Trying to chose between two jobs... which way to go?

[SPJJMommy]

Hi all! I would love to get some input/advice from my fellow nurses. I have two job offers, and not sure which way to go. I recently graduated with my BSN, and my eventual goal is to become an FNP (I've just started a masters program that will take me ~3 years to complete). So with that little bit of background info, here are the two jobs I'm trying to decide between:

Job 1) Postpartum/Newborn Nursery RN at a hospital. Pros: the pay is pretty good, the hospital has a great reputation, I did all of my clinicals there so I'm very familiar with the facility/staff, and I love OB nursing! Cons: It's a 75-80 mile commute EACH WAY (takes about an hour and a half to drive), and it's a night shift (I'm so NOT a night person).

Job 2) School Nurse. Pros: The school is only about 30 minutes away from me, it would be a pretty sweet schedule (holidays and summers off? Yes, please!), and I just love school/community health nursing. Cons: Mainly the pay... it would be 20-25K less/year than the hospital.

So with that info, which would you choose?? Thanks, everyone!! :)

[BeezyRN]

How is your first class coming along at Chamberlain? Is it a lot of work? I'm starting the FNP program in October and can't wait.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I'd take the hospital job. I've worked in a school setting and I do NOT think it is an appropriate place for a new grad.

[SPJJMommy]

Thank you for your input, KelRN215. :)

BeezyRN, I'm really enjoying Chamberlain so far. A lot of student support and the courses seem very well organized. I've been pretty impressed. Best of luck to you! :)

[Nonetheless]

I would do the hospital job because I am young, healthy, and single and can make the sacrifice for now.

If I was older/ married/ had children I would take the school nursing job.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

You'll want to factor in what that commute is going to cost you-- fuel, surcharge for excess mileage on your insurance, more frequent periodic maintenance for the car all add up. That will be part of the pay differential.

Then you figure in the intangibles-- lessee, now, three to four hours per day in the car, half of it in the middle of the night. What else would you like to be doing instead of that? Instead of staggering into the house at the end of a long drive after a long night shift and trying to sleep in the daytime? Instead of staggering into work at the end of a long drive to begin a long night shift? Studying for your new coursework, maybe? Recreating, because you have so much studying to do in addition to work?

School nursing: day shift, mother's hours (for later, when/if you are one), everybody loves you :), no floating to another unit, no night driving, good exposure to the community aspects of care for the mainstreamed sick kids and the normal kids with episodic health probs, interactions with families and other agencies (IEPs, etc.), all useful for FNP work, you can work prn during summers to make up a good bit of the money but still have VACATION if you want it in the summer and over holidays ... what am I missing?

I'd take the school nurse job.