Offered a job today and flattered, but stumped.

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My nursing hx consists of 7 years in MICU/SICU and teaching nursing clinicals some semesters when I want to take a break and only work 2 days/week in ICU. I am PRN with no w/e commitment and 1 holiday/year.

I was approached and heavily recruited by the cath lab director last month. As wonderful as the job sounded, I couldn't take it because I live too far to take a mandatory call position. Same director called me yesterday and asked me is I would like the CPRU position that just opened. Three days/two days per week rotation, 6a-6p, no holidays, no weekends, no call. I could keep my PRN status in ICU as well for my third day every other week.

This sounds like a good deal in that turnover rate is almost nonexistent in CPRU.

Also got offered a full time, M-F job as a nurse case manager of a tele floor. Again no holiday or w/e commitment. Jobs in this dept. hardly ever open up, but my friend who is also the director of case management asked me first.

I know I have to decide on my own, but which would you take and why? I really should have a decision made by Monday so I don't keep these directors waiting. Thanks for any guidance you can offer.

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Just wanted to congratulate you on being so popular with people offering jobs! Most of us would love to have your dilemma! Can't help you with the decision, though. Good luck in picking what is right for you.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery, Orthopedic.

Me? Hands down the first job. Managing holds no interest for me at all, but I guess for you it depends on you career goals.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

Do you like working with the patients? If so the first position would be closer to the patients.

In case management you often are once removed from the patients, and stuck reviewing charts for insurance companies....

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Me? Hands down the first job. Managing holds no interest for me at all, but I guess for you it depends on you career goals.

Oh, no. I have zero desire to become a manager. This is a case manager position. Lol...career goals? I guess I SHOULD be thinking about my ambitions. I don't see advancement anytime soon with either job, though.

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Do you like working with the patients? If so the first position would be closer to the patients.

In case management you often are once removed from the patients, and stuck reviewing charts for insurance companies....

Yes, I do enjoy working with patients very much. I'm absolutely considering this factor. That is definitely a con I have on my pros/cons list. Another is eight hours/five days a week. Oh, how I would miss my days off! But the cath lab recovery job is 6a-6p! Wondering if I could easily adjust my body to a whole hour earlier. (By the way, that is a big difference when you live 40 minutes from your place of work. :eek:)

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Follow your gut, that's why your a good nurse because you have followed it in the past and it has obviously worked well for you in the past. Congrats.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Have you asked why the CPRU position is open and whether any existing employees wanted it?

My concern is that if the director is overlooking any of his existing employees for this position, you may be in for a world of trouble from disgruntled co-workers.

If that's not a consideration, then it sounds like a wonderful opportunity.

Good luck!

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU.

Personally, I would never take a job in case management- it is just way too stressful (at least it is in my hospital). Plus, I just can't stand all the paperwork and red tape. No thanks!

Cath lab recovery would be an awesome job- I think. Maybe not as exciting as ICU but it would still be pretty fun. I'd just make sure and ask around how often the call team is actually called in. At my hospital, the answer is almost every day.

Like someone else said, it all depends on your career goals :)

Good luck!

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Have you asked why the CPRU position is open and whether any existing employees wanted it?

My concern is that if the director is overlooking any of his existing employees for this position, you may be in for a world of trouble from disgruntled co-workers.

If that's not a consideration, then it sounds like a wonderful opportunity.

Good luck!

Thanks for your reply. The cath lab team isn't very big. My hospital has two procedural areas and a recovery until. The nurses who work in the procedural areas LOVE their jobs. The turnover rate there is almost nil, seriously. I'm sure they were asked first if anyone would like to step into a cath recovery position. The CPRU position actually opened up because a nurse retired from there. I'm really leaning toward this. :D

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Personally, I would never take a job in case management- it is just way too stressful (at least it is in my hospital). Plus, I just can't stand all the paperwork and red tape. No thanks!

Cath lab recovery would be an awesome job- I think. Maybe not as exciting as ICU but it would still be pretty fun. I'd just make sure and ask around how often the call team is actually called in. At my hospital, the answer is almost every day.

Like someone else said, it all depends on your career goals :)

Good luck!

The good thing about CPRU (unlike the procedural areas) is there is no call.

ITA with you about the stress of case management. And turnover rate on a tele floor is quite high I'm sure...so I would be starting over in sense every day. Wow! The more replies to my post I get, the easier my decision is becoming. :yeah:

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Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.
Follow your gut, that's why you're a good nurse because you have followed it in the past and it has obviously worked well for you in the past. Congrats.
Please excuse my obsession with the correct use of our language, hence the emboldened correction.

My gut always told me whether or not the people with whom I'd work, in a new position are trustworthy. My gut occasionally betrayed me, but not usually.

Making a list of pros and cons usually clarified how I felt about each new opportunity. It doesn't have to be accurate, but looking at which list is longer or more weighted, helps. It also shows what viewpoints need further study. Any decision benefits from that approach, for me and many others to whom I recommended it.

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