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Discussion

Accepted a job but having second thoughts

Hi, I'm a new grad and I accepted a peds job at a well-known hospital, which I am excited about. However, there are a few downsides to the job: it is a bit of a drive from where I live now (think gas prices! Ouch!) and the pay is slightly lower than some other places. The upside is a fantastic residency program that I think surpasses most programs in this neck of the woods.

Today I got a call from another hospital, one which I've always wanted to work at, that wanted to interview me for a couple of positions. Before we even talked about which positions, I told the recruiter that I had already accepted a position and felt I needed to honor that decision. She asked if peds was an area of interest to me, and it is, and I told her so, but I am equally comfortable and enjoy working with adults.

Now I don't know if I should call her back and at least talk about the positions. Is it unacceptable to rescind a position you have already accepted? The new position doesn't start for a month so I am sure they could offer it to one of the others they interviewed (assuming, of course, I interviewed, was offered and accepted a different job in the adult nursing).

I am very confused. Any thoughts?

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    • Expert

    Do not rescind the position that you have accepted unless you have another firm job offer.

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    • Expert

    Talk to the "new" hospital -- but don't resign from the peds job unless you get a firm offer from the "new" hospital in time -- an offer that is in a specialty that you would be willing to spend a long time in.

    Also, think about which possibility will be better for you in the long run. If you really want a career in pediatrics, you should probably stick with the job you have already been offered. It sounds like a great opportunity that may never come again. There is a LOT of competition for such opportunities, and if you walk away now, it may be a LONG time (maybe never) until you get another chance for a good peds position. It may well be worth the inconvenience and slightly lower pay.

    By the way ... the pay is lower for the peds position because so many people want those rare opportunities in peds that they don't have to pay top dollar. Positions that have to pay top dollar to attract staff are ones that usually have some other negatives associated with them.

    Good luck to you, whatever you decide.

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    • Author

    Thanks, Commuter and IIg. I would certainly not drop the peds position without having an offer from the other hospital. They have offered me an interview for a position on a progressive care surgical floor. I am just torn. I know that the peds position I have been offered is a difficult position to get (I was one of 160 who applied and only about 15 slots were open) and I definitely like pediatrics and will probably never get this chance again. But if I decide after a year or two that I am not really a peds nurse, would it be difficult to get a job in adult care? What about transferring from peds care to adult maternity nursing? That is another area that I would love to be in one day... any thoughts?

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    You can call them back, but frankly, I don't think they're going to be interested in you anymore. Think how it looks to them: You've told them you have a position you're interested in, and you thank them and decline their offer. Then you later call them up and say actually maybe you are interested, because the pay is better and the facility is closer and you *think* you'll like peds but you aren't actually sure, but you know you've always actually wanted to work at THIS hospital...you see where I'm going with this? Despite your best intentions, you might look like a flakey job hopper who is indecisive and always looking for a better deal. It's certainly not going to hurt, I suppose, to call them back and see if they're still interested in interviewing you. And maybe they won't feel there's anything wrong with your indecision; but frankly, it would count against you to me if I were interviewing you. You'd really have to impress me with your personality, your commitment to my organization, and your previous work experiences.

    Personally, I think pediatric experience is fine when looking for other positions in adult oriented units.

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    • Expert

    I think you probably shot yourself in the foot with your answer to the recruiter. Apparently you were caught by surprise. I would have interviewed at the second place if it was in my sights, and then made the choice, if offered a position.

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    Agree with ^^^^. What's done is done.

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    Another vote for just sticking with the peds job. It's ok- if you don't like it, you should be able to transfer more easily to an adult care job than it is to go the other way around. I've come to discover that peds nurses actually get a lot of respect from adult care nurses for being able to handle sick, injured and dying children. I think peds experience would be seen as an asset even though you'd need training in your new field.

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