New grad needs help deciding which job to take L&D or Dialysis Clinic

[mommo5]

I was a stay-at-home mom for 15 years before deciding to go back to school to become a RN. I graduated last May 2010 and finally got my first job offer from FMC for a staff nurse position at an outpatient dialysis center. I thought this was going to be a great job for me. Working 4 ten hour days, daytime hours, Sundays off, 5 minutes from my house, closed on Christmas. I took the job and am supposed to start in a couple of weeks. Then out of nowwhere the hospital calls and offers me a position in L&D that I interviewed for a few weeks ago and thought I had no chance of getting. Becoming a L&D nurse and getting a position like this was the whole reason I went back to school ...but now that I was offered it I'm not so sure I should take it. It would be a rotating day/night position 5 eight hour days, I would be working every other weekend, and I'm sure being new I would be working most of the major holidays that everyone else wants off for. I thought I wanted it so much.... but I feel like working at the hospital would be worse for our family due to the rotating shifts, working nights, every other weekend, holidays. Then I feel like I'm crazy to pass up this opportunity to work in L&D as a new grad...from reading on here it seems like a lot of nurses would jump at a L&D job offer. And the comments I read on here about FMC overall aren't that good. And dialysis, in general, it sounds like you either love it or hate it. I'm so confused! Does anybody have any advice? I need to let the hospital know my decision, but I'm not sure what decision to make. My dream of working in L&D is important to me but being there for my kids and husband and being a good mother and wife is even more important to me.

One other thing, Since I already accepted the dialysis job do you think it would be weird for me to ask for a shadow day now? When I interviewed and toured the clinic it was actually closed for a total remodel. Then when she called and offered me the job I was so happy just to get an offer I didn't even think about shadowing to see what it was like. I guess I would have to tell the dialysis manager about the other offer and the reason I would want to shadow after I already accepted a job. This seems awkward..should I even do this?

[AntMarchingRN, RN]

This is the best type of problem to have, which job do I take?

I'm just happy to see a new grad having to decide between two jobs instead of not having any prospects. You have to make your own decision, we cannot tell you what to do, but it sounds to me like you have already decided. Make the pros/cons list and discuss it with your family. Either way you will be employed as a nurse! Congratulations!!

[MorningLight]

I'm going to graduate soon too, and I totally understand your family dilemma. Time for family is huge to me, as I have young children... but I also eventually want to advance in my career and go to graduate school at some point. I would probably go for where my passion is in terms of career, but that's just me. New grads have more open to them in a sense because they haven't been trained yet specifically in any area. Nothing is the end all be all, and you can always change your mind, so just make the most thoughtful decision you can. I would suggest writing down all the pros, cons, and "interestings" you can think of, and then looking at them.

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

If getting an L & D job was your reason for going to school I say go for it!! If it's too much you can always get a different job (easier with some experience) or maybe even a different L & D job.

[Butterfly0328]

I am still a student, but I did read somewhere on here that if you don't start out in a hospital setting it is very difficult to transition from a clinic/Dr.office setting to a hospital if you choose to do that in the future. Perhaps others can shed some light on this. Good Luck...

[MrsEd]

If L&D is your passion, I say go for it!! Gain some experience and perhaps a schedule with better hours will become available or you can take your experience and apply for positions that may provide a better schedule.

[StillSliding]

I am a new grad with a spiffy resume. I have applied repeatedly to FMC, cannot get to 1st base. I am envious. Which state is FMC hiring a new grad?

[Miller86]

I would NOT tell the dialysis manager you got another offer but I would ask for a tour or shadow day.

Go with where your heart is telling you. How young are your children?

[MouseMichelle]

Go with you passion and go with it. Also if it's your family you are concerned about what is your passion? Family vs what your passion is hard.

Go with with what you heart feels is the best

[DeLana_RN, BSN, RN]

I'm a former dialysis nurse (5+ years) and cannot recommend that a new grad start in this specialty. Reasons include having a lot of responsibility and often few (if any) other RNs to help or guide you; needing to have strong assessment skills, which new grads typically don't yet have; difficult work and delegation conditions (dialysis techs often do the same work as nurses - they think - and can be difficult to work with, especially when they have much more dialysis experience that you do). I'm not alone in this opinion, please see the dialysis specialty forum on this board and search for "new grad". (BTW, I had about 1 year acute care experience when I started out in dialysis; often I wished I had more!)

In addition, it is rare - especially today - for new grads to get a chance to start in the specialty they really want to work in! You may never get another chance (especially if you take the dialysis position, because this is not acute care and can become very limiting, even for nurses with previous acute care - i.e., hospital - experience). Yes, you will have to do your time on nights/weekends/holidays (not all, though), but so does everyone who is starting out new. But this won't last, better opportunities will come along.

So my recommendation, and it's not even close: take the L&D position.

Wishing you the very best,

DeLana

P.S. Absolutely ask for a dialysis shadow day, and make sure it includes the most difficult time of the shift, turnover (when one shift of patients ist taken off the machines and at the same time the next shift of patients are hooked up to the machines).

[SNIXRN]

Go for your dream job!!!

[mommo5]

Just wanted to say thank you for all the great advice and suggestions I got. I really appreciate it. I will be making my decision soon.