Quiting??

[Daisy_08, BSN, RN]

i work in a alf. recently to make a long story short, they have been sucking! proposing lay off's that break the union contract and general nastiness form management. i love my job, my co-workers, my rt's. ever since they proposed the layoffs, there has been a mass exodus. right now we have 4, soon to be 5 open lines and no one to cover for vacation and sick days, so we end up working short, all the time!

i have some interviews scheduled and hopefully will soon have another job.

i was wondering about giving two weeks' notice. do i have to? i want to out of respect for my coworkers, but not after the way this place as treated me, and if the new job wants me to start right away... could i get in any kind of trouble for just quitting, no notice, that's it. and how do i quit, only ever left one job and it was all very nice (non nursing, there for 4 years).

oh, i don't need a reference from them, the don left at the first sign if s**t hitting the fan and has already agreed to give me a reference.

[gohogs]

It's always smart not to burn bridges.

[Crux1024]

You cant get in trouble unless youre up and leaving in the middle of having a patient assignment. Its professional to leave a 2 - 4 weeks notice but with the DON giving you a reference you may be ok. They may ask why you dont have your current boss as a reference. You'd still be putting your coworkers in a major disadvatage and if you loved them as much as you said you did, a proper notice would be nice. My 2 cents. Good luck with your interviews.

[tralalaRN]

It would be a good idea to give a 2 week notice, as if you are applying for future jobs, you will need to list this job on your application. Generally, these apps ask who was your immediate supervisor or manager along with a phone number to contact. It might get a little dicey should you leave abruptly.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Don't just leave. Importantly it will put your coworkers in an even more stressful situation than you're leaving, since they'll have to cover for you, at least for awhile. It will also put a blot on your record and the information will get to future employers who ask about you. It doesn't matter that you have a reference from the former DON. Employers still usually check with the HR department of current employers for general information.

Anyone who hires you would realize you have to give notice to a current employer and wouldn't expect you to just start immediately. In fact if they know you are employed and willing to just quit the current job, it might look bad for you at the new place, since they could wonder if you'd do it to them too. The "when can you start" question might even be used to determine how loyal you are to an employer, if they know you have a job already.

To resign, just write a letter stating something like, "This is my letter of resignation. My last available day will be _____. Thank you for the opportunities I have been given here." You can hand it to the boss as you say "Margie, I am resigning. Here is my letter of resignation." I strongly feel you should state it orally as well as in righting. Then be prepared to talk about it. It's the honorable thing to do.

[MBrnbsnmha/ed]

From one professional to another it is always wise to give notice because if you burn a bridge you never know if and when you may have to cross that same bridge again to survive. Just my two cents. However, no matter how bad things are appearing to be right now in the work place give notice and move forward with a clear head. God for bid you get a new job and it does not work out there you may have to return to your prior employment.