New Grad with 2 offers

Maria Alberto, BSN, RN · Jul 4, 2022

On 6/30/2022 at 7:36 PM, StarMom2Nurse said:

Hi everyone! Was hoping to get advice or maybe a different perspective.... I just graduated and all along was convinced I wanted to be an ICU nurse. But after graduating and evaluating life I have been considering labor and delivery. Some force keeps drawing me back to look for L&D positions and videos on Youtube. My personality loves a faster pace and likes to be constantly challenged. I worked as an LVN in a high demand Skilled Nursing/ Rehab facility and LOVED my patients and my job even though we had a high turn over I had nothing negative to say. So here is my dilemma....

Offered a position in the DOU step down from ICU with opportunity to transition to ICU after 6 months. It is at a smaller hospital with a not so good community reputation but many of the nurses have been there for >10yrs. They either love it or hate it. They have a great smaller new grad program, competitive pay, and only 25 mins from my house. But if I did not like DOU and wanted to pursue L&D, I would not want to work there. Catch, is I know the nurse supervisor and my favorite clinical instructor has worked there for 15 yrs in ICU. I feel comfortable there because I did clinical rotations in ICU there but not sure if I am just scared to be at a larger hospital with no support and I am just staying in my comfort zone.

Second job offer is on the Med Surg. floor at a nicer, larger hospital. The pay is a few dollars more, and there is an option to transfer to other units after a year. They have a NICU, womens center, and large L&D unit and an amazing new grad program. I actually gave birth to my daughter there and loved it! Same driving distance from my house, but I wouldn't be in DOU/ICU either.

I guess I just feel extremely stuck. I made a pro's and con's but they are equal in different ways. I was more excited than I thought about the med surg position but still do not know what to do.

Any advice or personal experience would be greatly appreciated!!

After reading both descriptions, I would personally go with the second job offer in Med/Surg. Although you are familiar with the smaller hospital and are friendly with some staff there, I see more pros with job #2. Especially consider the fact that you would START at a higher pay rate instead of having to work your way up to that same rate at the other location. Meaning you would never have to accept a rate lower than that if you ever change hospitals. Also, having the 1 year of med/surg experience will never be a bad thing, especially at a bigger, more well known hospital. Lastly, after that first year, you can transfer into ICU or L&D at that same hospital. What if you end up deciding that L&D is for you and you are working at the smaller hospital? You would have to apply and make the transition to another hospital regardless!

StarMom2Nurse · Jul 5, 2022

On 7/4/2022 at 9:58 AM, Maria Alberto said:

After reading both descriptions, I would personally go with the second job offer in Med/Surg. Although you are familiar with the smaller hospital and are friendly with some staff there, I see more pros with job #2. Especially consider the fact that you would START at a higher pay rate instead of having to work your way up to that same rate at the other location. Meaning you would never have to accept a rate lower than that if you ever change hospitals. Also, having the 1 year of med/surg experience will never be a bad thing, especially at a bigger, more well known hospital. Lastly, after that first year, you can transfer into ICU or L&D at that same hospital. What if you end up deciding that L&D is for you and you are working at the smaller hospital? You would have to apply and make the transition to another hospital regardless!

Thank you so much for responding! I have 2 more days to decide and its eating me alive. My husband wants me to take the job at the larger hospital. Especially since they are building a new pediatric wing and we have little ones. I am excited for both in different ways. My biggest fear is not being challenged mentally on the med surg floor. Of course, I would be SO busy but having days with no IVs and patients I barely see because we are out of ratio. I have been an LVN for 10 years giving PO meds, wound care/vacs, NG tubes, catheters, enternal feeds etc... I wouldn't be titrating drips, vents, etc. the more critical care side of nursing. The DOU has 1:3 ratio max and I would be giving total care and know my patients. But this is all a what if I guess, being an RN on the floor is very different than an LVN with greater responsibility. Again, thank you so much!!