job offer but not until December

[direw0lf]

Hi all,

I am so used to posting on the student forum I started to write this there then I remembered, I'm a brand new RN! I just had a question about this, was looking for input please.

I applied for an RN position back in late October and received my acceptance letter then.

I was told by the hiring manager that I would be put on the wait list at that time I got my letter, because there was a 6 month waiting list for the residency program. I was accepted into a pediatric/ICU rotation at a trauma hospital, which was really a dream come true.

Fast forward. I graduated in May and passed my NCLEX mid July, and forwarded my information (BLS, transcripts, etc) to HR, as was instructed.

I got a call recently that I can not start working until mid December. I explained that I was told I was put on the wait list in Oct, but the woman I spoke with said it went based on when I received my license number.

I am currently working as a PCA and my manager unfortunately can't help at all. I guess they are just backed up with applicants.

My question is. Should I wait for this program, or should I accept another job in a medsurg/tele unit with a different hospital system? This other hospital is much smaller. Still has good ratings though. I can start in August.

My ultimate goal is to move out of state and work in a peds burn unit... I know this is so millennial of me but am I being too impatient? I just put so much work into school like we all have I know, and I just want to start! Waiting for Dec also will make me wait to move where I want to as well.... what would you do?

TIA!

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

During my gap between my first degree and nursing school, I volunteered as a bartender at a party hostel in South America in return for a free bed. Since my housing was covered, I was able to live on about $5/day. If I had 4 months off again, I'd do that in a heartbeat. No kidding, you can look into interational travel by volunteering at hostels in return for room and board.

This sounds amazing.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Right? I want a gap year to work on a tropical island as a bartender.

[adventure_rn, MSN, NP]

Right? I want a gap year to work on a tropical island as a bartender.

You can still do it......

When I tended bar at the party hostel, I met tons of professionals (mostly male Australian attornies, for whatever reason) who just quit their jobs, cashed out their life savings, bought a one-way ticket to South America, and wandered around having adventures.

In high school I lived in Central America, and I knew a ton of American and Canadian kids whose parents just decided that they wanted a 'simpler way of life,' uprooted the family, and relocated to our beach town to work in the tourist industry.

I also have a good friend from nursing school who works as a travel nurse six to eight months out of the year while living on a shoestring budget, then uses her savings to travel all over the world on a shoestring budget during the remaining months.

I know that they're pretty unconventional lifestyles, but some of these crazy adventures are actually attainable (especially if you're flexible, and don't mind living on $3/day and sharing a bunk room with 9 strangers, lol).

....Come with me, Not.Done.Yet....we can have an adventure...you know you want to...!!

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

I second those that say as long as you have a firm offer in writing go ahead and wait it out. If you don't have that offer in writing ask for it and if they can't or won't provide you with that go ahead and pursue other options.