What should I do?

[ThePrincessBride]

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?

[SmilingBluEyes]

I would concentrate on what you have to be grateful for.

Some of us during school, were raising kids, working jobs and certainly did not live with mom, so we could not be so picky about our first job in nursing.

If I were you, I would hold out a while. Why not? You live with your mom and have no debt. You can afford to.

But LTC may be all you get for a while, so be prepared to wait longer.

Good luck.

[TheGooch]

I always feel so sorry for LTC nurses when I read threads like this. They must feel so crapped on, and by their own colleagues.

I've met and worked with some good LTC nurses in my clinical rotation this semester, and they don't deserve to be seen as the scum on the bottom of the nursing barrel.

I had my Mom in a SNF and just settled out of court because of her wrongful death. This NH is owned by a very large corporation that is more concerned with money over the well being of the residents. They were grossly understaffed and had several nurses and CNAs that were unqualified working for them. The things my attorney told me about the place that he found out about during the discovery phase blew my mind.

They might get a bad rap but some of it is deserved.

[johsonmichelle]

Just read through some of my comments and man. I didn't mean to come off as I did, and I am sorry if I offended anyone. This job hunting and interviewing has just taken an emotional toll, and I feel drained and anxious.

I'm just trying to understand what the problem is. In another thread you started,you complained that you were not going any jobs interviews or call backs and you thought it was due to you being black. Now that you now have a A JOB offer and 2 other jobs pending, your still complaining. A lot of people do not get to work to work their dream jobs straight out of school and some people may never even get to work their dream job in life.

[Red Kryptonite]

I had my Mom in a SNF and just settled out of court because of her wrongful death. This NH is owned by a very large corporation that is more concerned with money over the well being of the residents. They were grossly understaffed and had several nurses and CNAs that were unqualified working for them. The things my attorney told me about the place that he found out about during the discovery phase blew my mind.

They might get a bad rap but some of it is deserved.

Hospitals get sued for bad outcomes all the time too. Based on this logic, we should trash hospital jobs and nurses too.

There are crappy, neglectful nurses in all settings. I'm sorry your family was victimized by poor care. Truly. No one should have to go through that.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

I know my limitations and I am not tough enough to work in LTC. Not because I feel it's beneath me, I just can't.

I have all the respect in the world for those who do it. I have met many excellent and very efficient nurses who started their careers in LTC and I do feel if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Those time management skills are very desirable when applying for an entry level hospital position. I can not fathom how you pass meds to 30 people. If you really look at it, we're all geriatric nurses, unless you are in Peds, NICU or OB.

But for myself, no, I would work at the Cumbie, Rite Aid, Market Basket or Dunkin Donuts before I would work in LTC.

Having said all of that, the OP will surely be happier if she holds out for her desired opportunity and there is no shame in that.