2 NICU Job offers, need opinions on offers

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  1. What would you pick?

    • 4
      NYU Winthrop Level III NICU
    • 21
      Cohen Children's Medical Center NICU level IV

25 members have participated

Hello, so I recently was offered 2 positions in 2 awesome NICUS and now need to decide which one but its really hard.

1. NYU Winthrop: Full time, level III, benefits 403B, tuition reimbursement is $6000/yr, environment is great, perks-minimal, exposure- good, problem- I love this hospital, it offers a small/warm environment and currently work as an NA on a tele floor BUT I feel like it offers minimal growth, unit is older and very super crowded.

2. Cohen Children's Medical Center- Northwell: this is tricky, so its the best NICU has super high rankings and gets the craziest cases (so my exposure and learning would be great here), Position- they start me in a perdiem spot guaranteeing me 36 hours per week but no benefits until I progress to FT position, when asked...they said positions always open up & that they did this last year with new grads and they all already progressed to FT positions. salary-5-7K higher, benefits- same once they are available to me, tuition reimbursement is $5000/ yr, Environment- I got to shadow nurses on the unit as part of my interview and fell in love with the culture/nurses, perks- endless (clinical ladder with monetary incentives, ECHMO training, tons of committees etc ), problem- this is a the dream hospital for peds nurses, specific peds hospital and offers lots of growth opps, has brand new beautiful spacious unit and an environment I got to experience BUT the perdiem start is risky...

WHAT DO YOU THINK, WHAT WOULD YOU PICK AND WHY?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Second one, no question.

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Thank you so much! I just get worried about how long it will take for that FT position to open bc I don't get to enjoy any of those awesome perks until then! But I think its the best for learning and growth until then. Thank you :)

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Specializes in Critical care.

The question is can you afford to wait for those perks? Will you have affordable access to health insurance- whether it's through a spouse, parents plan, or funneling your extra pay from being per diem towards your own personal plan.

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Yes, so I am on my fathers plan for another 4 years. So I have health insurance.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I personally thought the first one, hands down. I do not care how much an employer promises you something. If you take a position contingent on them making up their mind to do what is right and keep a promise, you will wind up disappointed every single time. Their urge to keep their promise is easily rationalized away by all the other demands of the institution. You will be the first one called off for low census. You may be passed up for a full time position in favor of someone else. As a new grad, you will not get enough support as a per diem employee. You might never get the hours they are saying as well. Everyone puts forward their best and most idealized foot in an interview, including the employer. I think taking the second one would be nuts, to be honest.

You can always reapply after you have some experience and take an actual full time job there then.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I personally thought the first one, hands down. I do not care how much an employer promises you something. If you take a position contingent on them making up their mind to do what is right and keep a promise, you will wind up disappointed every single time. Their urge to keep their promise is easily rationalized away by all the other demands of the institution. You will be the first one called off for low census. You may be passed up for a full time position in favor of someone else. As a new grad, you will not get enough support as a per diem employee. You might never get the hours they are saying as well. Everyone puts forward their best and most idealized foot in an interview, including the employer. I think taking the second one would be nuts, to be honest.

You can always reapply after you have some experience and take an actual full time job there then.

^This^ Plus better tuition reimbursement from NYU

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I personally thought the first one, hands down. I do not care how much an employer promises you something. If you take a position contingent on them making up their mind to do what is right and keep a promise, you will wind up disappointed every single time. Their urge to keep their promise is easily rationalized away by all the other demands of the institution. You will be the first one called off for low census. You may be passed up for a full time position in favor of someone else. As a new grad, you will not get enough support as a per diem employee. You might never get the hours they are saying as well. Everyone puts forward their best and most idealized foot in an interview, including the employer. I think taking the second one would be nuts, to be honest.

You can always reapply after you have some experience and take an actual full time job there then.

Any employer may fall short of expectations, including option 1.

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You obviously want to do option 2, but say the "per diem start is risky". Maybe I'm missing something. What exactly is so risky? What's the worst that could happen?

There is no guarantee which ever way you go. Go with what has the best possible upside.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

Can you do both or work part time at option A instead? Which one do YOU want more?

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Experience in a level 4 Childrens NICU is so valuable if you leave for another NICU, you'll have all the skills that level 3s are looking for. Don't undervalue the opportunities that bigger units can offer. You can feel very stuck in a small NICU down the track when you want to upskill or move into a senior nurse position.

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Not the worst spot to be in, having two offers. What are your goals?

I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but why do "positions always open up" at number two? Also, where I work 36 hours/week counts as full time and you'd receive benefits. Sounds like they have to pay higher because they don't offer benefits right away... Will they use you and abuse you as a perdiem nurse? Will you definitely get ECMO training and on committees or were those perks that could "maybe" happen after the training is given to the nurses that already waited a year to get their full time positions?

But then again, Trauma Level I vs. Trauma Level III... if you can play it safe since you're still on your family's health insurance Number Two does sound much more enticing.

It's hard to choose between a sure thing and another that might be good.

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