New grad hiring

[DrER0802]

I been working for my organization, a level 1 trauma teaching hospital, for almost 10 years as a tech. I just graduated nursing school, so my hopes of staying there and transitioning to a nurse were high tbh. We have been thru a few managers which all promised me a nursing job once I graduated. We currently have no manager again, & I was told by executive leadership that I was not going to be hired in the ER due to having a lot of new grads on nights which according to them it was a mistake, by hiring RNs with minimal experience. They suggested I applied to other units and then come back in 6 months. So my question is what do I do? What unit do I apply to? CCU/SICU/PICU or simply apply to counity hospital ERs and leave my organization that I have been with for years.

[OldIsNew]

Dear DrER0802--Congratulations on your nursing degree!! Thank you for your commitment!! I've been nursing now for 37years, and still love it. I have worn many hats during my tenure. Nursing is one of the few professions which allows this!

Your decision is not as easy as asking someone else! The first thing that struck me is that you have been in a unit that has had multiple managers in 8 years. That is a sign of a not-steady unit! I say some angel is looking out for you and has given you an opportunity for better.

When I started as a nurse, all I wanted was to be a trauma nurse. Things did not work out, and I ended up in MICU, in a University hospital. It was the best thing that could have happened to me! The knowledge that I gained served me well all these years.

The biggest question to ask yourself is: what do you like? ER is never the same. The age of patients is from birth to 110 (if you go to a Community ER, you may have to deliver a baby!) Teaching institutions generally see sicker patients, and, as you mentioned, more devastating trauma. Med students, Interns and Residents often perform duties that RNS perform in Community settings.

My advice is find a unit with a strong onboarding program! Even though you have great experience, the transition from assistant to RN is important. You want to be somewhere that supports that transition.

Best wishes!

[bitter_betsy, BSN]

While I had only been a nurse intern for a few months - I was promised a job as well (and the whole reason I was a nurse intern was to start the training process early so my transition into a nurse would be much quicker). Fast forward - and I will be starting at a different hospital - a magnet hospital like where my university was. While it may break your heart, it could be a blessing in disguise. I didn't see all the warning signs until I was gone and my friend also got a job there and starting pointing out all the things I just kind of glazed over because I wanted to be in the ER so badly.