30 Day notice for resignation??

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a new grad that just got off orientation and currently work in ICU. It has been a nightmare. I have decided with all the caos that is going on there (short staffing, 3 pt assignments, pulling our staff and leaving us short, along with a ton of new hospitalists who barely speak english and write weird orders) that I don't want to do critical care.

Well 3 weeks ago I went to my supervisor and told her all of this and requested to be transferred to med-surg. She said she understood but wanted me to try CCU for 2 weeks to see how it went. I tried and still didn't like the critical care part of nursing. I went back to her and again requested to be transferred...well she just isn't hearing me. She says I just won't like med-surg and I am better off staying in critical care, and that I don't want to be one of those "med-surg" nurses. She even talked to the director of med-surg and said that they don't think I will be happy over there either..blah..blah..blah..so basicly they won't transfer me.

I am sick of not being heard!!! I don't like codes, having pt's with no BP, and just the sickest of the sick. I have only been there 6 months and feel like I am burning out! I dread going to work everyday and dream that I am still there on my days off!!!!! I just want to take a step back and just learn my basic nursing skills...

So, I put my 2 week resignation letter in her box last night when I got to work and got a call today...she informed me that as I nurse I had to give a 30 day notice ...and reminded me of what I would be doing to my co-workers by leaving and not to burn any bridges. (Also not to mention that 2 other nurses just quit and she is prob freaking out). but I have gone through my paperwork and have not found anyhting saying that I had to give a 30 day notice if I quit....what do you guys think???? I just want OUT!!!!

Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

Ours is equivalent to how many weeks vacation we get. So most are 3-5 weeks notice.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

here in the UK most have to give 4 weeks notice but a lot now decides on what job you do. I work in the community and have to give 3 months notice Which I am coming to the end and waiting patiently (NOT) for a visa to immigrate to the US. I do know it may not be any different from where I am now but love the chance to be able to move country and try something different

Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

I have had companies try that with me, and well...I consider if I ever want to work there again and guage it on that!

The thing I think of is basic...if I want to leave so badly I consider a two week, if I can't even fathom a two week out of my own personal work ethics to do so..then out the door I go. To me, a notice of resignation is a curtesy to not burn bridges..and I give two weeks, perhaps more dependant on circumstance! I always can just LEAVE...but I choose to be respectful enough to give notice...and that is MY choice not theirs to put a time line on that!!!!!

Yeah..give them 30 days to replace me while I still work in a situation I dislike...BullSnookles! In my opinion...you tryed working with them, they declined your requests to make your job better for you and the facility...you don't OWN them anything! You put out YOUR hand in working things out...they did NOT offer theirs! So I would take that hand, slap my keester and tell them to 'kiss this' (metaphorically now...LOL, don't do that for real!).

I have played the games with facilities for too long, and frankly I am the professional, I am the one in demand, I am the one using my skills day after day....so I earned a bit of respect at least..and if they are unwilling to see it that way...then I don't care what they think anymore and will move on! I don't like being dragged through the corporate crud anymore, and frankly don't anymore!

Specializes in Critical Care.

Think about it this way: how long does it take to replace you with an up and running critical care nurse? How long did it take YOU to be an up and running critical care nurse?

30 days is not a long period of time, when you consider that the 'courtesy' you are providing doesn't fit the period of time truly necessary to replace you.

I agree with Triage about one thing: it IS a courtesy, not a requirement, providing, you don't need this bridge again.

~faith,

Timothy.

Specializes in Tele, ICU, ER.

When I gave notice to my last job (and I left on good terms, to try out a new specialty), I gave about 35 days - that was to cover the rest of the current schedule. I know how frustrating it is to have to take someone off an existing "approved" schedule in the middle, and then cover those shifts.

That said, just how far will employers go with thier requirements for nurses? Will we one day *have* to give like 6 months notice because THEY can't find replacements? At some point, they're gonna have to realize that maybe they can't find replacements (and maybe they're getting notices in the first place) because they foster a nasty, overworked, toxic environment.

Specializes in Psych, Informatics, Biostatistics.

Ours too, I would give them as many weeks notice as you have vacation. Don't burn bridges if you can help it. When I quit the first time the company told me I had to give 4 weeks. I balked. After thinking that they would keep my vacation(I had almost 5 weeks accumulated) I reneiged and gave them proper notice. 8 weeks later I was seeking and found employment with the old employer. I was ecstatic I hadn't burnt my bridge!

Ours is equivalent to how many weeks vacation we get. So most are 3-5 weeks notice.
Specializes in ER/ ICU.

My advice to you is to make sure you have that other job for sure before you turn in your 2 week notice. It was well known @ my former hospital that when you resigned- you were fired.So, no paycheck for 2 weeks. That was awful.

if you can tolerate the place for the 30 days, it might be worth considering - for the "don't burn bridges" situation (that'll benefit you in the long run)

having another job that you are secure about is another consideration - do you have this other job lined up?

In my own case, I have regretted leaving a place where I only gave 2 weeks notice

Specializes in Critical Care, ER.
Oh, I have no illusions: TPTB WISH we were as easily replaced as they would like. But it just isn't so. We all know that there isn't a 'shortage' of nurses, but a shortage of those willing to do the work at the price they are being paid.

But, as nurses 'decide' they don't want that kind of work, they tend to move to jobs away from that kind of work. It's not just a game of musical chairs. That being the case, the old standby has always been to 'prime the pump' of the nursing pipeline.

This is why a new nurse was brought into critical care in the first place.

The 'pump' is damaged, if not broken.

So, we simply AREN'T as easily replaced as we used to be. It might not be a direct reflection of 'professionalism', but it IS a direct reflection of relative value, and those two concepts will come, hand in hand.

Just because we are more difficult to replace doesn't translate to respect as of yet. So, I understand your response completely. But respect is a function of value. AS more and more effort and expense goes into retaining and recruiting nurses, that 'lagging indicator', respect, WILL catch up. Either that, or employers are bigger idiots then I thought (and THAT's a huge assumption). Nevertheless, the latter might well be the case.

~faith,

Timothy.

Sorry, man that was obnoxious of me. I applaud your optimism and pray that day shall come soon. The valuing of the nurse day, that is.

Specializes in Rural Health.

Where I work professional positions (RN's, LPN's, Drs., etc....) are required to give at least 30 days notice, if you fail to do so, you will not be hired again for this facility. Considering they own 200+ hospitals and clinics in 22 states, you will basically burn a huge amount of bridges if you bail early. Plus they have sister facilities which also share personnel files (but don't share the company name so you have to be careful there). Oh, and it's common knowledge that they'll blacklist you from other facilities not even associated with them but they work closely with.

They also will tell future employers that you are not elgible for re-hire d/t the fact you didn't give proper notice. Doesn't sit well with people when you go to find another job.

We also are not allowed to use our PTO during that time either - you will work the entire 4 weeks, physically be there in the building and working. There is an exception if you are quitting because of a family crisis and you have to leave early - but the documentation is through the roof on that one.

As much as it isn't fair - it's what a person has to do to maintain their ability to work again......

It is amazing the hospitals can work us to the bone and then require 30 days notice to leave on good terms. I think it is so they can suck every last drop of blood from us...........................no wonder there is a nursing shortage!!!

I have always given 2 weeks as required by my facility. I have not seen this 30 day buisness. Good luck hope you find something you enjoy!

Never heard of a 30 day notice...is it just a nurse thing?

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