New Grad - Should I take this public health job??

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Nurse Beth,

I'm a new grad and have been offered a staff nurse position at a county public health clinic. This would be my very first job out of nursing school and I have not had any other offers. My question is: will this experience make it difficult for me to transition to a hospital job in a few years?

I know that any nursing experience is better than no nursing experience, but I am wondering whether unit managers will look at my clinic time and consider me still inexperienced if I apply for hospital jobs later. The clinic hours are M-F, 8-5, so volunteering at a hospital or other type of setting for experience is doable but only on the weekends. Just wondering your thoughts on that. Thanks so much!

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Dear Unsure if I Should Take Public Health Position,

Congrats on being offered a position at a county public health clinic.

My answer to your question Will I still be considered inexperienced for hospital jobs later?” is Yes, most likely”.

However, you are being offered a good job and great hours.

Like you said, any nursing experience is better than no nursing experience. It's easier to get a job when you have a job. You will gain valuable experience.

Only you can determine what's the most important to you in a nursing job. Is it possible that you could give public health nursing a try, and fall in love with it?

You'll never know until you try.

Best Wishes,

Nurse Beth

[JayHanig]

I can't imagine leaving a public health job for a hospital job unless the public health job left me in poverty. I can see leaving a hospital job even if it means flipping burgers at McDonald's. I retired at 55 from a hospital job. If I'd been able to get a public health job, I'd probably still be working.

It's hell having to live at the beach. The stress of listening to the waves roll in is more than any one man should have to endure. It's better than sweating forgetting a single thing while on the (hospital) job. Zero tolerance doesn't leave much room for error. My beach does. So does public health. Get my drift?

[Amistad, RN]

I don't think it will make it harder for you to get a hospital job later. Yes you will still be considered inexperienced as far as acute inpatient care but you won't be considered a brand new nurse.

I think it depends on how you spin it... If you work closely with doctors and nurses in the clinic you will be learning teamwork and communication skills that are vital to hospital nursing as well.

Best of luck with your decision :)

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

It will make it harder to get an acute care job. If you are ok with that go for it.

[clane_rn]

I live in middle Tennessee and it was extremely hard for me to find a job as a new nurse and that was with 12 years of CNA experience. This was due to the fact the my region is over saturated with nurses. After diligently searching for six months, I finally found a job in a nursing home. I did that for six months and finally got a job working med surge in a hospital. I did that for 18 months and then got a job working critical care. My point is this, you need to take into account the dynamics of where you live. For me, I had to take what I could get...

[Nei77, MSN]

I would take that community health job in a heartbeat. Nursing is not only Hospital nursing. You will get experience, you will get confidence. I am positive you will fall in love with it. I am currently working at a hospital looking desperately for a job like that. Enjoy it Good luck!!!!