Best way to quit for a new grad?

Nurses Professionalism

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I was offered an ER Job at my dream hospital and I officially signed the paperwork this week. With that being said, I'm a new grad currently working on a Medical/Surgical/Telemetry floor and I've been there for about 6 months. I love the people I work with, but the hospital is doing some illegal things that I really do not want to be a part of and I'm not getting my full time hours as well. (which is why I applied to other places to begin with) I was initially planning on staying one year at this hospital and then leaving but this ER job I was offered is my dream job. I plan on e-mailing my two weeks notice to the director who hired me this week (who I have never spoken to since the day I had my interview 6 months ago) She's a very scary lady that no one on our floor likes since she doesn't really seem to care about any of the nurses on our unit. My friend is the one who got me this job at this hospital and I don't want to make her look bad. She's telling me to lie and say that I'm moving to a different county. She's also in a lot of trouble with the director for calling out of work too many times so she's afraid that with me quitting its going to make her look even worse. Whats the best way to go about this? I know that I can't tell the director which hospital I'm going to because during my interview with her I had mentioned that I volunteered 300 hours at a local hospital (the hospital I landed the ER job at) and she asked me why I didn't apply there.

I've written two week notice emails before but when she asks me where I am going do I lie to her or do I tell her the truth?

Assuming you aren't already in an ER department, I would just say you've been offered a position in ER which is where you wanted to end up and thank you for the opportunity working where you currently work. You don't have to go into every detail about your concerns. Just say something that makes this new position look better than what you already have.

I wouldn't lie; the nursing community is small enough that she would likely find out and it isn't really professional. I'm sorry about your friend, but that's not really your fault that she is in trouble for calling out.

Yeah I don't want to lie and say I'm moving far away especially when I'm going to a hospital nearby. I just don't want to tell my director which hospital I am actually going to since she asked me since day 1 why I didn't go there

First of all, let your friend work out her own problems they have nothing to do with you. Second, you say you aren't getting your hours. Well, there you have it. You're taking the new job because you need to have one that guarantees your hours. She doesn't need to know where you're going and you don't need to tell her.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

It seems to me that not getting your full time hours is a great reason to resign. In fact, that's why you started looking for a new job in the first place. So use that.

Before you give notice, please look at your employee handbook. Every RN job I've ever had required four weeks of notice in order to be on the re-hire list rather than the "not eligible for re-hire" list.

One more thing -- maybe I'm old fashioned, and perhaps Nurse Beth will tell me that I'm wrong, but I'd submit a letter of resignation on paper. You can also submit the letter by email, but I think it's more professional to drop by your boss's office, give her the letter and briefly summarize the contents. "I wanted you to know that I've really appreciated the opportunities at this hospital, and I have learned so much. But I was offered full time hours at XYZ hospital in the ER, and as I may have shared with you before, ER is my dream job. I'll miss everyone here, though." The wording of your letter of resignation should be much more formal.

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