Rescinding a job offer advice

[Al2017]

I have been an ED tech at an awesome hospital for about 8 months now. My plan for the past 5 years has been to move out of state when I graduate nursing school. My current hospital interviewed early in September and all the states I wanted to move to didn't open until December. I was getting no where with applying out of state so I accepted a new grad position in the ED at my current hospital out of fear of being jobless. I got a job offer 2 months after applying to a hospital in North Carolina that is much bigger and a level II. I love my current hospital and think I could grow into a great nurse there since I already fit in so well but am scared of settling. I don't know how the process of rescinding will go given I am close with the managers and will still be working there into December. Anybody have any advice of staying or going?

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Since you haven't started orientation, you can change your mind about where to work. But I would caution you to think twice before you do so. If you feel comfortable in your current hospital, like your colleagues and have a support system in the area, it might very well be a great place for you to make the transition from student to nurse. We see many posts here from new grads who have moved to a new area to start their first nursing job and have no friends, no family, no support system and they're miserable. You may be the person who does very well in that situation -- many do. But think carefully before you uproot yourself and move to North Carolina.

As far as the mechanics -- write a very polite letter to your potential manager thanking her for the opportunity and regretting to inform her that you will have to decline the job due to an out-of-state move. Copy to HR. If you can, talk to her personally and say how sorry you are to be changing your mind at this late date, how much you valued your time working there and how much you regret having to decline the new grad opportunity in order to move to North Carolina. Otherwise, you just write the same basic letter to North Carolina, regretting to inform them that you are unable to accept their excellent offer.

Whatever you do, I wish you the best in your new career.

[Al2017]

Thank you!