I recently had an L&D interview (I am a new grad) and was given the opportunity to shadow on the unit after the interview. The staff was incredibly nice, and I loved the floor and the unit and was very excited about the position. However, the more I thought about it after, the more I realized I actually did want some time caring for a larger, more diverse kind of patients before I specialized. I've been very torn about it, because I am excited to get a job offer, but I know I would regret it a little if I didn't work med-surg first to gain experience in that population first. So, the nurse manager called me yesterday and I was sleeping (I work as a tech night shift) and she was gone by the time I could call her back. I planned on calling her when I woke up today, but she was already gone again, but she also emailed me today to offer me the position. My question is this, is it ok (polite, professional) to email her to turn down the position? Or do I need to call early tomorrow to do so? Thanks for your help.
I would call, or even stop by and see her in person depending on how our interaction was. I think an email is acceptable, but it will not keep her in your memory for if you're wanting to do this in the future.
I honestly think that if you are interested in L&D, you should go into it now while you can. It's not that med-surg won't prepare you, but many nurses tell me now that you will learn what you need to know when you need to know it at your job, and that you shouldn't continue your education with your job choice necessarily. For example, I want to go into psych in the future, and I'm hearing a lot of people tell me that I need to do two years of med-surg first, but honestly I *hate* med-surg and I doubt I would be good at it. I think there is this general "you should do a couple of years of med-surg" idea that may or may not be true for every individual. Other nurses I talk to disagree with it and believe you should go into what you love immediately if you can because the work is more rewarding. (And if it's not, then you can change.)
If you felt really good during your clinicals in L&D, and you think you're going to do it later in life, I would take care of this connection by making the nurse manager feel important so that later on you can reconnect with her when you're ready. I'm also assuming you've shadowed your other place of employment with the M-S job because from what I read on here, a good work environment with good manager is hard to come by. If you really meshed with the staff, that's something I would consider. :)
I guess I should clarify a bit. I enjoyed my L&D rotation, and I enjoyed the shadowing experience; I do like being there for that experience in a woman's/family's life. However, I know that it is not my long-term goal to be in women's health or L&D. I have no desire to be a midwife in the future, though I do want my master's. Another factor that went into my decision is that I thought about the people who are graduating who are extremely passionate about L&D and see that as the only area in nursing they would ever want to be in; it might be "too" nice, but I don't want to take a position away from someone like that when I know L&D is not my passion. It might be naive, but I think turning it down is for the best. I have enough opportunities right now- I work at a hospital as a tech that would hire me as an RN if I choose- so it seems the best choice for me right now.
sweetER
96 Posts
I guess I should clarify a bit. I enjoyed my L&D rotation, and I enjoyed the shadowing experience; I do like being there for that experience in a woman's/family's life. However, I know that it is not my long-term goal to be in women's health or L&D. I have no desire to be a midwife in the future, though I do want my master's. Another factor that went into my decision is that I thought about the people who are graduating who are extremely passionate about L&D and see that as the only area in nursing they would ever want to be in; it might be "too" nice, but I don't want to take a position away from someone like that when I know L&D is not my passion. It might be naive, but I think turning it down is for the best. I have enough opportunities right now- I work at a hospital as a tech that would hire me as an RN if I choose- so it seems the best choice for me right now.