Is it wrong to interview for multiple positions?

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Specializes in CCRN, Geriatrics.

Hi all, 

I recently interview for a hospital position that I applied for day shift but after interviewing I was told the day shift was given to someone internally so they only had nights available. Unfortunately I couldn't take the night shift position. My recruiter was nice enough to allow me to interview for another position which was psych. After interviewing I don't think psych is a good fit for me. I have no prior psych experience and to be honest im afraid to work on a dangerous unit. 
 

Would I be wrong to turn this position down ? I don’t want to waste my recruiters time or the hospitals time god forbid I don’t like position? 

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Specializes in school nurse.

The only way to get experience...is to get experience. If it's been difficult to get your foot into a hospital, this could be your way in.

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Specializes in CCRN, Geriatrics.
40 minutes ago, Jedrnurse said:

The only way to get experience...is to get experience. If it's been difficult to get your foot into a hospital, this could be your way in.

Thats true. Lets say I took the position and waited the year or so required to transfer to a unit I’m more familiar like med surg or critical care. Would this hurt my possibility of landing that position considering that during the interview they assured me that I wouldn't be using many of my nursing skills like using IV’s etc. I only have a year of nursing experience so far. I just obtained my BSN and I want to obtain a better skill set and increase my ability to think critically. After all I could be wrong and end up enjoying psych. But I would also hate being that nurse that doesn’t know anything years down the line. 

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Specializes in school nurse.
8 hours ago, Lovethenurse2b25 said:

Thats true. Lets say I took the position and waited the year or so required to transfer to a unit I’m more familiar like med surg or critical care. Would this hurt my possibility of landing that position considering that during the interview they assured me that I wouldn't be using many of my nursing skills like using IV’s etc. I only have a year of nursing experience so far. I just obtained my BSN and I want to obtain a better skill set and increase my ability to think critically. After all I could be wrong and end up enjoying psych. But I would also hate being that nurse that doesn’t know anything years down the line. 

You could make it known that you're more than willing to be floated if needed. That would allow you to work medical once in a while as well as give you the chance to become "known" on other units, something that would help you when you applied for a transfer.

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Specializes in CMSRN, hospice.

While it could get your foot in the door to other positions, it's also important to listen to your own internal dialogue about this. You used the word "dangerous" and said it "wasn't a good fit." It's okay to know that! While the majority of these patients aren't violent,  there is always the potential for escalation, and it's legitimately difficult to take care of people when you're scared of them. That said, I worked on a med/psych unit and was very uneasy at first, but learned that my coworkers had my back and I wasn't by myself when things happened. So, it's possible that you'll gain confidence in this area and be able to stick it out for a year or two.

Did you get any share time on the unit? Are you even a little curious, or you're pretty sure it's not for you? I don't think it's wrong to decline the offer, but since it sounds like there's an offer and you want to get into the hospital, it's also not wrong to be a little flexible and try something different (to a point).

Ooh, also, if you are on a psych unit, you may not end up floating to medical units often or at all, depending on the hospitals policies. Just a thought to consider.

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Specializes in CCRN, Geriatrics.
5 hours ago, NightNerd said:

While it could get your foot in the door to other positions, it's also important to listen to your own internal dialogue about this. You used the word "dangerous" and said it "wasn't a good fit." It's okay to know that! While the majority of these patients aren't violent,  there is always the potential for escalation, and it's legitimately difficult to take care of people when you're scared of them. That said, I worked on a med/psych unit and was very uneasy at first, but learned that my coworkers had my back and I wasn't by myself when things happened. So, it's possible that you'll gain confidence in this area and be able to stick it out for a year or two.

Did you get any share time on the unit? Are you even a little curious, or you're pretty sure it's not for you? I don't think it's wrong to decline the offer, but since it sounds like there's an offer and you want to get into the hospital, it's also not wrong to be a little flexible and try something different (to a point).

Ooh, also, if you are on a psych unit, you may not end up floating to medical units often or at all, depending on the hospitals policies. Just a thought to consider.

For this particular position I would be required to float to three different units depending on the need. I was not aware of this before interview. The units would include two adult floors and one pediatric floor. Im not sure if I’m up for being floated around on the regular being a new psych nurse. Due to covid I was not allowed to survey the unit. 

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Specializes in CCRN, Geriatrics.
On 10/16/2020 at 7:25 PM, Jedrnurse said:

The only way to get experience...is to get experience. If it's been difficult to get your foot into a hospital, this could be your way in.

The initial job offer I received was a med surg unit but the only issue was they offered me nights after I applied for days. After interviewing for psych I'm regretting turning the position down. But now I see there is a part time night opening. Would it be a bad idea to say I would like to take the part time night position because I think it would be more suitable than the full time night position if it is still available after turning it down ?

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Specializes in school nurse.
45 minutes ago, Lovethenurse2b25 said:

The initial job offer I received was a med surg unit but the only issue was they offered me nights after I applied for days. After interviewing for psych I'm regretting turning the position down. But now I see there is a part time night opening. Would it be a bad idea to say I would like to take the part time night position because I think it would be more suitable than the full time night position if it is still available after turning it down ?

If the alternative is writing off the hospital entirely, what have you got to lose?

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Specializes in CCRN, Geriatrics.
1 hour ago, Jedrnurse said:

If the alternative is writing off the hospital entirely, what have you got to lose?

I would not write the hospital off completely but I would have to wait for something else to open and re-apply. My concern would be taking the job and not being able to handle it and having to leave before a transfer to can be made. Which would result in me burning a bridge. I read stories all the time about nurses starting the hospital and leaving. I want to do it the right way. 

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Specializes in CCRN, Geriatrics.
On 10/17/2020 at 12:00 PM, NightNerd said:

While it could get your foot in the door to other positions, it's also important to listen to your own internal dialogue about this. You used the word "dangerous" and said it "wasn't a good fit." It's okay to know that! While the majority of these patients aren't violent,  there is always the potential for escalation, and it's legitimately difficult to take care of people when you're scared of them. That said, I worked on a med/psych unit and was very uneasy at first, but learned that my coworkers had my back and I wasn't by myself when things happened. So, it's possible that you'll gain confidence in this area and be able to stick it out for a year or two.

Did you get any share time on the unit? Are you even a little curious, or you're pretty sure it's not for you? I don't think it's wrong to decline the offer, but since it sounds like there's an offer and you want to get into the hospital, it's also not wrong to be a little flexible and try something different (to a point).

Ooh, also, if you are on a psych unit, you may not end up floating to medical units often or at all, depending on the hospitals policies. Just a thought to consider.

Do you mind sharing your experiences while working as a psych nurse? My recruiter is begging me to take the job offer and try it out. I found out the facilities transfer policy is after 6 months. It also is a large teaching hospital so hopefully I will have the ability to move around god for bid I don’t like. One of the directors during my panel interview offered a position on the involuntary psych unit with 28 beds. My concerns are security and being injured on the job. Did working psych affect your mental health? I’ve been battling depression much more than usual since covid hit. Also do you think 6 weeks of training is enough ?

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Just be careful about recruiters pushing you to take jobs- they get paid (or their performance for the year is judged) when they fill the position so they are looking at it from that perspective. Ultimately, if you prefer med-surg or other non-psych specialities you can keep applying or work a year in a SNF or LTACH where you would gain many skills that apply to the med-surg environment. 

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