Oh, What to do...

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jul 16, 2011

You could take the sure thing for a year, get some really good clinical under your belt, then decide if you are unhappy and want to try and move to a larger hospital--which with experience would probably be easier to get into. Good luck!!

biker nurse · Jul 16, 2011

I was going to suggest the same. Take the sure thing, (the economy isn't the greatest) and in a year apply to other place with expirence ! Remember 4 nurses to 1 job!! I know I have been out of work since FEB and start monday!! :yeah:

RoyalPrince · Jul 16, 2011

Get the experience, first 3-6 months u will be on orientation AND getting paid + experience to get into those larger hospitals - or u may just end up staying

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2011

What's the job market like in your area? Are those bigger dream hospitals actively hiring new graduates? In most parts of the country, it's very difficult for new grads to find jobs. Most places are requiring one year of experience before they will hire. Experience is even more important if you have an ADN vs a BSN.

How long will the sure-thing job wait for you? Do you already have an official offer that you need to accept or decline? If they will wait a couple of months for you, you can try applying to the larger hospitals and see if you hear anything quickly.

What did you dislike about the floor when you were doing clinicals? Being a nursing student is a different perspective than being a nurse, and it's possible the floor might have changed quite a bit since you did clinicals there. It might not be nearly as bad as you remember. It might even be better than you expect. You could ask for a tour of the unit or ask to shadow for a day before you accept the offer.

Accepting the sure thing doesn't mean you have to be there forever. One year isn't really that long, and you will be much more likely to be hired by a bigger hospital with a year of experience.

Financially- you said that you can afford to bide your time for awhile, but do you want to? Do you want to lose all your savings waiting for a job when you could be building up more savings by working? Remember that bigger hospitals usually mean longer waiting. They have to sort through more applications, do more interviews, an might not have more staff. So you might wait several months after applying just to hear back for an interview, then it's two weeks until the interview, two weeks until you hear back, and two weeks until your start date. So now you have waited 4.5 months- and that's if you get the first job you interview for. Not to mention that the longer you go without working the more information and skills you will forget.

cindyloowho · Jul 16, 2011

Why would you have to stay a year??!?! If you start work and end up finding something you like better, there is no need to stay on a place you dislike for a year. You owe no one nothing. Take the sure thing, put it in your resume for experience, and hope for a job you are really hoping for.

Yiggs · Jul 16, 2011

My feeling is that you should take the job that you were offered at the hospital you were not thrilled with as a student. The floor that I worked on before I took a position in Behavioral Health had the same reputation because it was fast paced and you work your butt off. The good thing about it was, the nurses who worked on that floor became good at time management and skilled in just about every area of nursing. So, take the job for the experience plus you are not working for free. Learn all you can so when you move on you have some real experience under your belt. It will build your confidence also. Good Luck! Yiggs

*LadyJane* · Jul 16, 2011

Be very very careful if you take the job at the hospital with the unpleasantness. You don't want to get a negative reference from them if things turn out badly.... :eek:

Jane

ICU, RN, BSN, B.S. · Jul 16, 2011

Definitely take the job! Jobs are hard to come by for new grads. Put some time in, get hospital experience, it looks good on your resume and it can help land you in a place where you would rather be down the road. No point in sitting at home waiting for the perfect job to come along, losing nursing skills.

Take it! No brainer!

birdie22 · Jul 16, 2011

I agree with cindyloowho. Take the job, and continue searching. Why do you have to stop searching for a better positon just because a not-so-great-job comes along? If you happen to not find anything else, great because you be getting your experience and can move after a year. And if you find something else sooner, that will be great as well. Also, I had a clinical that I hated. Then I started working there as a nurse. It was totally different. So, thats another reason why I say take the job and continue searching too. good luck!

BeautifulDoeLVN · Jul 16, 2011

Take the for sure thing who says you have to stay for a year, get some really good clinical under your belt, then decide if you are unhappy, the key thing here is experience. Good luck!!

SweetseRN · Jul 17, 2011

Wow, I thought there would be more debate! lol...I am going to stop focusing on the negative that I remember and try to create my own positive there. I am going to call and accept on Monday. Will let you know how it goes! Thanks for all the support!!!!