To Psych or Not To Psych that is the question

[Pepsi_Girl]

Need some advice here. I am a recent new grad, and newly licensed RN. I have not been employed for about the last five and a half years. I purposely left my job as a CNA on a Med/Surg unit so I could concentrate on school and raising my son. Now that all of my agendas have been met, it looks like the job market has dried up for new grads. So here is my dilema. I have only been actively search for a job for about the last month. The only job offer I have recieved is from a state mental institute that is about an hr. commute for me. As a new grad. i'm afraid that if I accept this offer I will be keyholing (is that a word) my career. But if I don't I will remain jobless in California like so many others. Will it even be possible for me to go into acute care later if I accept this job now? Any advise/suggestions? Thanks in advance.

[ebonybrn]

Hello, I'm a new grad myself and I have been applying for jobs all over, so far no luck...I think you should accept the positon but still keep applying for the jobs that you want...worst case scenario you are atleast working until something better comes along...Congratulations.

[flipper628]

I am in the same position as you. I accepted the offer and start work in May. The nurse manager that interviewed me even said that I as a new grad I should find a position on a med/surg floor. Unfortunately this is the only offer I have. Its tough out there. Good Luck.

[chicookie, BSN, RN]

I don't think you will become stuck there. You will gain experience and who doesn't need a good psych nurse. We have a psych nurse on our floor and I can't tell you how many times we run to her to ask her opinion on our medical psych patients. ^_^ Hey any experience is good experience! I would take it.

[twgigatt]

I'm doing the SAME THING! I've spoken to 2 instructors and the director of my nursing program. This is what I was told:

1. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Is it bedside? If not, going into a specialty is a fine idea.

2. If you had experience in Med-Surg, right out of school, then went to a specialty, you'd still have to brush up on techniques and tasks if returning to Med-surg,etc. Medicine is ever changing and there will be new technology that we will need to be oriented.

3. You could also try to (if your schedule allows) find a Med-Surg PRN position to keep your skills fresh.

That's what has helped me make up my mind. This dry period is not going to be forever. I truly believe that. So, it would look better on your resume and in your checking account (LOL) to take the job and exercise your assessment skills, critical thinking and always always NETWORK. Who knows, this job could lead to a future you'd never get to without this first step.

Best of luck!

[Do_Good]

I agree with what everyone said. I have interviewed for the state psych hospital in my state but even they have a hiring freeze. They said they would hire me if they could. Before I made up my mind about psych.....I asked other nurses whom I knew and they said that there is alot of psych in acute care too. Whether it's depression or deficient coping or whatever. Congratulations on being offered a job. In these times...that's exciting.