Job Dilemma: New grad, Milspouse

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello All!

Some background: I am a LPN of 5 years who is finally finished with my RN program as of this week. YAY:nurse: I'm awaiting my ATT and hope to take NCLEX as soon as possible in the state of OH. I'm a mom to a 7 mo old and 3 year old. My husband is an active duty Chief in the Navy (14 years in) - he has recruited the past 3 years near my family so that we could stay put and me finish school and we did it! We will begin looking at orders next month for a transfer date of May 2018 (9 mo from now). I hope to some day either go into Lactation Consultant/women's health NP or Surgical nursing. Both have caught my eye.

My issue is, I submitted applications and have began interviewing for RN positions - but we are due to transfer within my first year. So far I have had very promising interviews for

1) A staff RN position in labor and delivery at a small rural community hospital 2 minutes from my house. I have worked for this facility contingent as a LPN for a year in their outpatient offices so I am already an employee of the organization in good standing and excellent references within. There are no medsurg, or other positions available there currently.

2) I have done 2 interviews and have a floor shadowing experience on a surgical step down unit scheduled for a larger hospital about 40 minutes away with a new grad residency program. I did mention being a military spouse to them and never knowing when we may have to transfer (not saying I KNEW we would have to. She assured me there would be no money owed or any special catches if I had to leave within the first 2 years - and that she'd hope any nursing manager would understand.

I guess I am just conflicted, because I need to contribute financially to my family and start working FT as soon as possible because we have scraped by to get me to this point having only worked contingent... I want to start getting experience. I can't afford to wait until May of next year to start an RN position. However, I know we are going to leave next spring/summer. I worry about leaving at the 8/9 month mark and being frowned upon trying to get jobs elsewhere. I also know how much of an investment it is to train a new grad RN. What would you do? I mentioned to my husband him transferring first and the kids and I staying the extra 3 months just to hit that 1 year mark for my resume/work places sake - while applying to other positons... but either way, the situation kind of stinks.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

If you are offered a position of interest to you, take it, work hard, learn all you can, and hold your head up high when and IF you are required to resign due to your husband's service to our country.

While I don't condone people taking jobs they have no intention of sticking with, your situation is different. You are motivated to do an excellent job for your employer for the time available to you. Furthermore, you have no real knowledge of when those orders may come. The last thing you want is to decline a job offer and find out 6 months from now that your husband's superiors have decided to keep him in his present job for another year.

Thank you for your concern for your potential employers, but no decent person in their right mind would hold a future job change against you.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I would also lean toward the organization you already work for- so that if/ when you do need to leave, you can demonstrate >1 year of employment, albeit in two different roles.

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Thank you for your insight. And you are right, especially in the case of military and in life in general really - nothing is guaranteed. I hate not being upfront about info like this, but I know it would harm my chances of getting work. I will make the most of any experience I am lucky enough to get!

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I would also lean toward the organization you already work for- so that if/ when you do need to leave, you can demonstrate >1 year of employment, albeit in two different roles.

That was kind of what I had leaned towards as well. At least on my resume I could list the Organization - time spent there total (2 years)- and the different positions I held/how long. My resume is already choppy from school/babies/transfers over the past 5 years and I just want to keep myself as competitive as possible. I really appreciate it.

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Specializes in PICU.

I would probably stick with the job within the organization, you can show strong work history, and a positive change in roles. You could be there less than a year or 10. Just because there is a possibility of a military move, it may not happen at the time you are currently calculating.

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I would probably stick with the job within the organization, you can show strong work history, and a positive change in roles. You could be there less than a year or 10. Just because there is a possibility of a military move, it may not happen at the time you are currently calculating.

Thank you - I hope to stay with the organization as long as possible.. at least that would leave some continuity.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Take whichever job will give you the best opportunities.

My hubby is retired USAF - I totally get the education/job issues.

Being a military spouse is completely different than being someone who job hops

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Being a military spouse does come with some complications. This should give you a pass from employers looking for stability in employment. It should also get you a pass from the "1 year experience required." Sadly it might not work that way. A big health care system that gets literally hundreds of applicants is not going to notice your experience as a military spouse as the reason you only worked your last job 9 months or that you've had multiple jobs in a relatively short amount of time. Unless your application makes it past the initial screening no human eyes will look it over to notice your job history might be attributed to multiple moves related to military postings. On a more positive note, health care systems you would most likely be applying to are going to be in places with a military base nearby so they are probably more aware of the unique situation military spouses are in with frequent moves being a very real concern so hopefully this will help your employment prospects.

Now that I've looked into my crystal ball, for your current situation as long as you have been honest with your potential employers about your pending move accept whichever job offer is the best fit for you. Just make sure you do not sign any kind of contract stating you'll be there for x amount of time. Don't take the employers word for it when they say leaving before your contract is fulfilled won't be a problem, get it in writing.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
Thank you for your insight. And you are right, especially in the case of military and in life in general really - nothing is guaranteed. I hate not being upfront about info like this, but I know it would harm my chances of getting work. I will make the most of any experience I am lucky enough to get!

Other than being a military spouse who may have to deal with a transfer, there is nothing more to be "up front" about. "Due to transfer" doesn't make it for sure. I agree with Jolie - it's entirely possible the transfer doesn't happen when you think it will. Or the employee who gets voted Most Likely to Stay Put could have some unexpected change in life circumstance. No one comes with a guarantee.

I don't think you owe your employer any more "up front" than you've already provided. And thanks to you and your husband for your service to your country.

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Other than being a military spouse who may have to deal with a transfer, there is nothing more to be "up front" about. "Due to transfer" doesn't make it for sure. I agree with Jolie - it's entirely possible the transfer doesn't happen when you think it will. Or the employee who gets voted Most Likely to Stay Put could have some unexpected change in life circumstance. No one comes with a guarantee.

I don't think you owe your employer any more "up front" than you've already provided. And thanks to you and your husband for your service to your country.

Thank you for this. I was discussing with a coworker today how I like to know that in ANY situation I could care for myself and my kids. So many things can change in a year and me being a planner - I tend to overcomplicate these situations and worry about hurting people's feelings. Yuck. And thank you, my husband loves what he does and I support him wholeheartedly. I'm lucky he pushes me to pursue my passions as well.

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Update::

After being strung along by my current employer for about 6 weeks - I received an excellent offer from option 2 - in a new grad cohort on a very busy surgical step down unit. I was able to go, tour, and shadow for an afternoon and was impressed at how quick to help many of the nurses were and the team work that was going on there. The girl I shadowed with actually began in April and kept telling me how lucky she felt to be there, and how much she has learned. Sold. Transferring within 9 months is still possible, but I have decided that when that time approaches, I will apply at our new destination but may keep myself and the kids here an additional couple of months to hit my 1 year. Going to try not to stress on the details right now and just focus on learning! Thank you all for your input.

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