New Grad Nurse Dilemma. Please help.

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I'm not sure if this is where I should be posting it but I just registered with this site and I'm in need of some advice. I applied to a hospital for 2 open med/surg positions and two days later I got a call saying that the med/surg positions were open and available but the director of the telemetry/cardic unit was looking for a new grad nurse for the telemetry unit. The HR recruiter asked me if I would be interested in the job and if I was could she forward my phone number to the director of the telemetry unit. I was so nervous that I said yes and kind of desperate for a job since my mother is hounding me about getting one. Anyways, the director from the telemetry unit called me and set up an appointment on Monday which was 5/7/12 and I was hired on the spot and said yes to the position but I don't want it. I don't know why I said yes and signed my name and everything. I think it was nerves and that that this is my first nursing job and my first job ever...like ever ever. It is now going to be Friday 5/11/12 and I have to go get my TB test read and I have orientation on 5/14/12 but I don't want this job. I never wanted to work on telemetry. It never interested me while I was in school and I'm not sure how to go about quitting (if this is even really considered quitting) Please help me. I did apply for other jobs at other hospitals at the same time I applied for the med/surg positions at this particular hospital. Like I said, I haven't started orientation yet and I just signed all the papers yesterday as in papers to see if I had any medical probelms, income tax related papers, stuff about TB masks fittings, etc, and had a breathlizer test and urine test. I'm scared. I don't want this job and I don't know why I said yes to everything. How do i get out of it? Please help.

If you don't want it, you should just be honest with them and tell them. However, I would suggest you really think about it, because new grad jobs are very hard to get. If you did take the job, it would at least give you some experience working as a nurse. You can always find something better later. You have to start somewhere. I don't know where you live, but where I am, most employers are not even looking to hire new grads, they all want nurses with experience.

Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

You need to really rethink this (quitting). It isnt as if you can just wait around for your dream job to become available. Do a little research around this board and you will find that most new grads are not able to find work at all. Telemetry is experience that will allow you to transfer to another specialty rather easily after you have worked for a year or two. Sitting at home, however, is experience that will allow you to continue to sit at home. Do that long enough and you become what is called an "old" new grad....meaning other graduating classes have come along since you and you are now competing with people whose education is more fresh than yours, making you a less desirable hire.

Hike those big person shorts up and take the job. Almost nobody gets to waltz right into their specialty of choice since the economy crashed. People are climbing over you as you speak wishing for a shot at that job. You can keep looking for work while working. It isn't as if you can't continue to look. Go to work.

Specializes in Thoracic Cardiovasc ICU Med-Surg.

Listen. For whatever reason this job fell into your lap. You may end up really liking working with tele patients. I gotta tell you--once you get your orientation under your belt you will feel much more comfortable and not so scared about it. So many other posters are always talking about how hard it is to get a job as a new grad. COnsider that. Also consider that you very well might not get a med surg position. A job in hand is a very good thing.

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

it is not really likely, though possible, to get what you want. And really, how do you know what you want if you have no experience? I say take the job, learn what you can, and transfer within the system if you have the opportunity.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Rehab.

I just graduated nursing school last year so while I don't consider myself a new grad anymore, I do remember what it was like. The stress, the panic at the thought of not being able to find a nursing job - ANY nursing job, nevermind one in a hospital. I would definitely reconsider because turning down the offer at this point will not only burn the bridge on the tele floor, but quite possibly at that hospital. Work in telemetry for awhile, learn the ropes and learn from more experienced nurses. If you find that you truly don't like it, you can transfer internally to a med/surg floor in a few years.

Also, when I did my tele rotation in nursing school, it was extremely similar to med/surg. Most of the patients had multiple medical problems, many co-morbidities and tons of chances to use my nursing skills. So maybe each tele floor is different and you'll find it more similar to med/surg than you anticipated.

Good luck with your decision!

Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

Get the experience! At least you will be working and making connections within the hospital.

I will never forget a new grad that came onto my unit. I was her preceptor and after a week or so, we developed a friendly rapport. She confided to me that she really wasn't interested in coming to my unit, but that she was starting to warm up to the pt population (Gyn/Onc). She ended up being one of our strongest nurses.

My friend's neighbor was a nurse in the PACU, and we had all gotten to know each other because we worked in the same hospital. She told us about job openings in the PACU, (where we both wanted to be from the start) we got hired into those positions. If she had not gotten nursing experience first, there is no way that she could have qualified for the position. If she had chosen to decline the job she didn't really like, she wouldn't have gotten to know her neighbor...see how the domino effect occurs?

You never know who you will meet and what doors will become opened to you if you aren't working. This is a great opportunity for you. You might be surprised how much you like it. Give it a chance.

Specializes in Forensic Psych.

Take the job! First of all, I agree that changing your mind could burn bridges that a new grad probably shouldn't be burning.

But, secondly, it's always easier to find a job when you HAVE a job. Your resume will either portray you as a nurse with zero experience and skills that ate getting rustier by the day, or that you're a skilled nurse with experience they can benefit from. If you absolutely end up hating it after you've given in a good chance, start applying elsewhere!

Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency, CEN.

Telemetry experience can get you almost any other job you want. Go for it! This is a huge opportunity to learn and get comfortable with loads of skills.

Read my lips carefully: Keep the job for at least 1 year. If not, you will very likely spend that next year looking for another.

Tele rocks, don't be nuts :)

Thank you all for your advice and support. I slept on the decision on whether to go ahead with the job or to quit. I decided to go ahead with it and gain the experience. I know how hard it is to find a job as a graduate nurse. I myself have been looking for 4 months with nothing but rejection emails to my name and it is quite frustrating and I realize just how lucky I am as a new grad nurse to be offered this job. I think I was just panicking last night and let everyone in my household know about and then decided to come on here to vent. Everyone else here at home said the same thing which was to take the job and gain the experience. And everything you guys said made since about telemetry allowing you to broaden your opportunities to work in other units down the road. Anyways, thank you guys so much again for all the words of advice. ALL of you, thank you.

Please... look at this as a sign!

Telemetry may seem daunting, but it is actually easier in the long run. You will most likely have less patients.. and that wonderful monitor to show you your patient's cardiac rhythm/ status.

I found learning to interpret basic EKG somewhat daunting. Make sure your facility provides a thorough EKG class.

And go for it!!

You won't be sorry you started out on Telemetry, I promise!

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