Hello, I am a recent graduate and new to this site. I recently took and passed my NCLEX in November, started applying for positions in December, went on my first interview two weeks ago and was just offered the job. However, it is not the right position for me and I already know this going into the trenches.
I live in Michigan where the economy is horrible and jobs are scarce. If there is still a nursing shortage, it is tough to tell by the limited positions which are available here. I know how fortunate I am to have been given an opportunity at all, yet I know from the onset that this is just not a good fit.
As a new grad, I was (am) seeking a Medical/Surgical position where I can pay my dues and gain valuable work experience so that in 2 years I can move on to Hospice, where my passion and enthusiasm lies. I was lucky enough to be offered a position which is on a Rehabilitation Unit working with complex Medical/Surgical patients. It was supposed to be a 3 day a week, 8 hour position (24hr week) job. However, since the interview HR has notified me that it is a 32-36 hour a week job and will require a 4-5 day commitment.
During the interview, the Nurse Manager told me herself that the floor has a lot of problems, and the hospital system is being bought out by an outside company (and a lot of changes will be made soon). She went on to say that the Nurse Aides are in a union and well protected. She said that most of them have been there forever and they are very lazy and know how to work the system. She said most of the time when you need an Aide that they can not be found and will not answer their phones. She told me that if I was not assertive and persistent that they would "eat me alive". She went on to tell me that she has some current issues with nurses as well, who are letting things go, such as dressing changes and teaching plans. Her intentions at this point are to bring new blood to the floor and staff it with people who will work together well. She obtained permission to hire three new nurses, all new grads, and I am one of those new grads. Orientation will last three months with a preceptor. After six months I can be floated to other floors, if the need arises.
At any rate, I am a new grad who did very well in school. I was in the top 3% of my class AND I will be the first one to admit that I feel completely incompetent and totally unprepared for real world nursing. Nursing school did not even begin to touch the surface of everything I really needed to learn. I can't start an IV, am unfamiliar with most equipment, can barely read an EKG strip, and have never had the opportunity to do many nursing procedures.
I had hoped to work part-time (to begin with) so that I could reserve my time off for researching and in-depth studying all the new things that I was going to be introduced to in my career as a RN. I want to be good at my job and I know my limitations. I know that I will require many hours researching all those things I did not learn in school, yet am expected to know in the field.
I am quite conflicted as to what to do. I am not sure if I should accept this position and pray for the best or if I should keep looking for a better fit? I would be ever so grateful to hear from new and seasoned nurses about the importance or lack of importance of finding the right fit. As a new grad, I expect to be overwhelmed and expect to have bad days, however I don't want to be so overwhelmed that I end up quitting after 6 months and hating nursing forever. Yet, jobs are scarce here and there is no guarantee that I will find another right away. Any advice or opinions for a new grad trying to make the right choice.
Further, I don't want to be unfair to my new employer. I don't want to waste their time and money training me if I plan to leave for a better offer/fit.
What is the most professional, responsible thing to do?
Actually, she was a very nice, knowledgeable lady who was very much pro nursing. She appeared to be just being upfront about the floor, what I could expect and what she was looking for in an RN. I think she was just trying to garner if I would be a good fit. I sensed no malice about her, but it did frighten me. And yes, I am basing my decision on what I obtained from the interview...it is all I have to go on. I'm scared out of my mind and trying to make a good decision without harming myself or the organization.
CNAs are like that in most places IMO speaking strictly from my experience union or not. I would think with a union you could call them on stuff as opposed to not having one; anyway...........take the job. You will get experience and a chance to transfer to other parts of the hospital system you're in once orientation is done.
I was hired once in a situation like you describe (wanting to bring in new blood, graduated mega cum laude, etc...) and they ate me alive. I survived and definitely got the experience I wanted. It was my education and my ability to adapt that saved me. It would be nice if we all could be hired where we want with nice people but that's not going to happen very often. If you don't take the opportunity it might be a long wait for the next one.
With this job I see opportunity for experience; ignore the rest of the BS and keep your head low and then if you don't like where you are apply for other positions. It's a chance to get your feet wet.
If that place is as big as you described maybe it would be best to get your foot in the door with this job and see what it's like and when you're inside you can see if there's another position inside that facility that'd be a better fit for you.
I know where I work if a position becomes available it has to be offered to in-house staff first before they start looking posting help wanted ads. If this hospital does that too then maybe that's why they only seem to hire for the "lame" jobs. Once you get in you can transfer to another job that you like better in their seemingly huge facility.
Another thing to consider is that experience and previous employment matter a LOT. Even if this job isn't a best fit, you might want to go ahead and "pay your dues" and get that "minimum one year experience" over and done with!
No advice, I just wanted to wish you the best of luck. If you are as good of a nurse as you are a an eloquent writer, any hospital would be lucky to have you! You seem to have a very good understanding of the pros and cons as well as your own strengths and limitations.
I would take the job,trust me you dont want a big unemployment gap on your resume,plus think about you will be learning a lot of stuff on the floor in addition to your "reasearching" on your spare time.Any experience is better than none experience.
I would take it but I have been looking for about 8 months without so much as an interview. At least it's a hospital job. The alternative could be working in a nursing home where you won't get acute care experience. As for your concerns about "catching up" by researching on your own time, I think you are better off learning on the job. You can only master a skill by actually doing it over and over again, not by reading about it in a book. Good luck!
Perhaps you could consider an outside view of the situation - view it as an opportunity - particularly when others have been having a very hard time finding a job and you have the opportunity to work in the hospital and have a long orientation with a preceptor.
As for the steep learning curve - yes, welcome to the real world - there's always new things/techniques/equipment to learn. . . I heard many say they although their nursing program may have been rigorous, they actually learned more AFTER nursing school than during. . .
As for the personnel - take it as an opportunity to learn how to deal with "different" people - you'll have to learn it sooner or later as there will always be some staff that may be challenging to work with - no matter where you work. Just remember to treat them nice and tell them you appreciate the work they do and thank them - they will value/respect you more when you show them respect
I did it after coming out of travel nursing. I had to take a night position, and I HATE nights. I did it for almost two years, and now am moving onto a unit where I will be doing 99% day shift. I don't regret having worked nights the last two years, but I don't regret being done with nights at all either.
Its kinda like a lot of girls do with their men.........hold onta what you got till the upgrade shows up.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
You do not want to fall into the trap of becoming an "old" new grad who has allowed a year or longer to elapse since graduation while amassing no experience during that time because you're waiting around for the job with the right fit for you. RNs with no recent experience look unattractive to hiring folks in today's economy.
To be straightforward, you do not know where your next job offer is coming from if you reject the one you currently have. In addition, you do not know when the next job offer is coming. It might be a week from now, or a full year or two might pass without employment.
Don't become the "old" new grad if you have the opportunity to avoid it. Accept this job offer. You might love it and stick around. If you hate it, quitting is an option.
I'm from the upper Midwest as well, and you are correct in your assessment that there are few jobs here. Well, sounds like there are really few jobs anywhere right now. Take the job. But. .set a goal for yourself. "This will be my learning experience for. . .1 year" or whatever time-frame you want to set for yourself. My only other advice would be, if it is really horrible, in a I'm-afraid-I'm-gonna-lose-my-license sort of way, get out. Or, if you are so terribly stressed that it is affecting your mental health, family life, etc., again, it's not worth it. But, at this point, beggars cannot be choosers, as they say, and you are obviously intelligent, and may be part of the change that they feel is needed to get things turned around. Best to you!
I took the job and have been there since early Jan. I LOVE MY JOB! I love my co-workers and I love my boss. People are very friendly, Docs and nurses work well together, everyone treats each other with respect, it is very pro-education, pro-nursing and pro-committee involvement. There is no yelling at each other and for the most part everyone gets along well. I have an excellent preceptor who has never embarrassed me, has never made me feel stupid or incompetent. I have been given ample opportunity to attend classes and seminars on policy, procedures and equipment. Not all the nurses and assistants are as "eager" to do their jobs as others, but with the right attitude and words I have had no problems getting what I need for my patients. I can't tell you how happy I am to have taken this job. I thought it would be a bad fit and it has ended up to be a godsend.
RNJoInMI
21 Posts
Actually, she was a very nice, knowledgeable lady who was very much pro nursing. She appeared to be just being upfront about the floor, what I could expect and what she was looking for in an RN. I think she was just trying to garner if I would be a good fit. I sensed no malice about her, but it did frighten me. And yes, I am basing my decision on what I obtained from the interview...it is all I have to go on. I'm scared out of my mind and trying to make a good decision without harming myself or the organization.