ICU Decision/Help!

[pittnurse09]

I'm a new grad that recently completed the BSN program at U of Pitt...i applied for an ICU position at a hospital in baltimore and a step down position at a hospital in pittsburgh. i recently just got granted an interview for the icu position at the baltimore hospital (set in june), but later on that week the pittsburgh hospital got back to me saying that they are offering me a position in a unit that i am not very interested in. i don't want to say no to the job offer from pittsburgh, as this is the only offer that i have had yet, but at the same time i don't want to say yes as i might have a shot at getting this ICU position from baltimore (which is the type of unit that i want). pittsburgh wants me to start in july and the last interview that they have at baltimore goes until june 19th, i also feel that my parents just want me to go get a job for having a job with the way that the economy is in today's setting. any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated. including what i should say to the pittsburgh people who are looking for a response to the offer they gave me

[pinkiepie_RN]

Ooh I had a friend that was in your same situation, only not with a job offer. I'm actually from Baltimore and she's interviewing for an ICU position at a major hospital here this week, even though she could probably receive a job offer from the hospital that she's a tech at. I think the competition here in Baltimore is pretty fierce, especially for ICU new grad positions but obviously someone will get a job out of these interviews. If it's a unit you're not really interested in and you're really set on ICU, take a second to prioritize. When do you want to have a job by? If this job offer hadn't occured, would you still be interviewing at the other hospital? I have classmates who are picky and while they've waited longer to get interviews, I think they'll do just fine if they can get into their desired specialty. It is still early in the summer and I've heard that people do change their minds about jobs and other positions open up further down the line, but I wouldn't want to be that uncertain. I was always scheduling my interviews far enough out that I wouldn't have to make this type of decision but I wish the best of luck to you!

[shoegalRN, RN]

Considering I've been on 3 interviews with NO job offers, I would take what I'm being offered.

In this economy, new grads can't afford to be choosey or picky. A year ago was a totally different story where new grads could go to any hospital and pick any unit they wanted to work on.

You could always get a year's experience and then apply to the ICU at that time.

Good luck!

[jla623]

I would take the job offer and still interview for the ICU position. I'm probably going against what everyone else will say, but I was in this position a few months ago.

I accepted the job that I was offered first, then I kept interviewing and ended up securing an ICU spot that I really wanted. Yes, I did have to call the other hospital and told them that I received another offer in the ICU that suited me better. Of course I was afraid of burning my bridges, but the first hospital actually ended up calling me a few weeks later with another ICU offer (that I didn't take), and even told me that they would love to have me in the future.

I would rather be safe than sorry. I would take the job and still try for the ICU job that you really want. If you turn this one down, what happens if you don't get the ICU job? I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world, but you may have to wait until the next round of internships.

Good luck!

[CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I'd be inclined to call the Baltimore ICU hospital & let them know you already have a job offer from another facility, but are very interested in working at their ICU. Ask them if there's any way you could meet with/interview with them in the next couple days.

See how serious they are about having you as an employee....

[pittnurse09]

already called them and expressed great interest in working for them and seeing if they could move up my interview date...unfortunately they could not as it did not fit in with the nurse managers schedule

[CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Hmmmm.....In that case, you might had better accept the job offer that you received. "Bird in the hand", and all that.