Hello all, I am a new grad and i just landed my first job at a great hospital, however it is not in my unit of choice. as you all know, we live in a time where we get what we can take, so i took this position because the hospital is prestigious and supportive to their nurses.
my position is in the transitional care unit, basically a short-term snf/rehab unit. i really love the hospital i will be working with, and i feel very grateful to even be part of it. i haven't started yet, i am to start orientation on january 14th.
however, i really really want to end up in the ICU because my long term career goal is to go back to school for my master's as a CRNA or NP. most masters programs require icu/ed experience to be competitive. i understand i should not job hop because that doesn't look good on my part, so i am planning to stay in the TCU for at least 8 months. also, in my interview i made it very clear to the manager that my heart was set on the ICU or step down so she knows what my desires are.
when do you guys suggest i should request a transfer? what should i do in the meantime while i am working in the TCU. (specializations? certs? classes? shadowing?) when should i start talking to my manager about my interest in moving on to a more acute care area in the hospital? how should i initiate this type of conversation with her? will i have a better chance of getting into the ICU being a transfer? has anyone else had experience transferring?
any insight and suggestions are welcome. thank you!
