Sub Acute floor job offer.

RN403, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2014

Take it. The longer you wait to start working the more difficult it will be to get another job offer. Paid nursing experience is better than no experience. You can keep looking for other jobs while you work if you so choose, but, I personally would take the job and get some experience under my belt.

kiszi, RN · Sep 5, 2014

I say take it and commit yourself to working there at least 6 months to a year; it should give you some really good experience with a variety of patients. Having experience on the floor can do nothing but help when it comes to getting the job you want later. You may even end up liking it, who knows?

lifelearningrn, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2014

Take it and keep looking!

annieob · Sep 5, 2014

I'm a new grad who started in July on a subacute rehab floor within a long-term care facility. It's a lot of ortho, stroke, COPD/CHF, failure to thrive, etc. kinds of rehab. It's definitely not my dream specialty, but there's a lot of good parts to it that I didn't realize. It's hard being a new grad just because I feel like I didn't learn anything in nursing school, but apparently everyone feels that way for a while. I believe I had a gentler transition than some of my friends who went to med/surg, ICU or ED. You'll learn a lot about managing comorbidities. I've done so much insulin teaching and education about diet and exercise. And I like the idea that I'm helping people get back to optimal functioning. It's great getting an admission in from a surgery and the person is in a ton of pain and then a few weeks later watching them walk off the unit to go home. There are tough parts, like we have a lot of COPD/CHF exacerbations that won't get any better and the best we can do is just hook them up with services at home. And sometimes people come to the floor for short term rehab and it ends up being where they spend the end of their life. Sometimes we get codes, but they're rare. On the shifts when we're short a nurse I feel like a glorified med dispenser. Sometimes I don't get my to-do list done and I feel bad handing it off to night shift, but they're pretty understanding. I think as long as you have good coworkers and a good preceptor, a subacute floor can be a really good entrance into nursing. You'll see patients from all walks of life with all sorts of diseases and disabilities. I've felt anxious and scared, but I've never worried about making a fatal mistake. And with the high patient load, you'll learn a ton about time management. I keep thinking how when I move to another unit I'm going to be giddy to only have 5 patients instead of 11!

Good luck with your decision! Let me know if you have any questions.

jar312 · Sep 5, 2014

AnnieOB - thank you! That makes me feel a lot better. I just want to work and get experience. And I am glad that you made me feel better!!! I really really appreciate it!!!