Need your help

[gladtobeOB]

Hi,

I have a decision to make between two jobs.

Here is the story.......

I am currently working at a facility part-time. When I interviewed at this facility I was told by the manager that there was an opening on the LTC side that this person would also work part of the shift 3-7 on the med/surg side(small facility with hospital and nursing home). She stated if a current staff member would take this job it would leave me a full time position which is what I wanted. Well as the story goes no one bid on the job so once I started I then bid on it. Was told by DON of LTC it was mine if I wanted. Told her yes. she stated that once my orientation was over on med/surg I would then begin orientation on LTC. As the story goes 3 people come out of the woodwork and bid on the job, thus leaving me out of the job and full time status. I have told them numerous times my need for full time hours/pay. So I have since interviewed at a nursing home for nights RN supervisor and have been offered the position.

I talked with the nurse manager the other day stating that I would work for someone who's son has been ill if need be. She told me that she was going to be talking to human resources about making my job full time since they still have another part time position available. She would know on Tuesday.

Tuesday is also when I have scheduled my series of PPD to start at the other place..........

What would you do? I have heard the promises before and am somewhat leary of what she says and I don't want to let this other job slip away. It is more pay, I would think a step up on the career ladder from regular staff nurse to super with more responsilbiy

What to do HELP

[markjrn]

It seems to me that you already answered your own question. Good luck!

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

Ditto.

A real job vs. promises. If your NM meant business, she wouldn't have to wait until Tuesday. They won't know you mean business until you're headed out the door.

Best of luck, whatever you decide.

[ckh23, BSN, RN]

I agree, don't put your hopes on promises and reassurances.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Go ahead and get your PPD started at the other place. It's a good idea not to burn your bridges yet.

You have two options and you are going to have to make a choice. Things tend to work slower in the hospitals when they are making a position for you. How long can you wait? Do you get the feeling that they are stringing you along? If you're tired of waiting then leave for the other job.

There are a couple of things you should consider before moving to the nursing home. If you want to get back into hospital nursing it will be difficult if you have been working in a nursing home. Most acute hospitals do not generally hire on RNs with only nursing home experience in their immediate past. Are you going to be salaried at the nursing home? In most of the homes I worked, the supervisors were the back up staff when there were call-offs and no replacements could be found. People call off a lot on the weekends. So, if you are going to be working extra, make sure you are going to be paid for it. Some places try to hand you a bunch of baloney about giving you compensatory time off for the extra hours you had to work. The compensatory time never materializes and you end up getting mad because you feel like you've been taken advantage of. Nursing supervision in a nursing home can be very grueling and frustrating.

Tell your nurse manager when she talks to you about your status after Tuesday that you thought she had promised you the full time position and you were very upset to hear that it is probably going to someone else. If she tells you that she never promised you anything then I would consider changing jobs, for sure. At that point it won't hurt to tell her that since your last talk you have started looking for full time positions elsewhere and are going to have no choice but to quit if you find one. I would absolutely wait until the last possible minute before telling your nurse manager that you have another job. If she has deliberately misled you I would have no problem quitting the day before I started my new job. However, the danger of doing this is that you'll never be hired there again. If you are still in your probationary period you can usually quit anytime without notice. Their right to terminate you at any time is a two-way road and applies to the probationer too. It's not a nice thing to do, but I never had a problem returning favor for favor. An easier way to get out of quitting is to call off sick and stay off sick for a while before quitting. Just ignore their demands for a doctor's excuse. After a bit you can inform them that because of your health you are going to have to quit.

Have you considered getting a part time job in a nursing home to supplement your current wage? Most nursing homes "love" to have a hospital nurse come in to work. If you can do some weekend shifts for them they love you even more. Most will work around your hospital schedule to get you oriented. I worked part time in a nursing home for many years along with my hospital job for extra money. The opportunity for extra shifts is tremendous.

I moved 100 miles to get my first job as an RN. The first week in orientation I was called into the DONs office and told that she could not pay me the wage she had quoted to me when she hired me during her recruitment tour. The decrease in wage was substantial. I don't like being lied to. I quit on the spot.