Next Career Steps...undecided

speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Sep 25, 2020

I think it just depends at what you want or are looking for. Do you WANT a challenge like the ICU? Or would you rather have no holidays or better working hours like in a same day surgery center? You have 4 very different options.

TAKOO01, BSN · Sep 26, 2020

Can you give me some resume tips? It must be awesome to get so many offers ?

Seriously, congrats on all of those offers. I would forget the rehab due to the reviews and benefits. I would skip the peds job too due to the pay and the commute.

The last two sound the best. I would totally do same day because its only four days and no weekends.

A lot of people on Allnurses seem to value trauma and ICU experience. I assume it acts as gateway to a variety of other specialties. So I guess if that interests you, and irregular scheduling doesn't truly bother you, then that's a great choice too.

Let us know what you pick.

sbwpaso · Sep 26, 2020

Hi there. Thanks everyone who’s replied so far. So far rehab is the only place that has made me an offer. The others I just have had an interview and others coming up.

I might have another opportunity in endo again but the hospital isn’t as busy at the one I was at.

Chickenlady · Sep 26, 2020

I think you are right to be concerned about the reviews

sbwpaso · Sep 26, 2020

I spoke with someone who works there as case manager. She said they are newer here in St Louis and said the reviews were probably from Texas.

dream'n, BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2020

Adult Rehab can be very tough. Many times it's Med-Surg patients but with a much higher ratio or in the case of an LTAC, ICU patients with much higher ratios. Personally I wouldn't work in one. Plus the fact they are offering a bonus means they may have trouble getting staff to sign on or stay. You said they have already given you an offer, if it was pretty quick after the interview, I'd consider it quite probably as a red flag.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Sep 26, 2020

You have four completely different specialties listed. Only you know where your real interests are. Adult rehab is a tough gig. Depends on the nurse patient ratio. I worked a rehab unit with 6 patients, worked my tail off. Some units go up to twenty patients! Do not take it without shadowing.

EDNURSE20, BSN · Sep 26, 2020

You’ve changed job each year, now deciding between 4 very different jobs. I would be very careful to choose a speciality you are actually interested in and plan on staying longer than a year.

daddynurse32 · Sep 27, 2020

My wife works in purchasing and has a structured way to choose when she does RFPs (requests for proposal) and how to force rank what's important to you and then decide on what company to go with for many proposals -- it's really hard to figure it out when so many factors are in play. It seems like the same thing here, you have multiple "proposals" from employers and it's a really good way to objectively look at your offers. It doesn't sound like there will be any truly wrong decision...you have many good alternatives!

Also, just remember that anonymous people on here mean well when they recommend to do this or that. But just like in other aspects of life, people have different preferences. Some **LOVE** working in GI, others find it boring. If a person who responds back to this tells you it's boring, how are you to know what camp they're in?

Same thing with reviews. Depending on the circumstances of people leaving the reviews...especially in larger hospitals or employers, local management or your direct supervisor are really the driving factor for employee engagement and satisfaction. I've worked in groups that are great, when people in a different department of the same hospital are miserable. I did a little research and found a Harvard Business Review article that says: "Our research shows that managers account for as much as 70% of variance in employee engagement scores." (source: https://hbr.org/2015/04/what-great-managers-do-to-engage-employees)

I'd find out more about each offer and get the best feel you can for your local management and supervisor. And, if you're married or have a close professional friend, I'd ask them to be part of this journey with you -- they sometimes see blind spots that you don't and can be a valuable asset in making a decision.

Good luck!

sbwpaso · Sep 27, 2020

Thank you for the information, this was helpful. I’m going to make a pros and cons list and really think and ask God to give me the best direction for my career choice. The good news is I don’t have to rush this and can wait to see what other opportunities come about.

SN2751, BSN, RN · Sep 30, 2020

I came from med-surg, and recently started in same day surgery. It is a GREAT job! It can get hectic at times, but we ALWAYS get a break, and we even have some down time here and there. However, from a learning perspective, if you're looking for higher acuity patient care you won't get that in same day surgery. In other words, if you're looking to advance your skill set as a nurse, I'm not sure same day surgery is for you. I'm learning a lot, but only as it pertains to preoperative and postoperative care. I feel like I'm still using my skill set to a degree, but it's nowhere close to what I was doing on my old med-surg floor. I feel like endoscopy is probably similar, so you probably already have an idea of what same day surgery would be like already.