Job Offer- My choice of unit- HELP!!

[twoangels]

Hey everyone!

I'm a grad-to-be in June! I went on my first interview yesterday and today I received an email with a job offer! How awesome! I have been offered my choice between ED, ICU and Neuro/Trauma. Now, my heart and soul longs to be a L&D Nurse one day. In fact, this next Friday I have an interview at the same hospital that this job offer is from for a L&D position. They need a reply as soon as possible because they are still interviewing about 30 more applicants to fill the New Grad Internship positions. So, I need to reply one way or the other before I go on my interview for L&D.

I am asking for help/advice/opinions- :typingwhich unit sets me up better for L&D someday if I don't get the opportunity to go directly into L&D after graduation? I'm doing my preceptorship in L&D this next term, but if I had to choose between NEURO or ICU, which one is the better "stepping stone"? (I'm not intereseted in the ED).

Yours Truly,

TwoAngels:saint:

[jane85]

Hi twoangels, just a couple of thoughts. If the ICU is wanting an immediate answer for sure, then I would probably go ahead and give it to them. Do you have some sense of how the person who interviewed you would react if you asked them to wait a week for a decision? If you think they wouldn't mind, I would go ahead and ask. You must have interviewed well and have good grades to be getting all these offers-- congrats. My only other thought, as a nurse of 25 years, is that from the ICU you can really go anywhere. Even if you are only there a year you are going to learn so much. Since L&D is so,so different than any other kind of nursing, it might be a little harder to make a transition away from that area in case you want to try something new.

[twoangels]

Thank you Jane85- I am processing that thought right now. As anxious as I am to go to L&D, you're so right- the opportunity to learn so much in ICU would be something that will only add to who I can be as a nurse in the long run. And a year or two wouldn't be too long to wait.

Daytonite- Very encouraging to hear that you've seen ICU new grad nurses get nurtured. That relieves some of my concerns. Good thought!