u/codedapple

I want real and honest feedback. I applied for an icu educator job at a large level 1 trauma facility and actually got it (NYU). Honestly, I was so surprised but they moved quick. screening call and 3 interviews and job offer in 9 days.

however, I am a little worried I don’t have enough experience….I am a covid nurse so I do think that surviving that baptism by fire made me much stronger than an average new grad after one year than what would have been the case prior to the pandemic.

I did that first year of cardiac stepdown at a busy level 1 trauma before moving to a medium acuity facility where I was in MICU/CCU for 2 years then SICU/CTICU for another 2.5. I do also have Rapid Team experience as charge nurse is always rapid response on these units

About a year ago i started teaching as a crit care educator at another level one trauma center on a per diem basis. I teach critical care skills like PA cath floating, art lines, setups, iabp, as well as generic RN ICU orientation on didactic topics such as EKG, cardiology, neuroscience, respiratory, pulmonary, GI and multi system.

These skills I am comfortable with - but I am lacking in experience such as Impella, ECMO, CRRT (my facility had an on call dialysis nurse, spoiled I know) and stroke stuff. My bedside gig was not a comprehensive stroke center.

Does anyone have any advice or thoughts? I’m also welcome to honest opinions even if they may not be the most positive. I like to say I am pretty well read on topics as I studied from books such as “Vasopressors and Inotropes” and have my CCRN-CMC, but still feel like I am lacking or may have a knowledge deficit when starting this role

Hello! I am visiting Japan on a solo trip and seeing family and had an idea: possibly buying an engagement ring here instead of in the states. I've been to Japan many many times but never looked at rings here.

I do have a budget of up to USD$10,000 / ¥1,500,000. I figured superior Japanese craftsmanship could get me better value than in the states. I am looking for highly superior lab grown diamonds (GIA or IGI, Colorless D/E/F, VS and up, 1-2 carets) and would love some recommendations. If there are some truly specialty shops, I could bring my mother (speaks Japanese fluently) who can check things out with me.

27M RN in a major Northeast city deciding between staying at a federal ICU RN job vs taking a large academic hospital Nurse Instructor role. Looking mainly for financial/benefits advice.

Current federal ICU RN job:

• Base around $130k, actual 2025 gross around $140k

• Possible move to evening shift with 10% differential

• Federal benefits:

• FERS pension

• TSP with 5% match

• HDHP + HSA

I max:

• TSP
• Backdoor Roth IRA
• HSA
• About 3.5 years into federal service (not vested in FERS yet)
• In EDRP program and receive ~$4,800/year tax-free reimbursement, currently year 3/5
• Schedule is harder: weekends/holidays and 12-hour shifts

Academic hospital educator offer:

• Nurse Instructor role under union contract
• Monday-Friday
• 4x10s
• No weekends or holidays
• Estimated comp around ~$155k if all differentials apply:
• Instructor base
• 5 years experience differential + MSN differential+ Speciality/CCRN differential+Evening differential
• Defined benefit pension with 1.6% multiplier
• Likely NO 403b employer match
• Very strong healthcare/dental/vision through union benefits
• Probably lose HSA eligibility

Main financial tradeoff as I see it:

Federal job:

• TSP 5% match
• HSA + employer pass-through
• EDRP reimbursement
• Federal benefits/job security
• Better long-term tax-advantaged savings structure

Academic hospital:

• Higher immediate salary
• Better pension multiplier
• No employee pension contribution
• Better current healthcare benefits
• Better lifestyle/schedule

I estimate the educator role is maybe ~$10-15k/year better in immediate cash compensation, but the federal job may be stronger long-term due to:

• TSP match compounding
• HSA compounding
• Remaining EDRP value
• Federal benefits structure

Question: Purely financially, which package would you take long term?