Move home or stay?

Published

Hi everyone. I'm a new grad RN in tele/stroke in Southern CA for almost 6 months now, w a PD gig as a preop/PACU RN at an ASC. I moved from my hometown yrs ago, but now with covid, it's mentally hard living alone since I can't see friends (I float to covid) & can't go home for the holidays. Night shift also affected my sleep schedule. But I can't help but worry about my family too (also in healthcare). As with most hospitals bc of covid, we're now out of ratio/no CNAs & I feel unsafe/unsatisfied w my care. I also don't see myself in tele that long. Despite my unit being very busy, the pros: love my coworkers/how helpful everyone is, self schedule, generous pay. But we technically "signed" a 2 yr contract but I heard many ppl break it without paying fees bc our hospital is super small/high turnover.

However, I know my time as a new grad is limited. Since my current job only had a 2 week residency w classes & 8 weeks precepting, I didn't feel prepared and still don't at times. So I applied to a residency back home which is 1 yr long. Overall, I wouldn't mind going back home to live w my family if it means less bills to pay & having their support. BUT there will be a huge pay cut. If the residency doesn't work out, I would apply to PACU/short stay jobs as these areas have interested me for awhile esp from my ASC job & I feel like it would be a better fit for me long term. The hospitals are also bigger (I.e. Level 1 trauma center) w better reputations compared to the one I am at now but I'm worried how it'll look on a resume

Should I stick it out and wait even if I don't enjoy my job/situation/feel anxious or apply back home & leave my current job if an offer comes up in a specialty I want (but fear of the unknown)?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.

If you feel prepared after 6 months then you'd be very unusual, it takes longer than that imo.  Quite frankly I wouldn't move anywhere until I had a FIRM job offer/residency in hand, things are just too unpredictable these days.  It won't help anything if you move and can't get a job except you won't be paying rent.  And I don't know much about residencies, they didn't have those when I graduated, but will they still consider you a new grad with 6+ months experience? When does the residency start?  And if you don't get it (probably even if you do) you still might be working nights.  I guess it all depends on how much you don't like your current job...

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
9 hours ago, nurseval said:

Hi everyone. I'm a new grad RN in tele/stroke in Southern CA for almost 6 months now, w a PD gig as a preop/PACU RN at an ASC. I moved from my hometown yrs ago, but now with covid, it's mentally hard living alone since I can't see friends (I float to covid) & can't go home for the holidays. Night shift also affected my sleep schedule. But I can't help but worry about my family too (also in healthcare). As with most hospitals bc of covid, we're now out of ratio/no CNAs & I feel unsafe/unsatisfied w my care. I also don't see myself in tele that long. Despite my unit being very busy, the pros: love my coworkers/how helpful everyone is, self schedule, generous pay. But we technically "signed" a 2 yr contract but I heard many ppl break it without paying fees bc our hospital is super small/high turnover.

However, I know my time as a new grad is limited. Since my current job only had a 2 week residency w classes & 8 weeks precepting, I didn't feel prepared and still don't at times. So I applied to a residency back home which is 1 yr long. Overall, I wouldn't mind going back home to live w my family if it means less bills to pay & having their support. BUT there will be a huge pay cut. If the residency doesn't work out, I would apply to PACU/short stay jobs as these areas have interested me for awhile esp from my ASC job & I feel like it would be a better fit for me long term. The hospitals are also bigger (I.e. Level 1 trauma center) w better reputations compared to the one I am at now but I'm worried how it'll look on a resume

Should I stick it out and wait even if I don't enjoy my job/situation/feel anxious or apply back home & leave my current job if an offer comes up in a specialty I want (but fear of the unknown)?

Where is "home"? If it's outside of CA, you may be out of ratio forever and ever because there are not any.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Mental health, substance abuse, geriatrics, PCU.

I would stay put if I were you, for multiple reasons. For one, I think it's best for new nurses to try to stay at the same job for at least one solid year, your job search will be easier the more experience you have. Right now many areas have a need for nurses, but they're wanting experienced nurses and 6 months might not cut it. As far as ratios go, you're going to be hard pressed to find appropriate ratios anywhere right now due to the pandemic, and even during normal times outside of California many hospitals stick with bare bones staffing.

I would also advise getting more experience before diving into PACU full time as most inpatient PACU want nurses with ICU/ER or PCU experience though it's not completely unheard of for newer nurses to land in that specialty but I think the learning curve would for PACU would be less if you had some solid critical care experience. The old saying was that PACU is where ICU nurses go to either retire or die haha.

Good luck with your decision!

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×

"So I applied to a residency back home which is 1 yr long" . Cannot fathom a year long residency. Please  give more details on that. You cannot leave your current job, until you have the new job offer in writing.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
1 hour ago, Been there,done that said:

"So I applied to a residency back home which is 1 yr long" . Cannot fathom a year long residency. Please  give more details on that. You cannot leave your current job, until you have the new job offer in writing.

Most year long residencies are just the regular 8 weeks with a preceptor followed by a monthly class or two. But the employee is on their own after the eight weeks. I HATE that it's called a residency because it's confusing. 

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
18 hours ago, Nunya said:

If you feel prepared after 6 months then you'd be very unusual, it takes longer than that imo.  Quite frankly I wouldn't move anywhere until I had a FIRM job offer/residency in hand, things are just too unpredictable these days.  It won't help anything if you move and can't get a job except you won't be paying rent.  And I don't know much about residencies, they didn't have those when I graduated, but will they still consider you a new grad with 6+ months experience? When does the residency start?  And if you don't get it (probably even if you do) you still might be working nights.  I guess it all depends on how much you don't like your current job...

The residency I applied to says "less than 1 yr acute care experience" and starts March 2021! I applied to the last cohort but they decided to only hire local graduates... So IDK if they will do the same again. It is also worrisome how our facility is managing the pandemic in which it is affecting staff and we are now short staffed bc so many coworkers and pts got exposed.. Not sure if this is common?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
10 hours ago, Sour Lemon said:

Where is "home"? If it's outside of CA, you may be out of ratio forever and ever because there are not any.

My home is within Central CA. Much cheaper cost of living so hence the pay cut and I heard they are also out of ratio as of recently but IDK how specialty areas like same day/PACU are affected 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
10 hours ago, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

I would stay put if I were you, for multiple reasons. For one, I think it's best for new nurses to try to stay at the same job for at least one solid year, your job search will be easier the more experience you have. Right now many areas have a need for nurses, but they're wanting experienced nurses and 6 months might not cut it. As far as ratios go, you're going to be hard pressed to find appropriate ratios anywhere right now due to the pandemic, and even during normal times outside of California many hospitals stick with bare bones staffing.

I would also advise getting more experience before diving into PACU full time as most inpatient PACU want nurses with ICU/ER or PCU experience though it's not completely unheard of for newer nurses to land in that specialty but I think the learning curve would for PACU would be less if you had some solid critical care experience. The old saying was that PACU is where ICU nurses go to either retire or die haha.

Good luck with your decision!

I appreciate your input! Do you think my outpatient experience may not cut it if I were to apply to inpatient PACU bc it is at an ASC compared to inpatient? And does tele not count as PCU (sorry if that's a dumb q)? My facility does not have one so I wasn't sure! 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
3 hours ago, Been there,done that said:

"So I applied to a residency back home which is 1 yr long" . Cannot fathom a year long residency. Please  give more details on that. You cannot leave your current job, until you have the new job offer in writing.

I heard precepting is between 16-20 weeks for all the units, and then there is an evidence based group project at the end of the 1 yr. Oh absolutely, I wouldn't leave until I had it in writing. So far I just blindly applied to this residency (not expecting much) esp since recruiters reached out to me

2 hours ago, meanmaryjean said:

Most year long residencies are just the regular 8 weeks with a preceptor followed by a monthly class or two. But the employee is on their own after the eight weeks. I HATE that it's called a residency because it's confusing. 

Thankfully I know this residency is between 16-20 weeks with a project, but IDK how often the classes are... otherwise I wouldn't have bothered if it was the same as the "residency" I already went thru at my current job for sure!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.
On 12/26/2020 at 8:52 AM, nurseval said:

The residency I applied to says "less than 1 yr acute care experience" and starts March 2021! I applied to the last cohort but they decided to only hire local graduates... So IDK if they will do the same again. It is also worrisome how our facility is managing the pandemic in which it is affecting staff and we are now short staffed bc so many coworkers and pts got exposed.. Not sure if this is common?

It is everywhere. About 15 percent of my staff is out with COVID as we speak.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

From CA- many PACUs are running on skeleton crews, as elective surgeries are cancelled. PACU nurses are being used to help in other areas.

You are going to find all hospitals out of ratio at this time.

Are you saying you wouldn't have applied if you knew there would be classes?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion