What do I do?

[love2beanurse]

I am a nursing student, soon to be new grad in May. I have already had two job offers. One I already accepted with a hospital, it would be on an observation unit. 3 days a week, 12 hour shifts, days for orientation, nights when I come off of orientation. The pay when I come off orientation will be 19.25 and then 3.00 on the weekends extra. I would have to work every other weekend. I would have 6 pts (its a 12 pt ward, with two rn's and one lpn). Now the other job, which I had the offer today after my interview is at a dialysis center. It would be 4 days a week, then 3 days the next week. I would have quite a few patients to take care of during my shift. I would be getting paid 18.50 to start and then 19.00 after ninety days. I would not have to work sundays, christmas, thanksgiving, or new years. I just cannot decide which one to go with right now, I am weighing out the pros and cons. Someone please give me some advice! I am really stressed out!!! The dialysis place is holding my job for me until monday. I need to call her monday and let her know something.

[BerryHappy]

WOW! Congrat's to you! I am still in school and have a few more months left so I don't have much advice except RELISH IN THE VICTORY!!! What a wonderful quandry to be in!

I am so proud of you!

[Scrubby]

Congratulations on graduating.

If it were me i'd be taking the dialysis job. I hate working on the weekend, hate night shift and like my public holidays. But it's really up to you. I usually write a list of pros and cons when i have to decide between two different things.

[harley007]

Which job is going to give you the most rounded out experiences to base your nursing career on? You may fall in love with dialysis and be in that area forever or you want to move around at some point. Either way congratulations on your graduation and two job offers. Good luck.

[hikernurse]

Boy, the day job would sure be tempting. One of my friends worked in dialysis for years and really liked it. She got to know the patients well; a downside was that those who died were patients she knew. That was hard for her, but she liked the work.

[becmeister]

Ask yourself, where will you be in five years? Remember you are a new grad, think about how hard it would be if you get sick of dialysis? Remember the observation unit will help you develop assessment skills you will miss out on doing dialysis. My suggestion is do the observation unit, work it for a couple of years to get some floor experience, then do dialysis later on. You will be a much better nurse in the long run.

[hcmanp, NP]

As long as you don't have kids or something to consider that might make you want to look into the day job more closely.

I believe you should look at what you want to DO. Do you like the hospital environment, or like me, find yourself tied up in all the IV tubes? Or do you like the personalities of your patients and want to get to know them on a deeper level (and have them die on you sooner than you might like)

Do what you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

You're probably going to get a differential for working nights, so the pay will be better. Six patients on night shift isn't that bad. I think the experience will be better on the obs unit as far as skills in assessment, treatments, medications, etc. and would be a better place for the new grad.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

[jojotoo, RN]

I would think, that fresh out of school, the job that reinforced your new knowledge would be the best.

The obs unit - 12 patients and THREE licensed staff - that's a great ratio. And these patients should be relatively stable. This would be a wonderful place to practice your new assessment skills.

Let us know which one you choose.