Shands Jax vs Orange Park for preceptorship?

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Specializes in Rehab/LTC, Post OH, Med/Surg, Hospice.

I have the choice of doing my final term and preceptorship at either Shands Jacksonville or Orange Park. I would like to specialize in either Peds, NICU, or L&D. I know when I graduate I do not want to work at Shands, but I'm wondering if the hospitals I apply to after I graduate would be more interested in me if I did my preceptorship at Shands. Or do they just go by the fact that you have your RN license? I wouldn't mind spending a few months there if it would help me obtain a position in a specialty field, but I'm apprehensive because the instructor for that hospital has a well known reputation for being EXTREMELY difficult to work with. I want to learn as much as possible and I'm unsure if Shands being "crazy busy" would be better or worse than Orange Park. I haven't had clinicals at either, so I'm completely lost as to what to do.

I would GREATLY appreciate any imput you may have :loveya:

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Specializes in LTAC, Homehealth, Hospice Case Manager.

I think experience at Shands could possibly carry you farther than experience at OP. Shands is large and very diverse, OP is small and very limited. If you think you can deal with the instructor, you might try your clinicals at Shands just to get in and see if it's somewhere you would like to work. You'd definately see and experience more at Shands than you would at OP. Any hospital is "crazy busy" as far as that goes...that's a normal part of nursing, but Shands does have a higher acuity level than OP...it could be the better of the 2 learning experiences...who knows, you might end up liking it! Just my thoughts...all my best to you! :)

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Specializes in Rehab/LTC, Post OH, Med/Surg, Hospice.

Thank you so much for your imput! I think I'll take your advice and go for Shands :)

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