NICU vs Psych position HELP

[athena123]

Hi! I was wondering if I could bounce something off of someone who has a background in Psych nursing or NICU nursing - or nursing period!! I have been offered a position working on the adolescent unit of an outpatient behavioral health facility. I have no Psych exp except for what I got during nursing school -which I graduated from in 2010. I have also been offered a position in the NICU. I have been in an administrative position since graduation (not by choice but because I was going through a divorce and needed good income with good benefits-of which this job provided quickly and also let me work from home). This administrative position is ending this week due to outsourcing. I have applied for this Psych nursing job ( and was offered the job ) and also was offered a position working in a NICU with a friend of mine. I am interested in both areas and was VERY surprised to have been offered jobs in BOTH these areas. Also, strangely enough, I was considered for both of these positions and was offered employment doing both (and on a good shift 3p-11p-good for me anyway) and I could never even get an interview with any of the hospitals around here in something like Med/Surg. I even applied for part time 3rd shift positions in med/surg and could not even get a call. Anyway, nevertheless, I have been blessed and just need some opinions badly and not sure where to get any. If I talk to my friends, they are star-struck by a NICU job as everybody thinks they would love a position working with babies but that is not all glory either. Babies die. Sadness is there just like with Psych....it's just different. I think Psych nursing is misunderstood. I posted my dilemma on another nursing facebook page (posted it anonymously) and I would say about 85-90% said to do NICU. They would say things like - ' you need to keep your sanity and stay out of psych nursing' - why do people say this? Is this something I need to seriously reconsider? I don't need a crystal ball, just some good sound opinions. Any help with this matter would be sooooo greatly appreciated. So much stress! Thank you for listening - reading.

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

If it were me (and assuming I didn't already have a great desire to work in NICU--which I do, uh..) anyway, if I were in your position, and didn't have one or the other that I was called to, I'd still take the NICU position because it'll get you hospital, in-patient experience, whereas the psych job won't. Likely the reason you're not getting call backs on the med/surg jobs is because you're a 3 year old nurse with 0 practical experience in a hospital setting.

[athena123]

I actually do have clinical/hospital experience as I was a LPN for 3 years prior to returning to RN school. (But no...no hospital experience as a RN). I have officially decided on the NICU position. I think it will serve me best. The psych position just doesn't fascinate me like NICU. I want to be the best I can be for my patients so I think this is best after all.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

I think NICU is a wise choice.

I work acute care psych. It wears on you ~ the crazy staff. NICU will give you good experience and future options.

[athena123]

I think NICU is a wise choice.

I work acute care psych. It wears on you ~ the crazy staff. NICU will give you good experience and future options.

Thank you so much. I think so too.

[ccguidry]

Have you started working yet? How do you like being in the NICU? I am in the same position you were in trying to decide between telemetry and NICU. Telemetry will allow future orientation to the ICU and NICU will allow floats to the nursery. I love babies and wanted to work with them when I started nursing school, but after rotations I enjoyed the OR, and figured telemetry exp would get me there eventually. So far how has your experience been in the NICU?