need major advice

[LuvbabiesRN]

Ok, so i got 2 job offers (if you cant tell by my name) i love babies and despirately want to be a pedi/NIcu nurse. I am a new grad. I got offered a job on the adult cv surgical floor that i worked as an aid and an offer from a large nicu in another state-- here is the deal. This hospital doesnt not seem well run at all and there were many issues that came up that scared me in the interview and raised a red flag- one the NICU has 75-80 babies in a 60 bed nicu, the level three nicu does not have a nurse manager at the moment, the clinical eduacator is doing the hiring (shouldnt she be in the unit to do educating?) the nicu doesnt not have enough nurses so they do freezing which i had never heard of before but she says it happens weekly.. and granted you get paid double but is this a good idea to be wokring with critically new infants and have to work a 16 hr shift weekly? also the orentation is not as long as other hospitals and sometimes on the unit it is to new grads to one preceptor, probably not a good idea in critical care and also the nurse patient ratio seem high , also due to the fact that they do not have anough nurses, also the educator barely asked me anything at all about myself, nothing about my education or my experience and practialy just told me about the nicu and offered me a job. I really do not want work for a place run like this with these policys but i despirately want to do pedi and nicu and doesnt look like any of the other 20 or so jobs i applied for are offereing me anything. What should i do? compromise and take the NICU job or take the CV adult job which has great nurses, a great director, and a great clinical leader plus a good oreintation?????????????

[Mahema]

First and foremost protect yourself and your license!

I too wanted to work with the pediatric population when I graduated a year ago and accepted a position on a peds floor. The situation proved to be unsafe for both my patients and myself and after months of trying to impliment change I was forced to leave that job.

Do not be tempted to take a position that is unsafe and does not allow you to grow into your chosen profession. Hold out for the right position. You will know when it is right. It will happen for you too.

I just accepted a position in an NICU in another state and make the big move the end of this month.

Do what you love but protect that licence! Without it you will never realize your dream....

Good luck!

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

Excellent advice from Mahema.

If you take the "red flags" position, you could end up having a horrible experience in the area of nursing that you most want to work in.

I have had unbearable working conditions before, and no amount of money, no amount of expereince, no amount of ANYTHING would be worth going through that again.

Trust your gut instincts.

[UTVOL3]

Don't do it! When I first graduated i took the first job I was offered. Here was the red flag, at the end of the interveiw, without even checking my references or anything the manager offered me the job. Now, one year later, RNs and PCTs are leaving that floor left and right. Its at least one (not voluntary) plus shift a week for those that have stayed! The extra money would be great but I feel as though my lisence is at stake every day on that floor. When I left the other day, once again, I had just gotten thru admitting my eleventh patient. I'm getting out. Don't do it!

[renerian, BSN, RN]

Where I worked we were frozen. It sucked.

renerian