What should I do?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hey everyone,

So I graduated from nursing school last semester and have been looking for jobs. It has been a whirlwind of emotions. I just received an offer for a LTC. The base rate is on par with the area, but the differentials and benefits are not great. I also had an interview for a dream position. The manager emailed me and said that they would be happy for me to the join the team, but she has to make sure that there is a spot available for HR. I know for a fact that if there isn't one available now (though there is a job application in review status) there will be one within a month as I talked with a staff member who is leaving the area in a few weeks.

I also have another interview coming up for a new grad residency program at a small hospital on Tuesday.

At this point, I don't know what to do. Should I just accept the nursing position at the LTC? Wait to hear back from my dream job? Interview for the new grad residency program?

I feel overwhelmed, angry, depressed and desperate.

If I go with the nursing home, I feel like that it is death to any potential job in an acute care hospital and career advancement. At the same time, I don't want to accept a job and then turn around and quit within six months!

What would you do?

Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
The OP may have a posting personality that's not endearing but getting her education prior to having kids and debt was a sound plan.

Sorry. I just get so irritated with some of the posters here who follow me just to kick me while I am down, thinking they know anything about my situation, how I present myself in real life, etc.

What they don't know is that I have had to go through some stuff and have had to work twice as hard to get what others didn't have to work nearly as hard for. It would be nice to catch a break once in a while, you know?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
Since you live at home and your Mom doesn't mind you shouldn't take a job that you feel is so beneath you and wait for that dream job. Why would you want to work at a place that you obviously don't want to. Say no and let someone else have the job who doesn't have it like you do and doesn't consider LTC to be beneath them.

I feel like you are projecting because I never said LTC was beneath me, but it isn't something that I want and it is dead-end with notoriously poor working environments.

Maybe you think LTC is lowly. I don't. But it isn't in line with my goals and I think it will make it harder to get into acute care.

There is a stigma attached to LTC for a reason.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I don't think there's anything wrong with holding out for the right job if you're able to.

I have worked in my fair share of NH & they are all the same. Big ones, small ones; I was always miserable & always ended up quitting.

If I could start my nursing career over I wouldn't take the first job to come along with a good paycheck (& was an eventual dead end). I would take the hospital job that would get me experience.

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Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.

It amazes me how people like to talk down to my generation when your crowd was able to get a job for much less education and years sacrificed and for better benefits. Try being a new grad with a diploma today.

I'm 27 years old and just graduated last year. So.....there's that.

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I haven't accepted the job offer, guys.

My bad. I've been misreading posts all day. I need a nap.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
My bad. I've been misreading posts all day. I need a nap.

No problem!

The reason I am hesitant in accepting this job offer isn't because I think it is beneath me (no job is) but because I think it would be crappy to accept a job with no intention on staying there for even a year or how ever long it takes to get into the hospital setting, you know? People here complain about job hoppers and just how TERRIBLEEEE they are.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
I'm 27 years old and just graduated last year. So.....there's that.

So I would think you being close to my age you would feel sympathetic instead of judgmental.

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Eh, from a job-hopper, who gives a ****? Let 'em complain.

Job-hoppers make more money, it's a fact. (You can Google it.)

I haven't stayed anywhere more than two years as a nurse and frankly, I am much better paid than people who are loyal and get their 1.2%-3.6% annual cost of living raises.

I may miss out on some of the benefits of being a long-timer, but honestly, I'd rather have the money, not to mention a job I don't despise. :yes:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
This sense of entitlement is why people can't stand new grads these days. My oh my. I have a few friends that would kill for this job offer.

In my circle of new grad nurses, people would look down at me for accepting this. Sad, but true.

There was a recent thread about a new nurse who worked at a SNF who had a friend treat her horribly because she wasn't in the hospital.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
Eh, from a job-hopper, who gives a ****? Let 'em complain.

Job-hoppers make more money, it's a fact. (You can Google it.)

I haven't stayed anywhere more than two years as a nurse and frankly, I am much better paid than people who are loyal and get their 1.2%-3.6% annual cost of living raises.

I may miss out on some of the benefits of being a long-timer, but honestly, I'd rather have the money, not to mention a job I don't despise. :yes:

That is very true!

And I think life is too short to do something you (general) don't like. I don't want to be *that* nurse who comes in everyday doing the bare minimum, not a team player with a bad attitude.

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That is very true!

And I think life is too short to do something you (general) don't like. I don't want to be *that* nurse who comes in everyday doing the bare minimum, not a team player with a bad attitude.

That's why you should wait for your dream job. Like I said, not everyone has the advantages you have-your Mom has no problem letting you stay at home while you find a job that you'll like.

Everyone wants to be able to have the job they've always dreamed of. Luckily for you, that's a good possibility.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
That's why you should wait for your dream job. Like I said, not everyone has the advantages you have-your Mom has no problem letting you stay at home while you find a job that you'll like.

Everyone wants to be able to have the job they've always dreamed of. Luckily for you, that's a good possibility.

I understand.

I was in a similar situation back in January where I was interviewing for my dream gig, but didn't get it. I'm so afraid to not take this job offer, you know? I just want to be able to give it my all as I feel that patients deserve a nurse who enjoys/likes coming into work each day.

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