Med Surg Expierence vs ADON Oppourtunity

[RNGARCIA]

I have been a nurse for three years in a primary care clinic as a nurse manager. I really wanted to get a job that allowed me to practice more nursing skills than a clinic. I have been trying to get into Med surg since I graduated nursing school, but never got any call backs. About a month ago I got hired at a nursing home as a weekend supervisor and have began training to become the ADON. However, the "training" has been very vague and I am already being listed on documentation as the ADON even though I haven't officially been given that title which makes me really nervous. Also the DON, consistently leaves me out of important meetings and does not communicate with me. Sometimes I feel like am being used. I get paid $34 per hour which is awesome. The job is fairly easy and low stress. However there is a lot of liability with a supervisor/ ADON title and I am still not able to really practice my nursing skills. But just last week I finally got a call from the hospital for a Med Surg position. And I really want to take it, however I will have to take a huge pay cut and the job will be much more stressful. They only offered me $28 per hour. I can afford the pay cut, but money will be tight. I need advice on what to do. I really want to do hospital nursing, but will I be leaving a "once in a lifetime" job opportunity with the awesome pay. Or is the job I am currently working sound to good to be true? Is Med Surg the safer route? I just don't know what to do!

[MissyNik]

I would probably be leaning toward the med surg offer if I only had the experience of working in a clinic. Now that I have worked on a unit I understand the importance of having that basic experience. I have always said that I want to have experience that will allow me to work efficiently on any unit after the general training and orientation. Seems like when they interview ppl now they want to know if you have had some contact with med surg or the likes of it. Just think about the future things you may want to try and examine whether or not you would need to have floor experience to facilitate your next level. Hope you are able to come to a conclusion with ease.

[Levitas, BSN, RN]

I've seen fellow nurses struggle with similar situations. When asked what do to, I always ask them, which decision would you regret less?

Will you, a couple of years from now, regret it more if you didn't take the Med-Surg chance? Or would it pain you more to leave the ADON position?

I would like to say that money shouldn't be a deciding factor, but that would make me a hypocrite, as I'm in a position where I don't want to leave my current place of employment due to making that nice differential pay. Even if the conditions of said place of employment stress me out to a point of having panic attacks, and at times, being a completely unsafe working environment (working in Med-Surg, by the way).

You have to do what's best for you. If that's following your dreams, and goals with working in Med-Surg, surely there are ways to supplement your income (perhaps they'll allow overtime, or PRN at the clinic).

Good luck to you. I hope you succeed in your goals.

[Jm0136]

Choose what you think is right for YOU. I left a high paying job for a 20000 a year pay cut 8 years ago and have never looked back. And now my salary is almost the same as

What it was after 8 years. Plus it would put you in a lower tax bracket.

[Riawahine, BSN, MSN]

Just because they offer you the lower rate doesn't mean you have to accept it. Try to negotiate for a higher rate. At least $30/hr. I say go for the M/S position. Good luck:sarcastic: