Should I take 1st job offer that comes along?

[lilkttnsRN]

Like most new grads, I have struggled to simply get interviews. 2 wks ago, I finally had 2 interviews on the same day, at a dialysis outpatient clinic and on a busy hospital Neuro floor. I felt both interviews went well but I was told by both places it would take 2 weeks minimum to hear back. The hospital had to wait 2 wks to post all jobs internally first, but the dialysis clinic quickly called me back for a 2nd interview & invitation to job shadow.

The dialysis clinic made me an offer today & I'm excited for it. I need to make a decision by tomorrow, but I'm still hoping that the hospital will call. There are pros & cons to both jobs, but I'm leaning towards the neuro job because I wanted that acute care experience. I'm worried that specializing in something straight off the bat may make for a tough transition into acute care later on. At the same time, who knows when I'll get another offer and I've bills to pay. Just curious what you would do?

[DutchRN09]

I would start working. You can always transfer to something else later, and where I work Dialysis nurses come and set up dialysis on our floor and we have an in pt renal floor also. So you could work there after a while. COngrats on the offer

[owlRN01]

Do what feels right :) I would take the dialysis job since it has been offered to you. What happens if you don't get the other job? Then you have no job. I think dialysis experience would be great. There are dialysis positions in the hospitals as well.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

Hospital hiring managers are no different than outpatient hiring managers. In other words, the hospital setting is not some magical place where hiring managers have to wait a long time before he/she can offer a job to job to a potential candidate he/she wishes to hire. Job offers are not binding contracts and so it is no big deal to have offered you the job on the spot if that is what that hiring manager was interested in doing. In fact, I have received job offers from all of my hospital nursing employers the same day, during the interview, or a day after my interview. Therefore, I agree with the two above posters that believe you should accept the job you were offered because that is the only job that has been offered at this time.

Plus, as the others mentioned you can always try to land another nursing position later on. Besides, you will see that it is much easier to land a nursing position while you are employed as a nurse. Good luck.