Help to a New Grad trying to choose a job!

[KateM345]

Hello, I'm new to this website but I've been reading it for a while and found it very helpful! I'm in need of help and any advice anyone can offer!

I'm a new grad, I just graduated in May and will be sitting for the NCLEX in the up coming week.

I was offered a job in an Emergency Department at a small inner city hospital! I couldn't be happier with the opportunity to work in an ED! Then today I was offered another job on a Med/Surg unit in a large inner city hospital, which is much more advanced than the smaller one, with a better reputation.

Both RN positions are in a RN residency program.

Either way I know which ever I choose I'm going to be learning a ton.

I can't make a decision and I wanted to hear from nurses who have been there to see what advice anyone has! Thank you!

[SistersofMRSA]

Congratulations! Both sound like excellent opportunities.

Like previous posters have mentioned, a med-surg floor will give you a broad foundation for mastering basic skills, learning to prioritize, and managing your time. Once you get the skills, prioritization, and time management down, though, working on a med-surg floor can feel really task-oriented. Also, patients on the floor may have a plethora of issues (e.g. difficult family members, "customer service" problems, lack of education/compliance, no long-term placement available), and tackling such issues can begin to wear on staff.

Working in the ED may be more challenging at first, but the ED will allow you to acquire/use more critical care skills (e.g. ACLS, initiating stroke/STEMI protocols) and work with more diverse patient populations and diagnoses than a med-surg floor. While you may have more admissions, you will regularly discharge your patients home or transfer them elsewhere, so there is less attachment. Plus, you will likely master IV and phlebotomy skills as an ED nurse. Good luck!