"Why are you leaving your current position?"

[wkate]

Hello everyone,

I've been an RN on a telemetry-based unit for over a year but have been looking for a new position. I have an interview in an ICU scheduled in the coming days at a different hospital. During this interview, I'm sure the question of why I'm choosing to leave my current position and hospital will arise. There are two major reasons: I want to get into critical care (which I will have no issues talking about with my interviewer) but my current unit is also going through a horrible staffing crisis. Due to management issues, almost half of the nursing staff on my unit has left in the past 2-3 months. I feel unsafe practicing with my license right now which is a major reason why I'm sending out job applications at this current time.

Obviously I'm going to lead with my love of/desire to work in a critical care setting, but do I mention the other issues on my unit as a reason why I'm leaving? I in no way want to bad mouth my current hospital or give the interviewer the impression that I'm a gossiper or caught up in unit drama which is why I'm cautious about mentioning it.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

All the best,

Kate

[RNKX]

Don't mention it! Never a good idea. I'm speaking from experience! Accidentally bad mouthed unsafe staffing issues & the manager just happened to be promoted to "director of nursing" and pretty much defended and stated "all hospitals have some level of feeling like their assignment is due to unsafe staffing" bad idea! Besides, the "want to go to critical care" is a better reason & should be the only reason

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

I would tend to agree with the PP. Don't mention the staffing issue on your current unit. Doing so just sounds negative and like you're really just trying to escape a "bad situation" instead of the more positive story that you're comfortable where you are and you're looking to further your career.

Just something else to consider: if you look like you're trying to escape a bad situation, there's going to be a nagging fear that should something not go well for you in the new position, will you try to escape that right away? If you look like you're looking for something to further your career and you're OK with where you're at, that escape fear isn't there. While they may lose you to career growth, there's so much to learn in the new job, you're likely to be there a while. Maybe enough to make a long-term investment in you.