Interview; please help!

[meeta404]

So, I needed some opinions. I graduated june from my associates degree, got my license in july, and started working in august for one of NJ's biggest healthcare systems. I oriented for 8 weeks successfully. Its been 4 months now, and I seem to like the floor im on (med surg/tele). However, it has always been a dream of mine to work in ed/ trauma. On a whim, i applied to my dream trauma center (level 1), and theyre now calling me in for an interview. What should I do?? I like my job, and I dont want to burn bridges or mess things up. Even being considered for an interview in this hospital is scary on so many levels. The ed position is closer to home too ( about 10 miles, whereas my current job is about 30). Opinions?!!?!

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

An interview doesn't equal a guaranteed job offer, so why not do the interview? At the very least, it will be practice for the future; at the most, it could be a job offer you love. I will caution though that since you do like the floor you're on that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. We've had several people leave my department for another facility- and they found out just why that facility offers higher pay. Most of them have come back PRN and are on a waiting list for full time. Also, 4 months is a rather short employment history- if I were in the position to be hiring people, I would prefer to see at least a year (or more!) in a position before leaving.

[RunBabyRN]

I agree that it doesn't hurt to interview, as it's always good practice, if nothing else, and that the grass isn't always greener.

I have two promising offers right now, one pays more than the other, but the hospital system has a poor reputation for how they treat their employees. It's closer to home, but not my "dream" unit. If offered both, I will take the one further away that pays less. I got a really good feel about the unit, and have heard nothing but good things about the place from various people, whereas I have heard a lot of negative feedback from the other hospital (and others in the system). I would certainly make the most of it, and I would probably be fine there, even happy maybe! But the other would just be a better fit.

See if you can job shadow at the new place, and ask nurses what they REALLY think of the organization and ideally, the unit.