New Job Stay or Go?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

New-grad RN here with 2 years experience in the emergency department as an ED Tech. COVID has obviously put a strain on finding a job at a particular healthcare organization that owns the majority of the hospitals in my area. So, I have applied for an ICU position at another hospital nearby that does not have the best reputation for quality care but, I haven't worked there so I am giving it a shot.

I have been there for about 3 weeks now, there are 10 new grad hires in the ICU with not nearly enough preceptors. I maybe had 2 shifts where I followed my nurse and learned/did things (hang drips, IVP meds, worked in a couple codes, etc) but the rest of them, they keep just giving me a stepdown patient and leaving to deal with their other patient and aren't really "teaching" me or showing me ANY of the ropes. We also don't have a clinical educator and have basically 1 charge nurse for days and 1 for nights. Completely unorganized and just an absolute MESS. My ICU manager thinks it's totally cool to just let me out on my own, in fact, she's almost pushing me to do it.

I feel like it's a no-brainer to leave but I did want others opinion as well. I have a job offer from the latter that finally started hiring again, it is a neuro stepdown unit, so not at all what I "want" but at the same time; I do believe I will be getting a better, safer, and more organized orientation. Not only that it will be a 2.5mi commute vs 20mi and no tolls vs tolls. I just don't want to screw up my ICU experience or "lose" that experience for future resumes and furthering my career.

Thoughts?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Run. Run to the other job! You'll look back later and be glad you did.

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Administration is looking for cheap warm bodies. A new grad would need three months of structured orientation to succeed in ICU. A neuro stepdown unit is an excellent place to start.

"I just don't want to screw up my ICU experience or "lose" that experience for future resumes " You would not be screwing up the ICU experience, they would. Don't let them take advantage of you.

Good luck.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I think if they keep only giving you step down patients and you have people there for reference it may be worth sticking it out. Sooner or later the pandemic will end and things may find more bandwidth then. But if you think they will never work you up to ICU level properly the yeah, probably better go.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
2 minutes ago, Nurse SMS said:

I think if they keep only giving you step down patients and you have people there for reference it may be worth sticking it out. Sooner or later the pandemic will end and things may find more bandwidth then. But if you think they will never work you up to ICU level properly the yeah, probably better go.

I mean, it's not only the stepdown part. I truly don't necessarily mind that right off the beginning because it's allowing me to work independently with patients that are fairly stable (from what I'm used to seeing). However, it's the fact that they aren't really training me and are basically just like "good luck".

Not only that, I was warned by 2-3 different nurses because I was inquiring about charting etc to "be careful, you need to chart this and that way, it's very common for people to file lawsuits at this hospital."

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Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.
9 minutes ago, NurseGuy92 said:

, it's very common for people to file lawsuits at this hospital."

Go to your neuro step-down. It will stand you in good stead for doing ICU later on, whereas if you lose your licnese there'll be no ICU ever.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
1 minute ago, DavidFR said:

Go to your neuro step-down. It will stand you in good stead for doing ICU later on, whereas if you lose your licnese there'll be no ICU ever.

That was exactly where my mentality is at and the reason I asked in a forum post. I thought that, but I wanted to know if maybe I was overreacting or what some veteran thoughts might have been on the situation.

Thank you all very much

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56 minutes ago, NurseGuy92 said:

Not only that, I was warned by 2-3 different nurses because I was inquiring about charting etc to "be careful, you need to chart this and that way, it's very common for people to file lawsuits at this hospital."

Don't make important decisions based on these kinds of warnings. I know it's tempting and I know they influence our thoughts and feelings especially if they appear to support our opinion. But they're mostly people talking trash about things they don't know much about. Stick with facts when making your decision.

56 minutes ago, NurseGuy92 said:

I mean, it's not only the stepdown part. I truly don't necessarily mind that right off the beginning because it's allowing me to work independently with patients that are fairly stable (from what I'm used to seeing). However, it's the fact that they aren't really training me and are basically just like "good luck".

Yes. If they were having a specific acute problem (like upheaval that is primarily due to covid) I would expect them to be forthright about what they need from you, and none of it involves throwing a new grad out to fend for themselves. All acute care patients are sick or they wouldn't be there; the fact that the patients you are being assigned to currently have one or both feet out of the ICU is irrelevant.

One of the other bad facts is that they aren't just assigning you to step-down patients (with a rationale and plan for doing so), they are also pretending at some half-assed ICU orientation where you have followed someone around a couple of times. 10 new grads in one ICU is a lot, I don't care how big it is.

I say get out of there. Best of luck ~

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