Which unit in the hospital is best for a new grad RN? In terms of experience, salary.

melizerd, ASN, RN · Mar 12, 2014

The one that hires you (lol). At this point new grad don't often get their pick of where they want to work. Many hospitals have several med/surg units with different slants but they all give experience.

Also at least in my area pay doesn't have to do with the unit for new grads, it's experience.

Just getting a hospital job can be hard with no experience depending on where in the country you are.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Mar 12, 2014

Any you can get!

ChampRN · Mar 12, 2014

Experience: The one where your strengths are. Salary: With the current tough job market, anywhere would do.

yadi87 · Mar 13, 2014

none anymore, used to be med surg but even they now are being picky cause they can... take what you can get where you can get it and dont worry about salary until your at least 1-2 years in.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Mar 13, 2014

Unless you believe that all new grads are the same, there is no way to answer the OP's question. Setting aside the "where ever you can get hired" factor, and depending upon the new grad's own qualities -- some could thrive in an ICU, others may need the slow pace of a Rehab environment to really shine. MedSurg, particularly MedSurg/Tele... is just about the most difficult place to work these days. The workload & patient complexity plus high rates of admissions, discharges & transfers... YIKES!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 13, 2014

As for the salary question -- the time is passed when different units paid different salaries. If you get hired, you'll get the new grad rate.

Concrete Rose · Mar 14, 2014

More likely the one you are most interested in and would be most committed to. If you have no interest in the unit or particular area of care how would you thrive? I have friends that excelled in NICU, LTAC, M/B, L&D, ICU, Medsurg, and some that suffered in those same units (partly because it wasn't where they wanted to be). Salary, by hospitals, varies by a few cents these days for new grads. Shift differentials differ slightly. A residency program may be something worth considering.

Nonetheless · Mar 14, 2014

If you are passionate about a specific unit, prioritize applying for that unit. For example, if you dream of working on L&D then focus more on L&D applications.