Two Job Offers (New Grad Nurse). Small community hospital (Peds) vs. Large university hospital (Oncology)

[umamimami]

Hi! I'm a new grad nurse and received two job offers from POLAR opposite hospitals (both inpatient). I am sooo torn and terrible at making these kinds of decisions. I would appreciate any input from a third party!

First is a small community hospital. Pediatrics. There's like only 8-10 beds and only 2 nurses on shift at a time, sometimes only one nurse when the census is low and the other nurse gets floated to mother/baby or sometimes the nursery (specialties I'm also interested in, so I wouldn't mind getting floated and getting the opportunity to cross train and learn). 1-4 patients per nurse, depending on the census. You get only 1 or 2 usually if they're IMCU/higher acuity. $36/hour (after $4 night shift differential). I shadowed and it seems reallyy chill and a good amount of down time. The nurse said there's a lot of asthma exacerbations, RSV, and appendicitis cases. They don't have a lot of resources so they transfer to other hospitals any PICU-level acuity patients, premies, and pediatrics psych patients. One nurse I spoke to said she likes working there and that there's less politics since it's such a small hospital, and she has some down time during her shifts. No UAPS/techs, just a respiratory therapist. No MD's, but there are medical students/residents/interns that chill at the computer station next to the nurses and you can chat with and shoot questions at any time. The hospital/facility and equipment is UTTERLY archaic and look like they belong in a museum. They don't use EPIC charting, they use Paragon(?) and it looks like Windows 98. But the kids are too ADORABLE. The real win is that the commute is only 8-10 minutes from my apartment, and about the same if I bike which I probably will.

Second is a huge prestigious, well-known university hospital-stem cell transplant/cellular therapy oncology. There's 10 nurses on shift at once. 4:1 patient ratio. 25~ish minutes commute. The equipment and facility is state of the art and immaculate and there's a gorgeous view of the city skyline that I'm not gonna lie, took my breath away when I was shadowing the night shift and the sun was setting. The nurse I was shadowing was running around and in a frenzy the whole time, I didn't have too much opportunity to ask my millions of questions that I had. I was only there for the assessments and the first medication pass, and it seemed very reminiscent of the frenzy of med-surg clinical rotations during school. But perhaps I'm interpreting it incorrectly based on my short time there and my zero understanding of oncology, so I apologize in advance for the most likely fallacious comparison between the two specialties. Nursing assistants and tons of ancillary support staff. $35/hour days, $40/hour nights (they're union, so they're the highest paying hospital in the city, 1% of your hourly wage goes to union dues). Once in a while they'll have 1 ED overflow patient and once every few months you might get floated to a med-surg floor. I have an option for either days or nights, but leaning towards nights because I'm a night owl anyway and that differential is enticing. 5k sign on bonus that I don't really care for since it requires I stay at least 2 years or I'll have to pay most of it back. They have a new grad residency year long program with an EBP project, and monthly lectures/simulations I think? And I believe they chemo certify you, which is neat. It seems like this one will be a lot more challenging and honestly I'm kind of nervous and worried about being overwhelmed, but I also know it's a good learning opportunity.

I didn't have an oncology rotation during nursing school so I don't know if that's my passion. The stem cell/lymphoma/leukemia aspect of it sounds kind of cool though. If anyone is in oncology and has any other input on things one should know that would be great as well! I did have pediatrics though and I really enjoyed that. I have no way of knowing what the unit culture is truly like without being there and experiencing it myself, but I'd definitely value a positive supportive and friendly environment over all else.

Thank you for your time and input in advance!!