Preferred Nurse Specialty vs. Preferred Hospital

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Student here--

I have a huge dilemma and was hoping this site could give me some advice!

I was offered a position at a Level one trauma center that offers a year long nurse residency position on a Med-Surg floor. The problem is that my passion in is critical care, it's where my Capstone is at and I absolutely love it. They want my response by Wednesday. This is my preferred hospital because of the patient population they serve (the uninsured) but not my preferred specialty.

I had one other interview at a Level two trauma center that also offer a 6 month long nurse residency program on their progressive care floor. I think the interview went great but they won't be deciding on candidates until the end of this week at the earliest.

I'm interviewing on Wednesday at a level two trauma center that offers a year long graduate nurse residency program for their critical care unit. I already had an initial phone interview with their HR rep that went great and now Wednesday is an interview with the unit manager.

My fear is that I'll turn down my first job offer expecting an offer from these other two places and then end up jobless.

Do I tell interviewer on Wednesday that I need to know if I'm a serious candidate because of my first job offer? I plan on calling back the Level one hospital on Wednesday after my last interview with a decision.

Should I email the second hospital and inquire if I'm a serious candidate and then take their word on it and decline my first offer?

Should I just go into Med-Surg and work my way into critical care?

I don't really care about the benefit or pay, they are all pretty equivalent to each other expect that the second hospital puts money into my retirement fund regardless of my contributions.

I like the facilities, I've done clinicals in all three hospitals on different units than the one I'm interviewing at.

Let me know what you think, I will appreciate any insight you might have!

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Any hospital you work at is likely going to have underserved, uninsured, and/or underinsured patients. I wouldn't necessarily pick based on that. Do they offer good benefits? Are they Magnet or is there a formal system for nurses to be involved in shared governance? Is there a good culture there?

I also wanted to start in a specialty and ended up starting in med/surg for a year and a half. Three friends from school all started on the unit so that made my choice easier. It was such valuable experience and helps me every day. I'm now in OB which I never thought I would do and LOVE it!

Also, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush! If you give a tentative yes to the offer in the table, how long before you start? Can you still interview for the others?

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Any hospital you work at is likely going to have underserved, uninsured, and/or underinsured patients. I wouldn't necessarily pick based on that. Do they offer good benefits? Are they Magnet or is there a formal system for nurses to be involved in shared governance? Is there a good culture there?

I also wanted to start in a specialty and ended up starting in med/surg for a year and a half. Three friends from school all started on the unit so that made my choice easier. It was such valuable experience and helps me every day. I'm now in OB which I never thought I would do and LOVE it!

Also, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush! If you give a tentative yes to the offer in the table, how long before you start? Can you still interview for the others?

The hospital that I received the offer from does participate in shared governance, is 2 years into their 5 year plan of achieving Magnet status, and according to their unit manager they have an excellent unit culture. They don't have any nurses who have left due to bad circumstances, they just specialized. They know that I'm interviewing on Wednesday which is why they extended the offer to Wednesday instead of the original Tuesday. I would start in February which is pretty standard in my area for December graduates.

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Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.

I wouldn't turn down a job offer because of an interview. I'd accept, then rescind if something better comes along. The positions you're interviewing for are just that-interviews, not offers. Nothing is guaranteed except the offer you already have.

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I wouldn't turn down a job offer because of an interview. I'd accept, then rescind if something better comes along. The positions you're interviewing for are just that-interviews, not offers. Nothing is guaranteed except the offer you already have.

I've thought about that but it feels shady, because I'd be committing myself to that hospital and then backing out.

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Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.
I've thought about that but it feels shady, because I'd be committing myself to that hospital and then backing out.

Then you risk screwing yourself and not having a job offer at all.

If you keep telling the place that actually made you an offer you need more time/are waiting to hear from other places they are going to move on from you before you can blink. Do you really think you're the only qualified candidate they can hire? There is probably a line around the block full of new grads who won't sit around waiting to hear from other places, basically telling HR "just waiting on something better! I'll let you know if I don't get the job I really want!"

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

Accept the position and go on the other interviews; if you get the one you want, you can always decline later.

You are in a great position to have a position and have two interviews.

Best wishes!

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Then you risk screwing yourself and not having a job offer at all.

If you keep telling the place that actually made you an offer you need more time/are waiting to hear from other places they are going to move on from you before you can blink. Do you really think you're the only qualified candidate they can hire? There is probably a line around the block full of new grads who won't sit around waiting to hear from other places, basically telling HR "just waiting on something better! I'll let you know if I don't get the job I really want!"

You're right, the area that I live in now has a huge population of nursing students, my classmates are getting jobs left and right and that's part of the pressure that I have to accept right now. I can always transfer to their critical care unit when the time comes.

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Accept the position and go on the other interviews; if you get the one you want, you can always decline later.

You are in a great position to have a position and have two interviews.

Best wishes!

Thank you

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