I want to quit first RN job after a few weeks.

MrsK62 · Mar 9, 2017

If you have decided to leave, don't put this experience on your resume. You've only been there for a few weeks, so leaving it off won't create a gap you'll have to explain. Unless you live in a burg, chances are very good no one will be the wiser.

foggnm · Mar 9, 2017

You should give notice. But 'at will' generally means that an employer can terminate the relationship for any reason. As opposed to working in the government where termination requires significant reason and documentation. As an employee, unless under a contract, you can always quit when you want.

As far as the job goes, your story is similar to many nurses. You start work at a really busy place and realize it is a really unpleasant job. I say this in all seriousness: nursing is filled with bad jobs. I would go so far as to say, that the majority of nursing jobs are such that you have more work than time and always feel that you can't finish your tasks without running like the roadrunner. For that reason, I am a strong advocate for nurses spending a lot of time thinking about the job environment they want and not focusing on money. After 7 years working in the hospital, I left for the reason that I was tired of chasing my tail on many days. I wanted to go back to a world where I was in control of my time and tasks and priorities. Spend some time reflecting on what you really want to do and what job environment you enjoy (office, clinic, hospital, community, school) and then start applying to jobs that you think will align with your personality and strengths.

AnOldsterRN · Mar 10, 2017

I say quit and find something you will enjoy.

I was a Home health nurse, case manager, nurse consultant for 25 years. I grew tired of the uncompensated long drives and homework.

Because I love geriatrics, I decided that one of the many local nursing homes would be my last job for my years leading up to retirement.

No colleagues of mine had worked at nursing homes. I had no idea what it was really all about.

These LTC facilities.. most are for-profit owned by greedy businessmen who only staff the bare bones minimum required by law regardless of anything. Even the bare bones minimum is substandard with logistically impossible workloads.

I worked in a 59 bed facility. For facilities under 60 beds, the law in my state gives the bare minimum staffing ratio of 2 LVNs for morning and day shift, one nurse entire facility night shift. One RN 8 hours per day.

I was hired for an RN Supervisor position, but they killed two birds with one stone meeting their 8 hr per day RN requirement plus having me on the floor instead of an LVN.

Responsibilities included 2 med passes and PRN meds for 30 patients, wound care and other treatments for 30 patients, glucose checks, insulin admin for 30 patients, GT feeds, IVs, weekly charting, Medicare charting, etc., sign off everything including monitoring side effects of this or that med, check O2 sats with and without oxygen, apply this or that cream with diaper changes, monitor this or that. One change of condition can put you an hour behind. An admission? Good luck getting your other patient's needs met on time. Night shift 1 Nurse 59 patients. Sugar checks, med pass start at 3am. God forbid anyone has a change of condition, and hopefully one of the CNAs who is too busy with own impossible load will tell you.

Ive seen nurses clock out and continue working, or come in extra early to start treatments and clocking in when they're supposed to.

Its horrible for the nurses. Logistically impossible to provide all that care to about 30 patients in 8 hours. I've seen nurses sign off anyway and take huge shortcuts to prioritize care.

I don't care what what anyone else says, 1 Nurse to 30 or 60 patients is neither safe nor sane. Intentional short staffing is dangerous to these frail patients.

In the several months before I finally quit, we had two patients developed Stage 4 decubs. Patient falls are common. Bed and chair alarms seem to be used in the place of supervision.

Treatment carts are also stocked with cheap supplies and the bare minimum. Do you think a decub on the coccyx is going to get better with daily dressing change with dry gauze to cover on a patient who is incintinent 24/7?

Speaking of which, diapers are changed 2x per shift whether need be or not.

Infections run rampant. You might sanitize if one of the sanitizer dispensers a patient's room even works, but what does it matter much if nobody else does? Every second of every minute counts. When workers are to overwhelmed and always in a rush to the point where hand washing is skipped, there is a problem. The one I worked at just recently stocked med carts and other areas with equipment sanitizer wipes and hand sanitizer wipes. Why? They're expecting surveyors any day.

Do do the research. Find out what the minimum staffing is for your state.The facility has to post the census daily and "hours of nursing care per patient per day" (which includes and divides up everyone with a license or CNA certification whether there on the floor or not) If the LTC facility barely meets the state's minimum, consider working elsewhere.

Unfortunately, for profit nursing homes are run by businessmen who seem to use the state's minimum as a maximum. Everyone suffers from the nurses and CNAs to the patients.. supplies to food.

Bring up staffing to owners with no clinical background, and your concerns will fall on deaf ears. Owners make big money providing the bare minimum. They are certain to make sure we have families sign arbitration agreements on admission, to avoid lawsuits and public awareness. Fines are minuscule compared to profits.

Until the the law changes, these are the conditions. I for one will never work at one again. I hope to never end up in one. I truly feel sad for the patients who are stuck in one.. and the exhausted nurses why try their very best providing care under the circumstances.

DNTcode · Mar 11, 2017

Hi,

I commiserate with you! That is an awful experience.

Yet to be honest... another job might be same nightmare with bigger patient load... god forbid you make mistake.

I remember my first job, and how I was scared. I remember how I was happy, they actually did not hire me into nursing home where they had heavy patients on vents and so on. because I was scared.

I can only pass on the advice I got once... someone told me about nursing home, not the subacute, but regular nursing home, you get use to it, you will remember that Mrs so and so, takes her metoprolol, aspirin, famotidine, iron, lasix, potassium, senokot crushed and passed through GTube each morning at 10am... and documentation takes that long.

you have pretty much two options...

decide to stay (hopefully you are not alone there, and you have someone to willing to help you and give you advice), and hopefully you will get comfortable. (They say it takes about a year to feel comfortable). And it will get easier, not more enjoyable, but just more easier. (like driving a car... I am sure it was frightening on the start)

Or you might start looking around. (It is your license after all). You might look for something less demanding. (but then the amount of patients will go up). Or you might start in some assisted living. Not sure what your goal is, just keep in mind, you might not be able to learn so much there! But choose wisely so you do not end up even more miserable.

KeepChugging · Mar 11, 2017

I've been working in a long term care home for about 8 months now. I took the job as a new grad and I was desperate for any sort of work, and this was probably my last choice if I could pick.

Let me tell you something that I wish I had been told: its a job, it's going to suck, the learning curve is going to be brutal, and it may even be a bit depressing. However, hang in there, and soon you will get the ropes, and when you do, it will be like a daily part of your life.

I made enough errors and had a few nurses who really didn't want to look out for me. I had my moments of anxiety and regret, but I kept going and refused to be a pushover, and eventually, I caught on and now I'm learning the new software tech being introduced faster than my peers, and I am teaching them.

So don't worry about it, hang in there, make your money, learn, and keep applying until you get the job you want.

Good luck.

LA1220 · Mar 12, 2017

Hello,

Just wanted to start by saying I can relate to your situation. The (almost) exact same thing happened to me at my first nursing job, which I began in November 2016. This was at a psychiatric facility and I had 26 patients. Orientation was fine, although they did tell us the turn over rate was higher than average. I didn't think much of it because it was my first job after nursing school and I kind of settled. So, like you, I had one week of orientation. In my opinion, that's not enough for a new graduate nurse. I was anxious all the time, I couldn't sleep, and the nurses there would get annoyed if I asked questions. To make a long story short I worked there for maybe a week and a half on my own before I quit, no two weeks or anything. I do regret being so unprofessional, but I couldn't handle going back. I was also offered a job at another facility, although the starting date was months away.

My personal advice would be have another job lined up and then quit. Also, try to go about it with giving your two weeks, that way they can fill the position in a decent time frame. It's a difficult decision, especially as a new graduate nurse, but you'll make the right decision.

Msmedic68w, MSN, RN · Mar 13, 2017

What you are experiencing is not abnormal, when I first started my nursing job I would stay 2-3 hours after documenting, it was because I was new and still learning. I too had a week long orientation and was a charge nurse straight out of school with around 20 patients. So it could be that, especially if you are the only one staying behind that long while everyone else is going home. But if you do not like the job then you do not have to stay. But as a responsible adult, you should give them SOME kind of notice, but it does not have to be 2 week necessarily, but you won't be able to use them as a reference. Whatever you do, do not be a no-call no show quitter, it's rude and inconsiderate to do that to your coworker is who waiting to get off their shift and it going to be sitting there wondering where her/his relief is.

I've had that happen to me -_-

nurseburst, ASN, BSN · Mar 14, 2017

Hey newgrad... I wanted to say I totally understand where you are coming from. I work on the rehab Hall in a 120 bed ltc/rehab facility and began here with 5 days orientation (it was going to be 3 but I asked for 2 morr) as a new grad... no previous experience aside from clinicals.

I've been there about 5 months now and if you just look at my posts you will see how I struggle! Lol... but I will say this... it isn't as bad as it was when I first began... you do get better at it. You aren't perfect. You are going to make mistakes and that's okay. I am learning to breathe, and when you are being pulled 20 different ways... remember you are the nurse... you decide where to go and what is most important ! You won't believe how many times I have told a patients family member that wants to discuss several things that I may not be able to until after my shift (past 11pm) or they may need to speak to the unit manager the next day... why? Because I get a ton of admissions and gauge that I just won't have the time. I've never had one get mad at me or at least say so... and I want to go over those things I love teaching but you have to prioritize!

I am still developing my time management skills and prioritization... but it gets easier. The Commuter really nails it about getting organized to know what to do when... who gets what... I do a similar thing on my cheat sheet to tell myself who needs dressing changes, who needs evaluations...etc.

You got to develop a system that works for you. Ask other nurses at your facility how they plan and manage their day... I still do this lol... and ask for examples. Everyone is different but you will get the hang of it...

Doesn't mean there won't be a lot of really rough shifts... just hang on... prioritize and do the best you can! Keeping your patients safe is key.

sanakruz, ADN · Mar 14, 2017

I'm feeling bad for you.

and all the CRUMMY advice...

The facility needs more staff.

Studies can back this up.

Strive to communicate this. If you are not heard, resign with a letter stating that the facility is unsafe for patients and licensees.

Move on with impunity. Your're an RN, ferchrissake!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2017

The facility needs more staff.

Virtually all LTC/rehab/subacute facilities need more staff.

However, here is the question of the day: who in the hell is paying for more staff and the higher labor costs that result? Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates are already dwindling with each passing year. LTC/rehab facilities do not have a variety of payer sources like hospitals do.

Also, LTC/rehab facilities cannot charge the way hospitals do. For instance, an acute care hospital can pay for nursing staff by doing things such as upcharging patients $5 for their daily aspirin or $298 for that 1 liter bag of dextrose or $40 for that bordered gauze dressing. However, the aspirin, dressings and dextrose are rolled into one paltry daily rate at the LTC facility.

vynicolas · Mar 15, 2017

@cat365 If you sign a contract so you can not quit. Why is that?

bgxyrnf, MSN, RN · Mar 16, 2017

9-23-20XX
DIABETICS, FINGER STICKS: Linda (BID), Nora (AC & HS), Billy (AC & HS), Paula (AC & HS), Rex (BID), Jackie (BID), Evelyn (AC & HS), Marcia (0600, 1200, 1800, 2400)
NEBULIZERS: Marcia, Evelyn, Billy, Jackie, Paula
DRESSING CHANGES: Paula, Billy, Johnny, Jackie, Lily, Rosie, Lucy
IV THERAPY: Paula (Vancomycin), Linda (Flagyl), Rex (ProcAlamine)
COUMADIN: Linda, Rosie, Johnny, Lucy
INJECTIONS: Linda (lovenox), Lily (arixtra), Rex (heparin), Billy (70/30 insulin), Evelyn (lantus), Mary (vitamin B12 shot)
ANTIBIOTICS: Paula (wound infection), Rosie (UTI), Rex (pneumonia)
1200, 1300, 1400 meds: Marcia, Lily, Rosie, Johnny, Merle, Jackie
1600, 1700, 1800 meds: Rosie, Johnny, Rex, Lucy, Lily, Shirley, Louisa
REMINDERS: assessments due on Linda, Jillian, and Louisa; restock the cart; fill all holes in the MAR; follow up on Nora's recent fall, fax all labs to Dr. Taylor before I leave, order a CBC on Rex...

OMG, that sounds f-ing horrible.

No wonder that the OP wants to quit. That makes me a little queasy even as an experienced high-acuity ED and ICU nurse.