New grad first job

[Murse]

New nursing grad here, passed my NCLEX and all of that, so now I am on the job hunt. I have had 2 interviews at 2 of my clinical sites from school, and I asked for interviews from the other 2 and was ignored. One of the 4 places (a long term care home) is giving me an offer at 20% less then my classmates are getting from the hospitals. The other place I had an interview told me no (blew the interview.) I have applied to many different places other then these (probably 2 dozen total) and gotten no responses. I feel this lack of response is because I don't have experience as well as not having a bachelors. 


Pros/cons of current offer
A 45 minute commute, I would have to evaluate whether moving makes sense. 12 hour shifts, 20% less pay (60k starting vs 50k) then other places are offering (that I can't seem to get responses from.) And lastly the night shift. However it is on a unit that is for patients that are well enough to be discharged from home, but not well enough to go home. Typical stay is 1-2 months. I feel this would be great experience but am upset about the pay and location.

My father (been in the nursing field for over 20 years) believes that I can find something with better pay in the area. I am afraid of being unable to find something if I say no to this position and end up finding something worse. I fear my father is wrong because it has been so long since he was a new grad.

I am letting my emotions interfere with my decision making and can not think logically, so I would like some outsiders opinions.

[Panchos]

You could always take the job and get money/experience while you wait on another opportunity. That way you can truly find the job that fits you best and not feel like your passing on a decent offer and then settling just to find work.

[Murse]

You could always take the job and get money/experience while you wait on another opportunity. That way you can truly find the job that fits you best and not feel like your passing on a decent offer and then settling just to find work.

I feel like this would be a bad thing morally, wherever I take my first job I would want to stay for 6 months minimum, a year or more preferred. These companies spend a lot of money on training us and I want to give them some sort of ROI for giving me the opportunity.

[Panchos]

Your choice. I've worked in insurance and now in the fire service. People are very replaceable in any line of work. In the end, you have to look out for yourself. You can bet all the company cares about is their profit (generally speaking). Who's to say that right job will come immediately? It may be 6 months to a year for all you know.

[lostamonkey]

Your choice. I've worked in insurance and now in the fire service. People are very replaceable in any line of work. In the end, you have to look out for yourself. You can bet all the company cares about is their profit (generally speaking). Who's to say that right job will come immediately? It may be 6 months to a year for all you know.

I agree with Panchos. My company would also fire me if I wasn't performing or the economy tanked and they wouldn't care if I had a mortgage to pay or kids to feed (I have neither). I would take the job, and start looking for a new one. You might love the job and stay there for decades.

[Bracken_Joy]

Murse- also a new grad nurse. All I can say is, I feel ya! I can't do night shift (have done, got incredibly sick, not so good), so I'm feeling SOL. Following this topic with interest.

[Hurley82]

You could always take the job and get money/experience while you wait on another opportunity. That way you can truly find the job that fits you best and not feel like your passing on a decent offer and then settling just to find work.

I feel like this would be a bad thing morally, wherever I take my first job I would want to stay for 6 months minimum, a year or more preferred. These companies spend a lot of money on training us and I want to give them some sort of ROI for giving me the opportunity.

I would take the job to gain experience. I get what your saying about the organizations ROI but you have to b remember that it is just a job and you are replaceable when you leave. I recently left my teaching position that I had held since the day I graduated, the last 10 years. I felt bad about leaving my team, school and students behind.. In the end though I had to do what's best for my family and that meant changing districts for more money, better working conditions, improved benefits and a district that isn't controlled by a reform board. Take the job earn some money, work hard and better positions will be easier to get.

Remember interviewing takes practice perhaps your overly nervous and its effecting your performance in interviews. I had 4 interviews in my new school district  and was ready to give up after the first 2. For the last two interviews I decided to treat them like it was no big deal. I got offers from both. 

[Emg03063]

You could always take the job and get money/experience while you wait on another opportunity. That way you can truly find the job that fits you best and not feel like your passing on a decent offer and then settling just to find work.

I feel like this would be a bad thing morally, wherever I take my first job I would want to stay for 6 months minimum, a year or more preferred. These companies spend a lot of money on training us and I want to give them some sort of ROI for giving me the opportunity.

Morally, you're not required to sell your labor for less than the market bears.  If you have qualms about it, when you get a better job offer, take it to your current employer and give them the chance to match it.

[Bracken_Joy]

Murse- are you worried about getting 'trapped' in long term care? I've heard that LTC, hospice, home health, and dialysis all basically lock you into those fields and you can't switch once you've taken a position without going back to school. That is part of my fear right now.

[Murse]

Murse- are you worried about getting 'trapped' in long term care? I've heard that LTC, hospice, home health, and dialysis all basically lock you into those fields and you can't switch once you've taken a position without going back to school. That is part of my fear right now.

No, I don't fear that. I fear not getting a job offer other then this within 6 months of graduating losing valuable skills and honestly the opportunity cost. Every additional week it takes me to get a different job could be a week I am in this LTC facility gaining valuable experience and getting paid. I will be the charge nurse responsible for 10-14 semi-acute patients and supervising 2 CNA's and 1 LPN. This unit takes people just out of the hospital that are not able to go home yet, so I will be dealing with total hip replacements, CVA patients, amputations, a lot of wounds, foley's, ect.. The only thing I am really missing out on is IV medication. I will be working with PT's, OT's, DO's/MD's and the families of these patients. I will be able to market these skills much better then "oh, I passed boards four months ago and have not yet been able to find the right fit." My plan as it currently sits is to take the job, possibly work on my bachelors, and after 6 months start looking for a replacement job. My father is a RN and has worked off and on in LTC as he needed and been able to get out.

Basically I think I am much more at risk of not finding a hospital job with no experience then with it.