Offer Dilemma

[nerdynurse7, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN]

I have recently been torn between two companies; I am not sure if both will offer me a job but I am at the next step and want to be prepared. The first job is a rehabilitation hospital which will give me the skills I need to end up in a higher acuity specialty, which is where I believe I want my career to head. The downside is that they offer 8 hour shifts and about a 4 dollar decrease than the second job. The second job is a dialysis job which offers a higher pay, and 12-14 hour shifts, which means I will be working less days more hours, which I do prefer. Bottom line I feel like the rehabilitation job will offer me the critical thinking skills and hands on skills I need to advance my career into a hospital in Boston, but the dialysis job offers me a great schedule and a great pay for a part time online student. Help? Can I still get into a hospital after being a dialysis nurse or should I continue with the rehab?

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

"Bottom line I feel like the rehabilitation job will offer me the critical thinking skills and hands on skills I need".

You need to start out with learning to apply the knowledge you gained from nursing school.

"a great schedule and a great pay " will not further your teaching.

Best wishes, money isn't everything.

[_firefly, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

No question,you have to pay your dues in rehab or med-surge/tele if don't start in ed or icu, etc. For your goals, dialysis is a bad call if you can avoid it. Stay focused.

[Triddin]

I would think dialysis would offer more critical thinking challenges. That patient population can decompensate quickly. I also know dialysis nurses who have gone to ICU from working in dialysis. I personally would go with the second job

[cleback]

I don't think you can go wrong with either offer but if you feel the rehab job is more directly applicable to your future goals, go for it. You can always reconsider dialysis in the future if the rehab schedule eats away at you.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I've been told that dialysis nurses are in high demand.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

It's good that you're thinking ahead, but wait until you get solid offers before you get that far into the thought process. I work dialysis, and yes, you may work longer hours, not necessarily less days. Depends on schedule, clinic needs, etc. I've worked rehab as well. Both offer skills that can further your career, but I think rehab offers more in the way of critical thinking and actual hands on skills to get you where you want to be. As Been there, done that said, money isn't everything! Good luck and let us know how this comes out

[rzyzzy]

I'm a recent grad with an adn & I spent a lot of time applying for hospital jobs, with no luck. Dialysis was my second choice. I took a position in dialysis kinda grudgingly & I expected both mayhem and "assembly line" nursing. What I've experienced so far is a truly supportive management team, techs who work with me & a lot less "dangling in the wind" than I expected. The training was (is) long and exhausting and comprehensive. After a few months on the job, I'm actually wondering how the hospital jobs get their mystical worship. Dialysis has a lot of hospital- refugee nurses, many of whom think they're in paradise. The med pass is small, there aren't any narcs in the building & we're bls only. You see the same patients over and over, which I think is good for a new nurse - you can actually spot changes because you know the baseline.

I can't comment on "critical thinking" in other areas of nursing vs dialysis, except to say that there's plenty of opportunities to build knowledge in regards to assessments, labs & the other parts of nursing that you might not be thinking as much about - documentation, care plans, nutrition, transplants & patient education.

Like many areas of nursing, staffing is often thin - so you're doing admits, watching over techs & scheduling transient/missed/extra appointments, working closely with the nutritionist, docs & social workers - even arranging transport for patients.

In my own case, I think dialysis is a great place for a "baby nurse" to learn all the paperwork & documentation, to get used to being "in charge" & keeping a half-dozen balls in the air for a full shift. my own opinion is that many nursing positions tend to assume you know (or can nearly instantly learn) all the behind- the -scenes paperwork and computer work & I think I'd struggle with that if I was expected to learn that *and* manage more acute patients at the same time.

[nerdynurse7, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN]

After being offered opportunities about both companies, I decided to continue with the Rehabilitation Hospital. I feel like it was a better fit for me and I would be happier there. I am excited to start in two weeks! Thank you for all your lovely perspectives