Which Job to Accept?

[Ash1223]

Hello, I'm a new grad who graduated at the end of summer and received my RN license in November.

I've had the very good fortune of having just gotten two job offers and I'm not sure which one to accept. They are both in California but one is in the Bay Area (where I currently live) and the other is in Bakersfield (a horrible area). But besides the location, the biggest difference is the Bay Area hospital's job is in the ICU and the other hospital is in the ER. Now I absolutely love the ER and that is where my passion lies, but I would have to sacrifice a great location, friends, family, pay, etc... to work in the ER and I'm not sure if it's worth it.

Here are some of the biggest differences between the two hospitals. Which one would you suggest I take? Do I choose the according to the unit or the location/lifestyle/support/pay/perfect schedule (days)?

BayAreaHospital

ICU

Days

No Weekends for duration of my training

3 days/week, 12 hr shifts = 72 hours/biweekly

$43/hr

Only 3 months of training- no extension

Half of nurses in the unit don't like New Grads

Attitude: "What can I do for their hospital?"

Doesn't care about education advancement

Better Benefits

Not as comfortable in ICU unit

Would like to buy a condo area

LOCATION IS WAY BETTER

Much more stressful unit

Learn A LOT of very critical/intellectual information

Bakersfield

Emergency Department

Nights

Every other weekend

3-4 nights/week 12 hour shifts = 84 hours/biweekly

$33/hr

3 months training- with possible extension

Teaching hospital- all new grads are highly welcome and appreciated

Attitude: "What can hospital do for me?"

Encourages education advancement

Worse Benefits

VERY VERY comfortable in ER- more my pace/personality mixes better with ER

No real estate investment at this point

Terrible location- bad pollution/weather/area

Very busy but less stressful and much more fun! It's more my element

Learn a broader range of medicine but less detailed and critical- beside the traumas.

Thanks for your advice/input!

[beachgirl17]

I think it depends on what your long-term goals are and which job will be better suited for your goals. For instance, if you had your heart set on being a CRNA, then I understand you needing to take the ICU job for the experience. If it were me, I would probably chose the Bakersfield job because you said you would be more comfortable and they are welcoming to new grads. As a new grad, I really wanted an environment that would be welcoming and like to teach. In my opinion, it is worth to have less pay and worse benefits to be in a situation which I would be happy. As for real estate, maybe you could live in an better area and commute not to far? I don't know anything about the area...I am an east coast girl. Just my