Please help, super conflicted!

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  1. Which job would you pick?

    • 16
      ED job at CRMC.
    • 5
      ICU job at Archbold.

21 members have participated

Specializes in Emergency Nurse.

I am a nursing student who is about a week and a half away from graduating with my BSN. I have applied to several hospitals in the Tallahassee area and fortunately have received two offers. Now, the issue is that I can't figure out who to choose! Below I'll give some details about each job and if you can help me decide that would be excellent!

Job #1: Capital Regional Medical Center - ED Night Shift

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  • 15 minute commute
  • $21.78 starting pay
  • $3.25 shift diff for nights and an extra $2 for weekends
  • 16-week orientation
  • Staff was cool (at least on day shift they were)
  • Pretty big ER, not a Trauma center
  • HCA hospital
  • Cafeteria open at night
  • Lots of opportunity for overtime
  • Future Career paths - Nurse Prac, Trauma, Management, anything else?
  • White tops, maroon pants.

Job #2: John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital - ICU Night Shift

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  • 1 hour commute each way
  • 22$ starting pay
  • 3.30$ evening shift diff, 4.40$ night shift diff, 5$ weekend shift diff
  • Not sure how long the orientation is.
  • Awesome crew on night shift (I worked with them for my preceptorship)
  • 18 bed general ICU, 2:1 ratio
  • Local hospital, serves a large area. Level 2 trauma center.
  • ICU nurses respond to codes, which I enjoyed doing.
  • Cafeteria closed at night.
  • Royal blue scrubs
  • Basically I already was doing the job of a nurse on the unit, and was doing well!
  • Excellent jumping off point for CRNA, Nurse Prac, Trauma, Flight nursing and grad school.
  • Oh yeah, GA has a state tax, and Florida does not, so about a $2,000 loss per year.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in making this tough decision!

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Specializes in OB.

It really depends on what you want to do in the future. Not knowing this, I would choose option 1. You have done the commute but an hour each way after a shift is a long time.

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(What color scrubs you would be wearing is one of the considerations? Really?)

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(What color scrubs you would be wearing is one of the considerations? Really?)

That made me smile. It reminds me of my 20-year-old daughter.

An hour drive each way is a long drive. I did that when I first started nursing, and it was exhausting. I would pick option one, although I would rather wear royal blue scrubs. :)

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Go to ICU

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I'm not sure how to answer that because everyone is different and it depends on what you want to do with your life and if you are married and have kids.

I will say I took a night shift job in an ER about 1.5 hours from home and it was really hard to drive home at 3 a.m. when all the crazy people are out and I was exhausted.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Take the ER job. The commute will kill you.

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Specializes in Emergency Nurse.

Here are some more details about me to help you all see where I'm sitting.

I'm 21 and live with my girlfriend who is in grad school. I drive an efficient vehicle, and the drive is mostly a straight shot on a highway. I'm not really sure what type of advanced practice nurse I'd like to be, but I will definitely be attending grad school in the next 2 years or so. I like moving quickly and being involved in the diagnostic process but also enjoy order at times.

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Specializes in Emergency Nurse.
(What color scrubs you would be wearing is one of the considerations? Really?)

I was just trying to include all the details, obviously scrub color isn't a deal breaker for me lol.

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Specializes in Emergency Nurse.

You guys are awesome by the way, keep the opinions coming and use the poll please :)

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Specializes in clinic, ortho/neuro, trauma, college.

ED. The ICU commute would suck. The straight shot on the highway, post night-shift, might put you to sleep! Good luck with your decision!

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Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.

Oh, based on commute and your broad level of exposure, I'd choose the ER. For whatever reason, new grads seem to think the ICU is the final destination. Plus all that extra $$ that you'll make on shift diff at the ICU place will go down the tubes with gas, car maintenance and that sales tax difference.

Bonus round: you can always go work in the ICU in a year or two.

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