I am new to this site but have always found very useful opinions and tips by reading the threads on here so I am hoping for some helpful feed back for a new RN.
I graduated nursing school this past June and have had my license for a little over a month now and have been working at Hoag hospital Newport Beach for almost a year as a PCA (essentially a CNA) during 12 hr night shifts part time and the floor I work on has told me a few times that there are no positions open at this time but as soon as one opens up it will be offered to me (since I had already interviewed for an RN position prior to graduating nursing school just to have the interview process out of the way). My director has told me she really wants to move me up to an RN on our floor and she hopes I will wait it out and be patient for a position to open up (talk about some nurses leaving in the next few weeks). I recently interviewed at another hospital (to keep my options open) and they offered me a position as an RN at their facility.
Hoag hospital floor for hire is Gynecology/Urology unit with some med/surg overflow
Hospital #2 floor for hire is telemetry
my goal is to eventually be in critical care such as cardiac ICU
I will note the pros and cons in my situation and would appreciate all opinions! :)
Hoag Pros: I have been an employee there for almost a year, I have a good relationship with the PCAs, RNs, charge nurses, and director on my floor, it is a beautiful hospital, it is a well known hospital and known for being a very good hospital (that is in terms of patient opinion and ratings not employee opinion; there are good and bad things about being an employee here in my experience)
Hoag Cons: The position is night shift (I was hoping to move to day shift since I struggle to adjust to nights even after all this time), it is a 45 min commute from where I live, and MOST IMPORTANTLY there has not been a time frame given to me as to when a position for me would open up whether it be in a few weeks or a few months (other nurses have said they waited anywhere from 3 months to a year)
Hospital #2 Pros: teaching hospital with many opportunites for learning and growth in a very supportive enviornment, DAY SHIFT!!, another friend/classmate will be working on the same floor days so we will be co workers, interview went wonderful and they seemed very eager to have me
Hospital #2 Cons: hospital is in a not so great neighborhood (near LAX airport in a low income LA area), does not have the best reviews, is not as well known for being a good hospital (that is in terms of patient opinion and ratings not employee opinion; i've heard good and bad things about working here), hospital not as nice inside and out, about a 30 min commute without traffic
Last few notes to take into consideration is pay, Hoag has been said to offer about $34/hr to start for the full 12 hour shift (not sure if thats including night diff. or not) and hospital #2 is offering 30.69/hr for the first 8 hrs and then time and a half for the last 4 hrs averaging to be about $35 an hour.
Also, I am struggling financially and have been for a while as I do not make enough money as a PCA right now to pay all my bills and am very anxious to begin working as an RN to be able to pay my bills and live without the stress I have been enduring the past year.
and probably not as important but could be considered is Hoag is self scheduling so you can fill in days you do and do not want to work and they are usually really good about sticking with what employees put down and require two weekend shifts a month. Hospital #2 does not allow self schedule so they put you on whenever they want and require every other weekend.
In conclusion, I am not sure if it is better to wait it out for Hoag and take a position with them once it opens up or just take the position at hospital #2 and know I will begin working as an RN.
Thank you in advance, I am very stuck and appreciate your time! :)
