Can you back out of an offer later?

[Hopefulstudent333]

Hi. So I currently received a job offer. I'm excited but they want me to let them know in 24 hours if I'm going to take it. My concern is, there is a hospital I really want to do my new grad residency at but applications don't even open until July. I graduate in August so I figured I would start applying now because I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket since I know residencies can be very competitive. My question is, can I accept this offer now so I have a job if I don't get into the residency program and if I do get into the residency program am I able to back out later? I wouldn't start either job until October so I have time but I'm not sure if its even allowed to back out. Thanks!

[adventure_rn, MSN, NP]

You can (I did as a new grad because a better opportunity came along), but just be aware that you may potentially be burning a bridge with working for that hospital system again. Usually it's not a big deal, especially if you give them plenty of notice, but some hospitals may be more picky about it than others.

Also, be aware of whether the hospital you're backing out of is a part of a larger network. I had an RT friend who cancelled a travel contract; it's usually a huge deal to cancel a travel contract, but his recruiter and his hospital both said it was fine because it was over a month before the job started. He found out that he had been blacklisted from all of HCA, a for-profit 200+ hospital network in 20 states, when he tried to apply for a travel job in another state. It's probably a blessing in disguise because HCA sucks to work for, but now he's a lot more limited where he can work in certain cities/states.

[nyrse]

On 5/17/2022 at 9:28 PM, adventure_rn said:

You can (I did as a new grad because a better opportunity came along), but just be aware that you may potentially be burning a bridge with working for that hospital system again. Usually it's not a big deal, especially if you give them plenty of notice, but some hospitals may be more picky about it than others.

Also, be aware of whether the hospital you're backing out of is a part of a larger network. I had an RT friend who cancelled a travel contract; it's usually a huge deal to cancel a travel contract, but his recruiter and his hospital both said it was fine because it was over a month before the job started. He found out that he had been blacklisted from all of HCA, a for-profit 200+ hospital network in 20 states, when he tried to apply for a travel job in another state. It's probably a blessing in disguise because HCA sucks to work for, but now he's a lot more limited where he can work in certain cities/states.

Hi! I saw this post and had the same question. If I took a position at a hospital that is under the same system as another hospital that I will be interviewing for and end up backing out of the first position, will that affect anything?

[Davey Do]

Back in '93, I was working per diem at an HH agency and accepted a FT position in LTC. The HH agency then offered me a position as NS, so I snatched it up and told the LTC DON, "Sorry!"

A few years later, I was working per diem at two HH agencies and reapplied for a FT position at the same LTC facility and got a position as the MN RN. The bridge may have been burned but I crossed it.

It's funny peculiar, but by '03 when I began a 17-year reign at my final place of work from which I retired, the aforementioned facility and agencies ceased to exist. Job hopping and burning bridges hindered not my endeavors in my 40+ year career.

Years and years ago, someone once told me that if I hung on long enough, I would persevere. That someone's belief was proof in the pudding, for I have lived to tell the tale of outliving coworkers, supervisors, administrators, and facilities.