health will not limit your ability to get back into the hospital if you ever wanted to..you could always work PRN at a hospital if you really wanted to keep your foot in the door. With a Masters in Public Health it seems you have spent a lot of time in that area and now have a chance at that..I will say this..hospital jobs are always going to be there - the other one - in the school - is much harder to come by..clinical experience can come in a variety of ways - the school position gives you experience in a clinical setting tho' it's not a hospital..just as HH gave you experience. Out of the 3 I personally would choose the school based on your interest and credentials.

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I think you have answered your own question. Your heart is in public health...if you want public health go for it...if you want that "hospital" experience, go for the ortho floor...but, again, I REALLY think you answered your question already. ;)

Thanks LadyFree, I knoooow! My heart is def in public health. However, I keep getting turned down for my dream jobs in public health d/t my lack of bedside experience! It's very discouraging. I can't get into MPH positions because I don't have managerial experience, it's craazy! I figured I need to get at least one-two years of the hospital experience. All of my public health experience is in maternal/child health so my goal is to get into mother/baby or L&D unit and gain more experience there.

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Working in public health will not limit your ability to get back into the hospital if you ever wanted to..you could always work PRN at a hospital if you really wanted to keep your foot in the door. With a Masters in Public Health it seems you have spent a lot of time in that area and now have a chance at that..I will say this..hospital jobs are always going to be there - the other one - in the school - is much harder to come by..clinical experience can come in a variety of ways - the school position gives you experience in a clinical setting tho' it's not a hospital..just as HH gave you experience. Out of the 3 I personally would choose the school based on your interest and credentials.

Hi Marshall, thanks for the advice!! Im actually trying to see how I can do the ortho and phn jobs! Perhaps I'll ask to be part-time instead. The hospital job was soooo hard to come by as I don't have any experience. Couldn't tell you how many rejections I've gotten for that reason. I've been told by recruiters that HH is not considered to be experience :-/ Def want to do public health as it is my passion, but have found that experience in the bedside will get me a job much faster. Tough decision :-/

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