HELP! New grad unsure where to go

[lanaigirl123]

Hi friends! I need your advice. I’m a new grad, graduating with my BSN in two weeks. I completed my senior practicum in the NICU and have dreams of working there, or in the pediatric population at all. That said, I recognize that wherever I start isn't where I have to stay and I can work my way from adults to pediatrics in the future.

I have applied to multiple new grad residencies across my state - one with a large pediatric hospital system and one with another hospital system (this second hospital system has little to no pediatric units/patients). The pediatric hospital systems new grad program doesn’t begin until July/August and interviews don’t begin until May. Therefore I likely won’t hear from them, if at all, for a 4-8 weeks. The other hospital systems new grad program begins in June, with interviews happening now.

Last week I interviewed with the second hospital system for a surgical floor. It is the only interview request I’ve received from that hospital system. I received a call offering me the position and now have a few days to decide to accept or decline it.

I'm nervous and unsure what to do! My passion is with Peds and ultimately I want to be there. Id like to hope that the pediatric hospital system would offer me a new grad position. That said I’m worried that if I accept this surgical floor position, I could be jumping to quickly and miss out on an offer from the pediatric hospital system. OR if I turn it down, I could end up with nothing of the pediatric hospital system doesn’t offer me anything.

any advice would be appreciated!!

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

When I graduated I didn't care where I needed to go to get a NICU job. I applied to between 50-100 NICU opening throughout the country. I graduated in August, passed NCLEX in Sept., and accepted a Level IV NICU job in November. I also had a senior practicum in NICU.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I would accept the position but continue to pursue the pediatric/NICU opportunities. Probation periods are for employees as well as employers and it may be you get the other offer and can resign from the initial position.

If that makes you uncomfortable then you will need to decide if you can afford to be unemployed for a few months while things shake out and how you would feel if you wind up in LTACH or SNF instead of acute care due to the passage of time and, with it, the passage of opportunities.