Is this a red flag? 🚩

[DopeDopamine, BSN, RN]

I interviewed for this hospital back in November for a Peds position and I thought it went well, they said HR was going to give me a call that following Tuesday. Fast forward 3-4 weeks later and I still haven't gotten a call from HR. Maybe a week after lo and behold I finally get a call from HR and just assumed it'd be about that position. She said I may have to spoken to a different person in HR but that there are other opportunities at the moment in case I was interested. I thought that was weird because I only interviewed that one time with the nurse manager for the peds unit. There's no way HR let alone a second person from HR would've even gotten my application unless the nurse manager informed them, right? She went on with the list of openings, medsurg, geriatrics, covid unit...etc. She said I can start in any one of these places first and move on to a different unit after 6 months. So I succumbed to it, I figure I'm obviously not gonna get the job I really wanted but this is the best hospital in the state so give it a try then move later.

She sent my application in for medsurg and next day I had the virtual interview. Typical interview, didn't think anything of it but they never offered a tour of the facility. I've also seen job postings for that same position in that same unit all over linkedin and indeed. Not to mention all the hiring event posters on facebook. It's been updated almost every week. When I was checking on Glassdoor, yelp, Google reviews about this place I read one review pertaining to that specific unit and this person said the staff was incompetent and negligent and led to the demise of her mother. Others have said they are so understaffed they couldn't even make sure the patients were fed throughout their stay.

So.....I'm scared because shortly after that interview they offered me a job and I took it without doing all the research before hand but now I kind of want to back out because it seems completely toxic. I'm looking for a supportive environment that's really going to help me become a better nurse but apparently that's a lot yo ask for these days. Is it a red flag?

[AG89]

When I first graduated from nursing school, I was obviously applying anywhere and everywhere. One place, a post-op assisted living type of place, offered me a job on the spot. I learned that I would be the only RN for the entire facility on the overnight shift and was expected to care for pretty complex patients without any support.  I immediately turned them down because the vibe I got from their director, along with the information they were providing me, were serious red flags.  I worked too hard for my license to be in jeopardy this soon into my nursing career. Fast forward a few years later, I got a call from HR at an organization I had applied to years prior. They were in desperate need of staff as the unit was very medically complex, high patient acuity, psych. overflow, etc., and they had trouble retaining staff.  Knowing that there were challenges, I decided to take on the position because I knew it would strengthen my nursing skills (both clinical and non-clinical skills).  While there were days where I just wanted to leave and never go back, I ultimately did end up loving the unit and my coworkers.  Unfortunately, many of them left to pursue other interest, which left those with negative and toxic being my coworkers.  Eventually I too left the unit, but would not trade those years of experience as they truly strengthened my "nursing character," (if you will).  

While the job/unit you're describing now does seem to be putting up red flags, I would try to use any and all opportunities to grow and develop. Not every job in nursing is sunshine and rainbows; learning how to deal with different types of people (patients, providers, nurses, etc.) in different types of environments is a key component in continuing in this profession.  Just make sure that you do not do anything that you feel would compromise your ethics, values, and your license.  In other words, don't let the potentially toxic environment bully you into a compromising situation - no job is worth that! 

I wish you the best of luck! 

[DopeDopamine, BSN, RN]

Thank you!! Really appreciate it!

[spence09]

is this in MMC?