Shouldn't have waited until the last minute to ask this, but...

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I posted a couple of weeks ago about my problems getting job offers due to my years away from the bedside and some job hopping during those years. I was offered a position on a telemetry unit with a 1:5 ratio, and am scheduled to start next Monday. I have not felt enthusiastic at all about this job but was grateful to have any kind of offer in acute care. The nurse managers were very nice in the interview, but I've gotten bad vibes from other people about the unit.

Last week, I got an interview at a specialty hospital in the same area, for their CVICU. The nurse manager was very laid-back and friendly, and said he wanted to offer me a position right away but that we would have to wait for HR to complete the background check, which might take two weeks. He said they couldn't even quote a starting rate until they verified every single place I've ever worked (which is a lot in the past 21 years).

From a nursing standpoint, I really want the ICU job, but somehow I'm scared to death that something is going to happen with the background check. Already I got a call from HR that the outside company that does the verification couldn't find a nursing agency where I last worked about five years ago. A simple Google found the information right away, which struck me as strange that they couldn't do the same thing, and made me worry even more that something's going to get messed up. Or that everything will check out, but they'll come in with a really lowball offer.

In the meantime, I have the first job offer sitting out there, and they're expecting me Monday. I don't want just not to show up for work, and I certainly don't want to go to work for a week and then leave, but I also don't want to give up this bird in the hand. Many years ago, I turned down a second offer because I'd already accepted the first, out of some idea of fairness, and I always regretted it. But if I say no to the first job and the second job falls through, I'm in deep ca-ca.

I was thinking of asking the first hospital if I could postpone the start date, and then if things go my way, nicely backing out. Is that too underhanded?

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Specializes in Rural Hospital (we do it all).

Sounds like a good plan to me.

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Those who don't learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat them.

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Specializes in oncology, med surg, Alzheimers.

you should go where you want to go if the job is offered with no regrets. regardless of your time away from the bedside, you are a hot commodity right now, a nurse who wants to return to nursing and the bedside as opposed to running away from nursing. there should be no lowball offers, there's a shortage of approx 100,000 nurses in this country. so if you take the first job but the second one that you really want comes through don't feel guilty. is salary an issue? would you not take the job you really want if it wasn't the pay you expected? are you taking the first job to get your feet wet again? good luck....

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If you're not gung-ho on the first place, and even feeling bad vibes, I'd say call today and tell them you've changed your mind.

Sounds like the other job is what you want, and chances are you'd know if references etc. weren't gonna come back O.K.

Even if, for some reason, the second job falls through I doubt you'll have problems finding another job in acute care. You've already basically been offered two, right?

Think positive, and good luck!

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