Help! Stuck between a rock and a hard place!

[BKCinNOLA]

Hi all,

I recently moved to NOLA and have been struggling (just like every other new grad) to land my first RN position. I just interviewed at Tulane Medical Center and was offered a position on one of their med-surg floors. So here is my dilemma, I've met two nurses down here both of whom expressed to me on separate occasions that I should NOT work at Tulane. They cited poor organization of the unit, dog-eat-dog nurses, and just all around horrible experiences at Tulane (one told me that she comes home everyday wanting to quit nursing). One of them recently left Tulane to work at Ochsner, and the other still works at Tulane but has moved to the ICU where "it's still not good, but way better than working on the floors"

I know that as a new grad, my first position is going to be rough, no matter what, but these two accounts of Tulane has really made me question whether or not I should take the position at Tulane. I'm thinking about holding out for something at Ochsner to open up and in the mean time work at a flu clinic to pay the bills (and also volunteer at Ochsner to get my foot in the door).

I know that I should be thankful that I have landed a position (even though it isn't in my ideal area) in this tough economy, but I don't want to take it solely based on the fact that it is the first hospital position I've been offered. I also would like to still want to be a nurse after my first year.

Thoughts? Advice? Experiences?

Thanks!

[laurakc]

Unfortunately, the first job for me was not easy either. Every day I was surrounded by people who felt overwhelmed. I think that a lot of new grads feel this. Most of the time, this is normal. I started more than 10 years ago. At that time, we had a very large turn over. It took me more than a year to feel competent, but it will come. It is a big adjustment. And it is a lot of information to know. And you will learn something new every day. Before you know it, you will have the oportunity to precept someone. So, just try to go in with a positive attitude. You can get out of something what you put into it. You did not get through nursing school and pass boards by listening to others say how hard it was and being scared away. The tougher things are, the greater the rewards when you achieve it. Hang in there. It is tough no matter what the first year. Good luck and be open minded.

[NC Girl BSN]

I think you should take the job and experience it for yourself. You will kick yourself in the rear if you don't take it and nothing else comes up for a long time. It may be crappy but it may not be as bad as it is described.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Keep in mind that you're only heard two nurses' opinions...which may or may not be an accurate representation of how life is there. It really might be as bad as they say, or you may have encountered two of only a few nurses who had bad experiences.

I say take the job--there's nothing saying that you have to stay there forever if you don't like it.

[Kevin RN08]

Or ask to tour or observe the floor before you accept. Look around observe how the team interacts. But in the end you have to form your own opinions and not rely on those of others. For them it may not have been a good fit whereas it may suit you perfectly.

[JustEnuff2BDangerous, BSN, RN]

Remember, everyone perceives and translates experiences differently. Perhaps they had the wrong attitude going in and everyone picked up on that and that's what ignited conflict from the get-go.. hence you get their opinion of dog-eat-dog nurses. Perhaps they do not have good time management skills, hence the lack of organization they felt.. It's hard to feel any place is organized if you are your own little tornado of chaos all the time.

The bottom line is you will never know what it is TRULY like unless you experience it for yourself; it may be the best decision you ever made, or it may be the worst, but at least you will know either way the truth about it!