Career advice please

I interviewed for a new grad program and was offered a position, contingent upon the state processing my paperwork before the start date. It didnt get finished in time,and the hospital called to inform me that they will need to offer my spot to a local candidate. I am totally bummed and frustrated. The hospital has offered me a spot in their spring cohort, and a position as an aide or tech until the spring cohort begins. They are telling me it is a sure thing, since internal candidates get hired first, but they are not giving me anything in writing stating I have a guaranteed spot. I am just concerned that I will relocate to this state and spend 8 or 9 months in a lower paying position and then something will go wrong and I wont get the residency spot. What if this HR person quits? What if there is more than one internal candidate for the floor? I am being told not to worry, it is a sure thing, but I WOULD have to go through the interview process etc again in the spring. I just have a gut feeling telling me I should say no & keep looking but it is such a great program and I REALLY want to work there. I know there are no guarantees in life and I may not find another new grad position (they are hard to come by in my area) but I cant help but remember how HR functioned at my previous employer(empty promises to get you in the door) and from my experience if you dont have it in writing it does not exist. But I REALLY want to work there and I want to believe them. Am I just being paranoid or should I be worried?

Should I grab it up & be thankful, or pursue other options? I am torn the out of state job search is getting REALLY expensive and the endorsement process is some states has been extremely painful. What do you think?
Hmmm. Don't know, but that's a long ways away with nothing to bank on. I've only gone for one other license in a neighboring state and yes it was ridiculously delayed and cost me some $ too. I guess I'm with you on the trust issues! Going thru the interview process again seems ridiculous IMHO.

As you will learn early in your career. . . go with your gut instinct. Especially if they are not willing to put it in writing.

Tough decision, hate to say it but only you can decide what's best. Got any other prospects? Sometimes you just gotta pay your money and take your chances. Hope you have success whatever you chose.

go with your gut feeling because nothing is in writing, which means that you have no guarantees!!!! i was in a similar position some years back... i was offered an opportunity to start in my former hospital's er as a new grad because my floor was closing and everyone knew i aspired to become an er nurse. anyway, long story short, i accepted the job offer but i had nothing in writing. i also rejected a job offer to work on the cardiac step-down unit because i believed i had already officially been hired to work the er. two weeks later i was told to apply and interview for the job i had already accepted.my gut feeling at the time prior to accepting the job was that i needed to have something in writing. i knew that it was too good to be true to have gotten a job without applying! my director at the time had made the arrangements and informed me that i did not need to apply!!! sadly, my gut feeling was correct and i did not get the job!! the higher-ups wanted experienced nurses only. so i was left to fend for myself as a float nurse on the worse med surg floors within that hospital until i resigned. the moral of my story: get all offers in writting! gl!

Ok, so called & spoke with HR end of last week and asked again if it was a "GUARANTEED" spot when the RN cohort opens. I was told of course it is a guarantee about 10 times. I then asked if I could have something in writing, she said she would get back to me, and so far, no response to my messages or emails. Looks like I am getting the blow off. Ugh.