When it rains, it pours After graduating nursing school in May and passing my NCLEX, I've had the hardest time finding an ED position. This week, I've received two offers. Both are good and I'd like to make an informed decision.
One is with a rural hospital in a cool mountain town of 10,000 residents and not much of a tourist influx. It's a Level IV trauma center. The other is with an urban 40-bed ED, downtown and at the intersection of two interstates, and it is NOT a trauma center (the manager emphasized this to me a few times). The ED is very busy with all other medical cases.
So, my question is particularly about the second offer. What could I be missing by working at a large ED that does not take traumas? Would I ever be hindered when changing jobs? Am I missing out on something that I have to experience? THANK YOU for any insight.
There are so many variables, here, I don't know where to start! I'd leave the trauma designation out of the mix. I've worked at both designated and non-designated, and trauma found me regardless of designation! I would stick with what ED is going to offer the best orientation package, which one has a culture that best fits for you, which management style do you prefer, what is the staffing like, what is the team atmosphere, etc, etc, etc. I think having an opportunity to shadow is fantastic! You will learn a lot about the unit culture that way. Patients are patients, and most don't really care if they show up at a trauma center. They still expect to receive competent care. Oh, and trauma isn't all the glamour it's cracked up to be.
Now that I am a hiring manager, I don't really look at the trauma designation of the hospital where a candidate is coming from. I look at skills, communication, problem solving, and style. Choosing a non-trauma center will not hurt your career, in my opinion. What you choose to do on the job and in continuing education will impact your career much more than trauma.
So much great input here - using that, and asking more questions of both hospitals, I’ve made a decision I’m very happy with.
Both hospitals are non profit; one of which is county owned. Both managers I liked. The mountain hospital offers a huge national forest minutes away but very limited shopping and dining; the large ED, everything for shopping and eating, and excellent mountains (including skiing) an hour away. Both hospitals I would have to relocate for.
I called the mountain ED and asked about training - they offer on-the-job training, but I could’t nail down it’s structure (maybe because there isn’t much, I don’t know). The large ED offers three months of training, beginning with one week of classroom orientation, which appeals to me.
After shadowing yesterday and in light of all of this, I accepted the offer to work at the large hospital. I was already super excited before I met with HR today, when they informed me of benefits I didn’t even know about: $4k sign on bonus paid in the first check; $5k moving expenses paid for; and a very competitive pay package! All this for a new grad!
Congrats!! Sounds like it will be a great position, and you'll learn a lot. I'd say with some experience in a busy city ED (even without trauma) you would be able to get a position in a trauma hospital without too much trouble. Good luck!!
I met with HR today, when they informed me of benefits I didn’t even know about: $4k sign on bonus paid in the first check; $5k moving expenses paid for; and a very competitive pay package!
Congratulations on the new job. You have an exciting time ahead of you. Word of warning about the bonus and moving expenses. They tax them at the highest rate possible. So that 5k moving expense will be more like $2700 (very rough estimate). Plan your move with that in mind.
Hey LG1137, I had a question for you, on a previous post you had mentioned you took Psych 240 at Rio. I am currently enrolled but have not started the course yet.. looks like there is tons of essays, and quizzes, s the class hard by any chance?
As best as I can remember, there was an essay but not a lot of them. The quizzes were not hard. I'm not a very disciplined online student, so if I made it through, it must not be too hard. Good luck!
As a follow up to the original topic of the thread… things have worked out splendidly with my position. The hospital is great, the orientation was very thorough, and I consider myself very fortunate to be here.
After graduating nursing school in May and passing my NCLEX, I've had the hardest time finding an ED position. This week, I've received two offers. Both are good and I'd like to make an informed decision.
jterrn
3 Posts
There are so many variables, here, I don't know where to start! I'd leave the trauma designation out of the mix. I've worked at both designated and non-designated, and trauma found me regardless of designation! I would stick with what ED is going to offer the best orientation package, which one has a culture that best fits for you, which management style do you prefer, what is the staffing like, what is the team atmosphere, etc, etc, etc. I think having an opportunity to shadow is fantastic! You will learn a lot about the unit culture that way. Patients are patients, and most don't really care if they show up at a trauma center. They still expect to receive competent care. Oh, and trauma isn't all the glamour it's cracked up to be.
Now that I am a hiring manager, I don't really look at the trauma designation of the hospital where a candidate is coming from. I look at skills, communication, problem solving, and style. Choosing a non-trauma center will not hurt your career, in my opinion. What you choose to do on the job and in continuing education will impact your career much more than trauma.