Nursing Interview After accepting a position

[Gradnurse212]

Good morning all!

I am a new graduate nurse still studying to take my NCLEX. I have applied to a local hospital only 20 minutes away and a couple huge, busy hospitals about an hour away. I got an interview at my local hospital last week and was offered a part time job yesterday and I accepted the position and go and get my physical and paperwork done next Tuesday and start the week after! Before I accepted that position yesterday one of the busier, bigger hospitals called and set up an interview for a full time position for 10:30 on Friday. Some people have told me to cancel the interview with the bigger hospital but others have told me it is completely okay to go for the interview. I was just wondering what other people thought about this situation. I would more than likely want to take the full-time position but I don't want to look bad to the hospital where I took the part-time position either. Pretty much I am afraid of burning bridges at either hospital. The commute is not an issue at all as I have family down near the bigger hospital that I would stay with until I relocated. Please give me your insight and thoughts on what I should do!

Thanks everyone!!

[llg, PhD, RN]

Definitely go to the interview. If you like what they have to say and offer you a job, take it. The first hospital will only be slightly disappointed if you "resign" before you have started.

What would be really bad would be to take the part time job, they invest in your orientation, then you quit soon thereafter. So don't do that. It is better to resign before they invest in you than to work for them for only a few months or a year. If you are offered the full time job and it is attractive to you ... take it ... and be polite, but honest with the first hospital. Tell them that you were offered a full time job elsewhere -- and while you appreciate their offer of part time work, you need full time employment for financial reasons. They'll probably understand -- and if they don't, then that's not a place you would want to work, anyway.

Good luck getting the full time job (if it is a good job).

[RunBabyRN]

Absolutely go to the interview! As llg stated, it's better to leave a position before they've really invested in you than 6 months down the road when they've finished the training and got you kind of where they want you. That's when you really burn bridges. Also, if you do end up getting the FT position, be graceful about letting the other job know, thank them for the opportunity, and state that you hope you'll be considered if another opportunity arises in the future.

I recently had the good fortune of being offered a position days after accepting another. The second was closer to home, had better hours, and paid $6 more an hour. I was honest with the first position, and they understood. Manners count. :)