Leaving nursing job after 2 months

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi everyone, I am a new graduate nurse on the telemetry unit at a large academic medical center. This is my first nursing job after school and I'm on orientation. Nursing is a second career for me, my first job was in clinical research. I have a bachelor's degree in neuroscience and in nursing.

My goal after nursing school was to go back to clinical research. I was unable to find any jobs in the research field and I ended up accepting a position on the telemetry floor. The hospital I work for just posted a job opening for a clinical research nurse in orthopaedics unit and I want to apply for the position. But I'm afraid it may backfire on me if my manager finds out. I'm on the second month of a three month orientation period.

I enjoy interacting with patients, but I do

not feel intellectually challenged and I dread going to work each day. I feel like a glorified waiter at my current position and I think I would be much happier working in research. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.

Some part of your must know that it probably isn't a good idea to leave your first nursing job after only two months since you posted your dilemma here. I think your gut is telling you something.

I'd stay at least 6 months, but honestly at least a year is ideal, particularly if you want to stay in the same hospital system.

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To answer: WE are commenting because the delivery in which this was writtten is an insult to all of us working long and hard to make lives better. Since when is "brutal honesty" against our code?

What I see and others alike that commented,is a DANGEROUS "paper nurse", who makes all of us who bust our butts doing anything and everything to meet the demands of those who put their lives in our capable hands.

This is the trouble with some today coming out with degrees upon degrees. Can't handle the face to face interactions then your not meant to be a nurse period!!!!!

Have you had a family or loved one almost DIR due to irresponsible, clueless new RN? Because I have and she was just as aloof to my mother almost crashing and dying after surgery.

Pretty sad when a daughter sitting bedside could read her signs and get help, when the newbie out in hall ******** about poor me.

So, if you want to post on this site with real nurses, then yeah, we may get protective of our craft at the hands of posers who went in almost always because they couldn't find work in their first job, "so let's go to nursing school because they make allot of money"- just such a slap in those of us who live to help others!!!

If you want to cry and bash and insult nursing then don't get upset when us "real life nurses and super heros" stand up for ourselves and say do us all a favor and get out!!!

Also, never saw any place willing to hire research of any kind without a minimum of 5 solid clinical years -

What I really think is happening is she can't hack it and knows it so let's run away and make it about something else and trash the profession while I am at it.

I wish i would have had a tele job fresh out of school - no Bueno around these parts - no hospital will touch a new grad without one solid year / and these are the reasons why!!! Huge waste of time and resources. They flunk out more then fly!!

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Specializes in OMFS, Dentistry.
why all of this negativity? This person came here to look for some help to look for some advice and you make her feel like she's a lousy person. How did you become an RN a compassionate RN living in a negative world.

Seeing this and other comments by you, I truly feel sorry for you... do you know the OP? If not, than it isn't wise to "assume" people are making her feel like a lousy person. She came here asking for advice and she is getting it. Honest and sound advice.

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why all of this negativity? This person came here to look for some help to look for some advice and you make her feel like she's a lousy person. How did you become an RN a compassionate RN living in a negative world.

I will bet the rent you are not an RN. Are you an RN or hopeful to achieve that in the fall? If you are not an RN, you need to remove it from your user name.

These responses are not all sunshine, lollipops and roses, because we realize that OP HAS earned the title of RN and does not appreciate it.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

****For some reason I cant use apostrophes today. No idea what thats about. Please forgive****

This is precisely the reason new grads should not be encouraged to work for a year in med surg, telemetry, etc before going after what they really want; especially when they have experience in another field. If you dont know what you want yet, try med surg or take anything you are offered. If you do, you should go for what you want before you take something that doesnt interest you.

OP should have started out in clinical research nursing, having come from a clinical research background. Its just a waste of resources that OP is stuck somewhere she doesnt want to be when there are a ton of new grads who would really love to be there. There is nothing boring about telemetry, unless you really never wanted to do it in the first place.

Job-seekers: Be honest in your interview. Tell recruiters what you really want, not what you think they want to hear.

OP, I dont think you will be able to transfer at this point. But I do think you should start applying outside of your hospital network to get a research position. In the meantime, try to be the best nurse you can be even though this is not your thing.

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Seeing this and other comments by you I truly feel sorry for you... do you know the OP? If not, than it isn't wise to "assume" people are making her feel like a lousy person. She came here asking for advice and she is getting it. Honest and sound advice.[/quote']

You are right, advice and no negativity please.

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I will bet the rent you are not an RN. Are you an RN or hopeful to achieve that in the fall? If you are not an RN, you need to remove it from your user name.

These responses are not all sunshine, lollipops and roses, because we realize that OP HAS earned the title of RN and does not appreciate it.

Why does own it matter if I am an RN or not. I am not saying I am an RN. I can be the mayor from New York or be the homeless guy. What matters here is that when you give advice you should put the negatives out. No need to advice him or her in a negative way. No one is perfect. Having said that I am guessing you are not an RN ? Because a real RN is compassionate and caring and I don't see this in your post. I don't see you having peoples skills and that's sad. Hope your enjoying the rest of your day.

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This is precisely the reason new grads should not be encouraged to work for a year in med surg, telemetry, etc before going after what they really want; especially when they have experience in another field. If you dont know what you want yet, try med surg or take anything you are offered. If you do, you should go for what you want before you take something that doesnt interest you.

OP should have started out in clinical research nursing, having come from a clinical research background. Its just a waste of resources that OP is stuck somewhere she doesnt want to be when there are a ton of new grads who would really love to be there. There is nothing boring about telemetry, unless you really never wanted to do it in the first place.

That may have been reasonable back when there were oodles of nursing jobs available but in this market new grads don't have that luxury. Do you advise just sitting at home getting no experience until they can land a job in their field of interest? I believe you've been on the other thread were the poster has basically done just that and it hasn't worked out that well for her.

As for most research positions. Very few of them will take a new grad. They usually need some clinical experience. I get that the OP has a research background but they want nursing experience as well.

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Specializes in OMFS, Dentistry.

All I can do is SMH at this point .....

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Why does own it matter if I am an RN or not. I am not saying I am an RN. I can be the mayor from New York or be the homeless guy. What matters here is that when you give advice you should put the negatives out. No need to advice him or her in a negative way. No one is perfect. Having said that I am guessing you are not an RN ? Because a real RN is compassionate and caring and I don't see this in your post. I don't see you having peoples skills and that's sad. Hope your enjoying the rest of your day.

Read the TOS.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
Why does own it matter if I am an RN or not. I am not saying I am an RN. I can be the mayor from New York or be the homeless guy. What matters here is that when you give advice you should put the negatives out. No need to advice him or her in a negative way. No one is perfect. Having said that I am guessing you are not an RN ? Because a real RN is compassionate and caring and I don't see this in your post. I don't see you having peoples skills and that's sad. Hope your enjoying the rest of your day.

It certainly does matter if you are or are not an RN if you are using the title of RN.

There is a distinct difference between negativity and constructive advice. If you continue to disregard that distinction, you have a huge struggle ahead of you, working as a nurse or in any other career.

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So, OP:

What is your decision? You have been given some good advice.

Wait after 6 months (or after the minimum months you are required to stay on your current unit per your employer's handbook) to transfer? Wait a year? Apply to research positions outside your hospital network? Something else?

Imo: As others mentioned: Wait a year for the RN experience. If you really cannot stand your current unit and dread going there another day, then apply to positions outside your hospital network. Now, if you go with the second option, it may not be in your best interest to reveal that you worked ~2 months elsewhere because your next employer may "short-cut" your orientation because you have "some nursing experience."

(Now, to save time, I am not going to debate whether or not you have~ to~ reveal every~ nursing job you ever~ have~; to each their own on that subject.)

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