Which job to take? Both of them?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

I have been offered a FT job at a chronic care hospital, as well as FT or PT job doing private duty nursing and skilled nursing visits. The chronic care hospital is a state facility, and the pay is :no: not good, to put it mildy. The private duty salary is great and the skilled visits are very well paid, but do not cover travel expenses, so I wouldn't end up making that much in a full day of visits if I have to do a lot of travel in between.

When I originally interviewed at the hospital, they told me they only had a PT spot open, but when push came to shove they offered me a full time spot. I could possibly work PT for them (if they would still take me PT), PT doing private duty, and then do visits as my schedule allows. I could also do FT private duty and them schedule visits as allowed, but (and this sounds kind of bad), as a new grad I really wanted to be able to put the word "hospital" on my resume. The skilled nursing visits are what I am most interested in, because I will get to do pedi oncology as well as mother-baby, infusion nursing and a bunch of other stuff that I am really excited about. I just can't afford to do FT visits.

Any advice?

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

Anyone? I am still really struggling with this decision. I am going back to school for my BSN (online) in April, and am applying to a brick & mortar MSN program next year, so my priorities are 1) keeping my family clothed & fed, 2) paying for my BSN and paying down my student loans, and 3) keeping myself marketable so I can get a good job when I finish my MSN.

I am a CPM and am going for my CNM, so I have a very specific career path that I would like to follow. I obviously want to have a strong hospital skill base, and although I don't think a chronic care hospital will provide the same experience as working in acute care, I feel like my chances of being hired at a hospital will be better if I can put this on my resume. Am I wrong? Does working for a year in home health, plus having your BSN, make you fairly competitive? I am in the Northeast if it matters. HELP!

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I am a big proponent of accepting the job which interests you most. Starting out as a new grad is a stressful experience. Starting out possibly 2 jobs, even more so. Finding a position in which you can invest your passion, intellectual curiousity, and which will help to prepare you for future career and educational goals will go a long way toward combating the negatives that all new grads experience, such as being overwhelmed, fearful, insecure, fatigued, etc. Health care is changing constantly, and will continue to do so with new laws going into effect. The notion that only hospital experience is valuable is long outdated. To succeed in homecare, one must be confident, resourceful, assertive and mature. I'm guessing that you are not a 21 year-old "generic" student embarking on your first job, so you may well have the abilities to succeed in this field, where other new grads may not. That said, you must also consider your family's financial needs. I've never been the sole breadwinner for a family, so I've had the luxury of indulging my career "wants," even when they didn't pay particularly well.

My very best to you. Let us know what you decide.

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Specializes in MPCU.

I had wanted to post something honest and constructive. I deleted that post.

Good luck to you in your career. I'm sure you will make an excellent nurse.

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.
I had wanted to post something honest and constructive. I deleted that post.

Good luck to you in your career. I'm sure you will make an excellent nurse.

Hmmm. I would surely like to hear your constructive advice.

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