new grad conundrum

[hungryRN]

So I'm a new grad who's been searching for a job since last may (a BSN will have no prob getting a job my ass...). Recently I got offer a med-surg position at a small hospital, and a secretary position in an ED at another; that pays RNs more. I was told that they will be offering new grad positions in the ED around July and I would have a better chance as an internal candidate. The secretary job is full time so I can't juggle both till then.

I would much rather work as an RN but I really want to be in the ED. What would you recommend I do?

[ProgressiveThinking, MSN, CRNA]

Take the med/surg job. Where I work, I've personally seen internal applicants not hired. Being an internal applicant will give you a leg up, but it's never a sure thing.

I would take the med/surg job and stick with that for a year just to get experience.

[One1, BSN, RN]

I'd say take the RN job on the med/surge floor. You will gain nursing experience and will be able to apply to many emergency departments down the road. Working in the ED as a secretary might or might not get you an RN job there later on, but you will not work in the field you trained for right now.

[Robublind]

Easy, take the RN position. Get a year of experience and go where you want after that.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

Take the nursing job, the secretary job might lead nowhere. Plus if you're good at it, they won't want you to change jobs. I took a job once to maximize my chances by being internal, but I got a "ticket" for parking in the wrong parking lot and couldn't transfer and ended up quitting and working elsewhere.

[cayenne06, MSN, CNM]

Take the RN job!

[netglow, ASN, RN]

They will ALWAYS tell you you have a CHANCE at something. Don't ever believe that one. Take what is real.

[frankie,RN]

take the med-surg job. a bird in the hand beats two in the bush.:)

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

You've been "searching for a job since last May" and you have to ask if you should take it or not? You will learn a lot more on a med-surg floor. The same patients who come into the ER will get admitted to the med-surg floor, and trust me, you will see codes on med-surg, too. Your experience on med-surg will be invaluable for the ER job you hope to get someday. As a secretary, you would learn a lot, too, but why not get paid an RN salary?

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Take the med/surg job. Yes, the other job is in the ER where you want to be and you would probably learn a lot from it. But it is NOT a nursing job, it will not help you accrue RN experience and will go nowhere towards getting you past New Grad status, and it doesn't guarantee you will be hired on as a nurse there...especially when you have to compete with applicants who have actual nursing experience.

[bringinit247]

Where are you from? I'm considering going to nursing school, and trying to get a sense of if the job market varies by region. I'm in NYC so hopefully it is not too too bad here. I thought there was a nursing shortage?!

[RN-ing, BSN, MSN, NP]

Take the RN position!

"One year RN experience" sounds much better than "worked as unit secretary for 6 months".

You need to know what it means to have lives in your hand, and still manage to eat lunch (sometimes)!

You can do it!