What's your opinion?

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care.

A little backstory: I spent 8 months in a clinic float pool that quickly got changed to a covid testing team. I basically tested and triaged covid patients for the entirety of this assignment. I made connections and ended up being offered a supervisor position within the company at one of our clinics. I've been a supervisor for about one year.

A possible opportunity has fallen into my lap. I'm interviewing for a public health nurse position in our local school system. This is initially contract work without benefits with the potential for permanent employment. The pay is about 23¢ more than I'm making now so no real raise in it. It's about 20 minutes closer to home and gets my foot in the door for a very small group of public health nurses in our county. 

Im on the fence because on one hand, this is an opportunity I wouldn't typically be considered for due to my lack of a BSN and only 2 years as a nurse. I'm wondering should I take the leap and grab it up with no promise but potential to be permanent or should I slow my roll and stay at the supervisor role. 

Im not terribly attached to the supervisor role as I love the support of it but hate the disciplinary stuff. I'll admit I'm averse to confrontation but when it comes to patient advocacy I would fight to the death. So, what do you guys think? Do I take the temp job to get my foot in the door or stay where I am and learn to be a better disciplinarian? 

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This is really impossible for anyone to say as it is so subjective.  Start with these questions; Are you OK with not having any benefits (health/dental, PTO)?  Are you OK with the  lack of job security that would come with contract work?  Do you like your current manager and coworkers?  Do you anticipate that you'll eventually return for your BSN?  If you're on the fence, maybe make a Pro & Con list to make the decision easier.

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23 cents more pay but if you have to pay for your own health/dental/vision that's a significant cut with no guarantee it'll change. 

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

As a former teacher, I would run from anything to do with school systems. There is a reason you would be a contract worker. 

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

First point is a $0.23/hr increase in pay is actually a significant cut in pay when you consider the position comes with zero benefits.  Not only would you get no vacation time, no accrued sick time, you'd also have to pay out of pocket for insurance. Some states the available Marketplace insurance is pretty reasonable, some states not so much.

The public health position might be a foot in the door, but then again if they typically require a BSN for full time employment unless you are actively pursuing that degree the odds of you getting a permanent position are pretty low. They might be willing to hire you as a contract nurse without it if they are facing a staffing crisis but that doesn't mean they will be willing to hire you to a full time permanent position without a BSN if that is typically a job requirement. 

On the other hand if you weigh the pros and cons and decide you want to take the public health job at least you can feel pretty safe about future employment opportunities if you are not offered either a contract extension or a permanent position.  Right now the nursing shortage is actually a real thing so getting another job down the road shouldn't be difficult. 

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care.
On 9/18/2021 at 12:06 PM, kbrn2002 said:

First point is a $0.23/hr increase in pay is actually a significant cut in pay when you consider the position comes with zero benefits.  Not only would you get no vacation time, no accrued sick time, you'd also have to pay out of pocket for insurance. Some states the available Marketplace insurance is pretty reasonable, some states not so much.

The public health position might be a foot in the door, but then again if they typically require a BSN for full time employment unless you are actively pursuing that degree the odds of you getting a permanent position are pretty low. They might be willing to hire you as a contract nurse without it if they are facing a staffing crisis but that doesn't mean they will be willing to hire you to a full time permanent position without a BSN if that is typically a job requirement. 

On the other hand if you weigh the pros and cons and decide you want to take the public health job at least you can feel pretty safe about future employment opportunities if you are not offered either a contract extension or a permanent position.  Right now the nursing shortage is actually a real thing so getting another job down the road shouldn't be difficult. 

Thank you so much! I hadn't thought about the PTO so that actually helps a lot. 

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Specializes in retired LTC.

That public health school nurse - any chance is could be a temporary grant-funded position? Those positions are risky.

I'd ask for some more details re that position.

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