Should I quit for my first choice??

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So I interviewed for a nurse residency program a couple of weeks ago and it is my first choice, I really really want to get it! But....I was offered a job at a community hospital a couple of days ago. I won't find out if I get into the residency program until the first week of December, and the community hospital would want me to start around mid-late November.

If I turn down the community hospital job for the residency program, there is a chance that I won't get into the residency program and then I would be jobless.....

I was advised by some friends and family, that I should take the community job and then if I get into the residency program, I should quit the job at the community hospital and accept the residency position. But I am not sure I would be comfortable with that.

Or I could forget about the residency and stick with the community hospital.

Any input on this?!? What would you do?!?

Thanks!!!

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.

Well a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. You have a job offer and that's fantastic. If you can afford not to work and are willing to risk not being employed, wait to hear about the other job. You can start the job offered while waiting to hear about the residency job but realize if you quit shortly after starting you may never be welcomed back to that hospital.

Bottom line, only you know which option is best for your life and situation.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Well a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. You have a job offer and that's fantastic. If you can afford not to work and are willing to risk not being employed, wait to hear about the other job. You can start the job offered while waiting to hear about the residency job but realize if you quit shortly after starting you may never be welcomed back to that hospital.

Bottom line, only you know which option is best for your life and situation.

This.

Take the job and start your career; there are no guarantees in this business.

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I agree with the others. Take the community hospital job and start working. Some new grads wait a year for their first job offer, if you turn this down and the residency does not come through you could e unemployed for a long long time! If the residency does make an offer, and if it is what you really want, the you would need to quit and take it, but there is one caveat. Some residency programs are set up to employ you as soon as the residency is over and others do not. I would be sure that the residency is geared up to lead to a permanent job before quitting a permanent job to take it!

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This.

Take the job and start your career; there are no guarantees in this business.

I agree completely. "My first choice" came knocking a few days after I got into my Residency Program and although I am currently being offered the job in my dream field...there aren't any guarantees! I have been jobless for 3.5 months (which is a considerable amount of time in my opinion) so I couldn't continue to wait on possibilities!

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Specializes in Med Surg, PCU, Travel.

I'm quickly learning this business is a double edged sword and hear I am 2 weeks after being licensed and still being forced to work as a PCT because they won't move me up to an RN position. Do what you gotta do.

Take your family's advice...take/keep the job at the community hospital first and ensure with 100% you get in the residency program December is a long ways away, in between that time they could find hundreds of other qualified applicants and you will find yourself like the dog without a bone if you quit the community hospital gig. Hopefully the residency program will give you a little notice so that you will not have to leave the community hospital cold turkey.

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