2 job offers--don't know what to pick!! need advice please.

[BSN06HH]

Hello, I'm an RN with one yr of experience in adult oncology and i just got offered 2 job offers that i'm equally excited about. i have a passion for both areas and am seriously torn between the two. Job #1 is in a level 3 or 4 NICU (does ECMO etc) at a inner city children's hospital that has a 6 month orientation. Job #2 is a perinatal nurse position (mostly L&D but cross-trained in antepartum and postpartum) at a hi-risk suburban hospital with a 3 month orientation. I really feel lucky to have both these options and never would have thought I would be offered both of them on the same day. For those of you who work/have worked in these areas what are your least favorite parts of working in NICU or LDRP? I know they both are stressful, but would you say one is more stressful than the other? Would one open more doors (down the road) than the other? Any advice anyone can give me would be really appreciated. Also, do you think 3 months is long enough of an orientation in L&D esp when having to cross-train in pp and antepartum. I have also posted this in OB, but wanted the NICU nurse perspective. Sorry so long and thanks again!

[RainDreamer, BSN, RN]

I can't give a whole lot of advice as I only work NICU and have no personal experience working in L&D/ante/PP (although we do work closely with L&D).

But I do want to say that no, 3 months of orientation in L&D is NOT enough, and then to add the fact that you'll be cross-trained to ante and postpartum ....... definitely not enough.

[LuvNICUnursing]

personally, i have worked both l&d and nicu, and i can tell you with absolute certainty that 3 months orientation in a high-risk l&d unit, especially if that includes cross-training to ante/postpartum, is not enough!! if you are seriously considering taking the position in l&d, you need to look out for yourself and your license and ask up front for a longer orientation!! as for the nicu orientation, when i took my first nicu job in a level iii/iv facility, i had a 6 month orientation period and it was perfect. yes, each job is stressful in its own way, but each is also rewarding in its own way. if it helps, perhaps you could request to job shadow a nurse for one day in each unit. this would help you to make a more informed decision, as well as give you an idea of what will ultimately be your niche. good luck!

[BSN06HH]

Thanks for your responses. I did get a chance to shadow in the NICU, although it is hard to know what people i'll be working with since my offer was for night shift. I do feel more comfortable with the NICU offer since the orienation is 6months. So if i was picking solely on orientation program, i'd pick NICU. I do have doubts not picking L&D, since positions in it are so scarce. I've been searching for months for an opening and finally got an interview. L&D seems to be a place that you can only get into with L&D experience, so this is my key to getting this experience so i'm afraid to pass it up. I talked to the educator today in L&D, she said it is 4 weeks in Mother/baby and NBN and then 8 weeks in L&D, scrubing in/antepartum. my base unit is L&D but i'm required to do competencies once a week in mother/baby or NBN. I even questioned such a short orientation in L&D and she said "our orientees always do just fine with it and our orientation has been successful". Thanks again for your responses!