Woot! Got a staff position offered to me! Any other May Grads have a job?

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Feb 27, 2007

That's wonderful.

NeosynephRN · Feb 27, 2007

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!! I have been interviewing and I am waiting to hear back...and maybe interview some more!! Nothing concrete yet..but the ball is definately rolling!!!

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Feb 27, 2007

i know you are excited about this, but do not take a float position. that would be one of the worst decisions you could make. i have a real problem with the people who hire new grads and put them in float positions. i think they should have their heads examined. please, re-evaluate just who it was that is offering this position to you and what they are really expecting of a nurse. a float nurse doesn't have a "home" unit despite what they tell you. a float nurse is expected to work on any unit at any time. a float nurse is the "help" that everyone else is calling for when there are people who have called off sick or there just aren't enough staff nurses to go around. after some years of experience you will realize that the attraction of being a regular employee is the stability of working on one regular unit. people who like to float go to work for agencies where they can make more money for the aggravation of it.

a new grad needs stability in their first job. that means being assigned to one unit where you have a chance to become familiar with the routine, policies, types of patients they care for, the routines of the doctors who admit regularly to that unit and learn the procedures regularly practiced on that unit. being a float nurse makes this 10 times harder to accomplish because you find yourself working on a different unit every day where the routine is different on each of them, different policies are practiced because of the type of patient they give care, different procedures are done and you aren't a member of the unit staff. you will not have a chance to become familiar with the regular routines of the doctors.

i have been a manager and supervisor. i was on a committee for new graduates in one large hospital. i'm telling you that any facility that is willing to place new grads into float positions is not looking out for your best interest, no matter what sweet talk they might give to entice you to take a position like this. they are putting their interests above yours and it is blatantly showing. they are looking to keep their hospital staffed. and, the nursing managers of this facility who would sit there and let this happen to new grads have something wrong with them too! you have to extrapolate a little from that and wonder what other kind of bad management practices they also engage in at this facility.

my advice. . .keep looking. let this hospital find someone else for this float job. a job offer does not automatically mean you must accept it.

in regard to the icu position. . .ask what kind of training they are willing to give you. if they are telling you that you will be in training for the position for, let's say, 6 months, ok, take it. however, if they are just putting you in icu and saying "you're an icu nurse," you need to rethink this. are they looking to fill a hole in their staff schedule and not in your development and training as a new graduate nurse? any potential employer that is not giving you the indication that your development as a new grad is not their primary interest isn't really a place you want to consider working in.

i'm sorry if this sounds harsh or busted the euphoria you were feeling, but you have to be smart about your first job. i speak from experience. i had a bum steer as a new grad. i allowed myself to be enticed to a new grad training program 100 miles from my home. it turned out that they lied to me about the wage they were going to pay. they told me what the true wage was (and it was a substantial cut) just before the first paycheck was released. i was supposed to train in the or, but i found myself on a medical unit where they needed staff. i was told i would have to work there for at least a year before they could move me into the or. that was never discussed with me when i was hired. i was so excited about getting hired that i didn't ask the hard questions. of course, they may have just lied to my face despite that, but the fact is that i failed to ask more questions before being hired.

you only get one chance to be a new grad and you want it to be the most ideal experience to launch your career that you can find. anything less than that will leave you feeling disappointed and saddened. you don't need that as you start your professional working life. ask questions, lots of questions. hold them to any promises that are made. verify what they are promising before you say yes to any job offer. no float pools or stepdown units. these are positions of traditionally high turnover rates because of the stress and instability about them. intensive care areas such as er, icus and specialty areas like ob and or generally have special training connected with them that you are told about up front at the job interviews. this is an on-the-job type training goes on for at least 6 months because the work in these units is so specialized.

Jolie, BSN · Feb 27, 2007

Well said, Daytonite! I couldn't agree more.

Run far, far away from ANY float position as a new grad.

One bit of advice I give to new grads is to ask what the average length of service is of the staff nurses on the unit for which they are interviewing. Do not accept a position on any unit or shift which has less than 50% experienced nurses (meaning 2 years or more on that unit.) Some units load up day shift with experienced nurses and put all the newbies on evenings or nights. That is unacceptable. You must have immediate access to experienced nurses on your shift, or you will be placing your newly-minted license in jeopardy.

And don't even think about accepting a float or travel position without a minimum of 1 year experience (2 is better).

Best of luck!

nursemommyof3 · Feb 27, 2007

Thanks for the advice. I've worked at this hospital for 4 years now as a tech (cna, pcp, whatever you wish to call it). They normally don't put new grads into a float position, but they felt comfortable with me and my skills to do so.

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Feb 28, 2007

I would never take a float position as a new grad. No matter how good you were as a tech, being a nurse is a completely a different job description.

But back to the topic, I was offered an internship in a hospital where I work now as a tech, but I am still looking what else is out there.

moongirl · Feb 28, 2007

congrats! if it were me, I would take the ICU position, cuz think of all the opportunites to learn so many different things!

and yes, I have been offered a position as well, dream job, L&D, with 6 months of full time training and orientation! right on!!!!!!

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2007

I've gotten 4 offers....I just know, that I'm not working this summer (it's been since 2003 that I've had a summer off with my kids). After I pass the NCLEX-Rn I'll make my mind up, and hopefully the offers will still exist.

Annointed_RNStudent · Mar 1, 2007

Got my offer Dec 18th at about 3:30, on L&D. I can't wait to start!

BonnieSc · Mar 1, 2007

I know this is a pretty silly question, but here goes: recruiters have told me to apply this spring, and after I'm hired, I can name my own start date. How do they hire people to specific units without knowing when they'll start? If I take a job now, will I REALLY get that job when I start working? Aren't nursing jobs advertised when hospitals have vacancies they need to fill ASAP?

I feel dumb not knowing all this, but many of my classmates have the same questions, and we don't want to ask our instructors. So a lot of people are putting off applying for jobs until they pass NCLEX.

Jolie, BSN · Mar 1, 2007

I know this is a pretty silly question, but here goes: recruiters have told me to apply this spring, and after I'm hired, I can name my own start date. How do they hire people to specific units without knowing when they'll start? If I take a job now, will I REALLY get that job when I start working? Aren't nursing jobs advertised when hospitals have vacancies they need to fill ASAP?
I feel dumb not knowing all this, but many of my classmates have the same questions, and we don't want to ask our instructors. So a lot of people are putting off applying for jobs until they pass NCLEX.

Please don't hesitate to ask your instructors practical questions like this. They will not think you are dumb for asking.

If a nurse manager has an immediate need to fill a position, s/he will hire an experienced nurse who can orient quickly and become productive in a short period of time.

The positions for which new grads are considered are essentially future positions, since it takes anywhere from 2-6 months to orient a new grad and have him/her become a productive employee. Since they are future positions, the manager and employee have some leeway in choosing start dates and scheduling orientation. Most managers don't really expect all of their new grad summer hires to become productive until the holidays.

If your state allows new grads to work as GNs or RNLPs prior to taking and passing boards, I strongly encourage you to do so. There is no better preparation for NCLEX than working in a professional capacity. I think you would do yourself a terrible disservice by putting off job hunting and working until after passing boards, unless that is what your state requires.