Who gets the job?

[daisybaby, LPN]

A not-so-hypothetical:

An experienced RN leaves your dept/hospital stating she is unhappy and wants to work in a new setting. She's a great nurse, and you're sad to see her go.

A relatively new nurse who works a different shift asks about the open position created by the other RN's resignation. You tell her to apply for the position in writing (which she does), and that when you can cover her current shifts, she will be able to transfer to the desired shift.

A few weeks go by and you receive a call from the RN who quit. She is unhappy at her new job and asks for her old position back. You would be thrilled to have her back on your unit; nonetheless, you did tell the newer RN that she could take the position when you could work the schedule out.

Do you hire back the seasoned RN who left you for greener pastures? Or do you give the job to the less experienced nurse whom you told (verbally) could have it?

Thanks for your input!

[newadventure]

Your only choice is to offer the seasoned nurse the new nurses hours. After all if you go back on the new nurse she is going to leave and there is really nothing showing the the experienced nurse is going to stay very long if she does come back. Can you offer the experienced nurse some per diem hours until anouther spot opens up?

[barefootlady, ADN, RN]

Give the new nurse her chance. Tell the nurse who quit you do have a position on the unit, but not the same position she left, it has been filled. If she really wants to come back she will recognize she has to work her way back to her old position/hours. This has happened so many times from what I have seen, old nurse gets a bee in her bonnet and goes off to greener pastures, less experienced help applies for open position, mgnr say they can have job when help is hired for her position. After a few weeks the old nurse wants to come back, greener pastures just had a little more manure scattered around to make it look good. Manager renigs on promise to new nurse, gives old nurse old job back. New nurse gets to feeling angry, hurt, and leaves. SO manager still has to fill a position, one that may be harder to fill d/t off hours. Other nurses on unit begin to think manager is not fair in dealing with staff and her word is not truthful, some of the older nurses begin to think, "what am I sticking around for?" Some begin to look and before long quite a few positions have to be filled. Do the honorable thing, in the long run it will save you some headaches.