I've recently accepted a position as a Clinic Traige/Family Practice RN. As any clinic job, the hours will be exceptional. I'll finally get to spend time with my family every day.
I'll get to utilize and sharpen my critical thinking skills when triaging patients. However I'm afraid I'll not be maintaining my hands on skills. I'm debating on picking up a casual med/surg or ICU position that I can pick up a weekend shift here and there to keep up on my hands on skills.
Now, from a hiring managers point of view, do they really care that a nurse has years of experience in a hands on position or do they care more about a nurse with years of critical thinking experience?
I'm thinking in a few years we may move and I want to help myself with marketability. Is the causal position wise or should I say "forget it" and enjoy the weekends with my wife and boys?
I've recently accepted a position as a Clinic Traige/Family Practice RN. As any clinic job, the hours will be exceptional. I'll finally get to spend time with my family every day.
I'll get to utilize and sharpen my critical thinking skills when triaging patients. However I'm afraid I'll not be maintaining my hands on skills. I'm debating on picking up a casual med/surg or ICU position that I can pick up a weekend shift here and there to keep up on my hands on skills.
Now, from a hiring managers point of view, do they really care that a nurse has years of experience in a hands on position or do they care more about a nurse with years of critical thinking experience?
I'm thinking in a few years we may move and I want to help myself with marketability. Is the causal position wise or should I say "forget it" and enjoy the weekends with my wife and boys?
While you will strengthen your critical thinking skills at any nursing job you obtain, nothing compares to the critical thinking skills obtained in acute care, particularly critical care where patients are sick with complex illnesses.
In my experience, casual med/surg and especially ICU positions are reserved for nurses with at least a year of relevant experience. I have seen per diem med/surg positions open for new grads, but I believe there is an expectation of several shifts a month. Training a new graduate nurse, even a nurse with prior healthcare experience, is costly.
I think what managers care most about is hiring staff who they can train and will adapt well to the unit. Sometimes this means a new grad who they can mold and sometimes this means hiring a nurse with a couple years of experience who won't need an extensive orientation and is already knowledgeable about the specialty.
Sorry. It just sounded as though you were saying that the task-oriented jobs don't require critical thinking.
It doesn't hurt to apply to jobs but all of the my nurse colleagues in the ICU and even ED are on three to six month orientations. From a financial standpoint, I am not sure if too many managers are going to be too keen on give a new grad such an expensive orientation only for him to work casual.
Of course you are more versatile in terms of marketing yourself when you do more than one job but on the other hand you also want to spend time with your family...Make a list with time you have after full time work and discuss it with your partner.
It's important to note that I changed careers because I have two young sons in the house (4 and 2) and I was working way to much (50-60 hours/week). My goal was to get a RN shift that was 12 hours. However circumstances are such that me having a Mon-Fri day job would be ideal for at least 6-10 months. So that explains that decision making.
This is a second career and I'm not interested in advancement or "setting the world on fire". I was proactive in my previous career and while rewarding, it was terribly time consuming. I want to be able to work my hours, punch out, come home and take the boys fishing/hunting/swimming/etc.
It's important to note that I changed careers because I have two young sons in the house and I was working way to much (50-60 hours/week). My goal was to get a RN shift that was 12 hours. However circumstances are such that me having a Mon-Fri day job would be ideal for at least 6-10 months. So that explains that decision making.
This is a second career and I'm not interested in advancement or "setting the world on fire". I was proactive in my previous career and while rewarding, it was terribly time consuming. I want to be able to work my hours, punch out, come home and take the boys fishing/hunting/swimming/etc.
Again, you are a brand new nurse and cannot speak to what a manager wants or hires- try to stay in your lane when giving advice. As far as stirring the pot, you do that quite well as evidenced by your previous posts. You were very rude to OP when all he did was ask a simple question, totally uncalled for.
OP- I know you may feel comfortable with your prior experience, but being a nurse comes with different experiences and responsibilities that you've had with prior positions. I know you want to have time for your personal life, but a year under your belt with acute care experience will benefit you exponentially in the long run. You could also speak with the managers of acute units you are interested in to see how they feel about you training and then just working PRN. It can't hurt to ask! As per my experience, I worry you are hurting your career in the long run by not having bedside experience straight out of the gate. Good luck to you though, and I hope everything works out for you and your family!
Now, now, I'd say it's highly unlikely a nurse manager (at least none that I've known) would hire a new grad to work PRN in an ICU. And unlike PrincessBride, I am NOT a new grad by any stretch of the imagination.
Now, now, I'd say it's highly unlikely a nurse manager (at least none that I've known) would hire a new grad to work PRN in an ICU. And unlike PrincessBride, I am NOT a new grad by any stretch of the imagination.
Apparently she has an ax to grind with me as it is common knowledge that specialty units spend months training their new grads. I would know as I am in a residency program with a bunch of ICU new nurses. I rarely put posters on ignore but...this one is a trouble maker for sure!
Now, now, I'd say it's highly unlikely a nurse manager (at least none that I've known) would hire a new grad to work PRN in an ICU. And unlike PrincessBride, I am NOT a new grad by any stretch of the imagination.
But it never hurts to ask! Always good to have extra staff in the wings- and you never know, OP could work a great schedule in his PRN job or work with such great people he wants to go full time. It never hurts to network and get your foot in the door.
Yes, 8 shifts left. Plus I'm quitting my Echocardiography job as well. I'll be down to one 40 hour/week job and two young boys to raise.
You know what - it is very valuable to spend time with your kids. My kids are 2 years apart and now 15 and 17. I really cherish the time I spend with them ! It is rewarding to be involved in parenting and to know that you have time to plan some things with them! I liked to take my kids places, we went to all kind of museums, hands-on museums, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, beaches and pools, did arts and crafts with them... . If you can afford to just work one 40 hour job and spend some time with your children - go for it!
I can only read from quotes of others at this point ED nurse, but all I have to say is this: your nastiness and completely unfounded visceral hatred towards me (after less than two weeks no less) is amusing at best and a little downright scary at worst, especially as I have never even seen you around before or spoken to you.
I was not being rude (if you think that was rude, how on earth do you survive the crazy ass ED). As you can see others agree that most managers aren't going to want to hire a new grad in ICU on a PRN basis for financial standpoint at minimum.
It is clear you have some personal vendetta against me or you wouldn't have stooped so low to being up something so petty in your post.
Anyway, I do not want to detract from the OP. He is here for advice.
Apparently she has an ax to grind with me as it is common knowledge that specialty units spend months training their new grads. I would know as I am in a residency program with a bunch of ICU new nurses. I rarely put posters on ignore but...this one is a trouble maker for sure!
I don't like the way you speak to people here. You also speak without full knowledge of subject matter. Anyone can go back to your previous posts and take note of your rudeness to others who don't conform to your ideals or opinions. If strangers on an app can sense an attitude coming from you then the people you work around/for most definitely take note. Sense of entitlement also- it permeates through most of your posts.
Lev, MSN, RN, NP
4 Articles; 2,805 Posts
While you will strengthen your critical thinking skills at any nursing job you obtain, nothing compares to the critical thinking skills obtained in acute care, particularly critical care where patients are sick with complex illnesses.
In my experience, casual med/surg and especially ICU positions are reserved for nurses with at least a year of relevant experience. I have seen per diem med/surg positions open for new grads, but I believe there is an expectation of several shifts a month. Training a new graduate nurse, even a nurse with prior healthcare experience, is costly.
I think what managers care most about is hiring staff who they can train and will adapt well to the unit. Sometimes this means a new grad who they can mold and sometimes this means hiring a nurse with a couple years of experience who won't need an extensive orientation and is already knowledgeable about the specialty.