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Discussion

PLEASE HELP!!

Hi all!

I am a new grad nurse and I am really struggling with how to choose my very first nursing job. So far, the majority of nurses I have asked said they chose their job because it was the only offer they had at the time, however, that is not my situation. I currently have four offers (2 different med surg floors, a neuro floor, and a cardiac floor) and still have a few more interviews left. The med surg, neuro, and cardiac offers are at a bigger hospital about an hour away from me with a typical nurse-patient ratio of 1:6. The other med surg offer is at a small hospital (59 beds total) about 30 minutes away from me with a typical nurse-patient ratio of 1:4. I have had clinicals in both of these hospitals and shadowed on all the potential floors and truly enjoyed them all.

I know there are pros and cons to any choice but I'm still struggling with deciding how to pick which one would be the "right fit" because I honestly feel like I could see myself in all of the positions. I could really use some advice about how to go about picking my very first position and things to be mindful of when choosing the hospital. How did you guys decide on your first position? Any advice would be SUPER HELPFUL!

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    All other things being equal (orientation periods, hours, shifts, benefits, pay, etc), take the shorter commute. You're going to be learning a LOT your first year(s); the less you have to worry about driving, the better.

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    @River&MountainRN Thank you for your input! That is definitely a good point to consider!

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    Coworkers. They can make or break a position.

    And...

    "When someone shows you who they are the first time you meet, believe them."

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    @Davey Do Thank you for the advice. That quote is so true and one of my favorites!

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    The smaller ratio and shorter commute sound great. Congratulations on having so many offers. You must interview like a pro!

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    @TAKOO01 Thank you! It has certainly been a pleasant surprise but also overwhelming considering this is my first step in this new chapter. My only concern with the smaller hospital was that I wouldn't gain as much experience or see as much diversity my first year compared to the bigger city. Do you happen to have experience with or input about small rural hospitals compared to bigger cities?

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    Med surg with a 1:4 ratio?? Sounds amazing. A good place to learn how to manage time and adequately care for your patients.

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    Sacrifice a little to go big*, because you're right you won't see quite as much in smaller places.

    If you are currently in a position of fewer responsibilities (no other major huge obligation like kids/aging parents) > another reason to go for it now.

    *Provided they have a serious plan for orienting you (months not weeks) and don't have a toxic culture.

    Congrats and good luck w/ your decision!

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    • Experts

    The 59 bed hospital - nope because you won't see as much. Even though the ratio is great, you need solid experience to build on.

    Big hospital, high ratio, longer commute - yep this is the way I would go: more experience, perhaps a chance to move to higher acuity like ICU/ED later on.

    A lot depends on your personality too: if you need a slower pace to grasp ideas/ask a lot of questions, etc., choose the small hospital. However, if your goal is to later move on to higher acuity, go for bigger hospital because there would be more opportunities.

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    I think the opportunity for different specialties will come regardless of your choice. I also support the shorter commute and smaller ratio of patients. The key is getting hospital experience and then you can always build on that. You will still be able to learn time management and will see different things.

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    This is a great problem to have! Congratulations!

    The shorter commute and lower ratios are definitely appealing and I have been in smaller hospitals that have a much more relaxed feel, which is nice.

    Personally, I like the bigger hospital because you will get exposed to more things (both in acuity and working with other departments).

    At the end of the day though, coworkers and managers can make or break the job.

    Good luck!

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    Congratulations on graduating and having multiple offers!

    I'd pick bigger hospital because at bigger hospital you'll get to see alot and gain more experience. With that experience, you can also transfer to ICU. My commute is an hour long and I love the hospital I work at. If you don't have any other obligations, then I'd pick the bigger hospital.

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