Which job to choose?

[RN-BSN15]

I have been offered the following jobs and I am having a hard time choosing...I would like to hear everyone's opinion

CICU-Winston Salem , NC

cardiothoracic step down - Duke

post surgical - Charlotte

i really wanted to be in Charlotte but I would have loved to have the cardiac offers be in Charlotte ... What do you all think ?

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Any other information about the jobs? Shift? Ratios? Length of orientation? Unit culture? Quality of the hospitals? If you can't answer those questions, you must find out more info. Also, how well liked are those hospitals by patients? Unfortunately, hospitals that are not doing well in the patient satisfaction arena are stressed out.

If you like cardiac, take one of the cardiac offers. Med-surg is everywhere. A CICU or Cardiac Step-Down offer may not come your way again for a while, especially if you start out in med-surg. Many of those positions require prior experience in critical care. Either you get in as a new grad or as a nurse with good experience.

I would work at high quality teaching hospitals, especially one associated with a university, over a smaller community hospital.

You should go for one of the cardiac jobs at Duke or Winston Salem. Those are both large, high quality hospitals. Now are you up for an ICU job or do you want to first get your feet wet in Step-Down and then transfer to ICU possibly?

[RN-BSN15]

The orientation for the cardiac positions would be for 12 weeks. Post surg 6-12. All orientations are on days. Cardiac step down after orientation will be day/night depending on the need of the unit. Post surg and CICU are on nights.

Stepdown and ICU I will 3 patients. Post surg 5-6 patients and if they are low census nurses take turns acting as CNAs.

i agree I should take a cardiac position I just really wanted to be in Charlotte

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

I would go for ICU every time. It's tough to get into and once you've done ICU you can pretty much do anything. It's desirable experience to have and a stepping stone to other things.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Rotatings shifts are especially hard on the body. I think straight nights would be better.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

3 patients is a lot for ICU. Does the unit take fresh open hearts or do those patients go one of the surgical ICUs?