Resignation Advice & Help Requested

Nurses Career Support

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background: i began at my current place of employment approximately 6 months ago. (i still feel like a "new" employee but i'm done training and overall, i'm doing well.) i currently work full time at a wonderful medical-surgical hospital that specializes in elective surgeries. the company is wonderful to work for and i am quite content working for them. their staff turnover rate is pretty low, especially compared to other facilities.

problem: i was offered my dream nursing job: a full-time hospice rn position with another hospital in the area. this hospital's hospice program is known around the state for being so grand.

the long and short of it: hospice nurses are who got me into nursing. they have been and continue to be my nursing inspiration. my dream nursing job was/is a hospice nursing job. my goal in life was to eventually earn a hospice rn position. never in my wildest dreams did i imagine my dream would come true so "early" in my life (i'm 30), nor did i think it would be with this wonderful, well-known hospital, nor did i think i would be offered such a position with less than 5 years of nursing experience. (i could go into many more details about the pros/cons and what made me come to the decision and other background info but i don't want this to become too long...if you need more info, please let me know.)

i accepted the hospice position. i start this summer. now that that decision has been made...

please help me with advice on 3 things:

1) i start the hospice job in june. it is currently march. i want to give at least a standard 30 day notice to my current employer at the med-surg hospital. i'm not leaving due to dissatisfaction, i'm leaving because i landed my dream job. my *dream* job. is a 30 day notice sufficient or would it be better to give an even longer notice-such as 45 or 60 days? i don't wish to "leave" on any bad terms. also, you'll see below, i'd love to stay on as a casual rn status employee.\

2) since i'm still a relatively new employee, do you think they'd even consider keeping me casual? i know that's a difficult question since you don't work with me...just your general thoughts. my hope is to be able to stay casual status at my current med-surg hospital (another reason i don't want to "burn any bridges/give adequate notice).

3) what do you think of the following resignation letter? i'm not sure how much information to include about obtaining my "dream job" :

jane,

it is with respect and deep gratitude for abc med-surg hospital, and much time, deep thought, and consideration, that i write this letter of resignation. although i have thoroughly enjoyed my time spent at abc med-surg hospital, my last day will be april/may xx, 2012. i accepted a position with xyz hospice hospital as a full-time hospice rn. hospice nursing has long since been a dream of mine, however, i did not think it would be a reality until much later in my career. being presented with this new opportunity was a struggle due to being relatively new at abc med-surg hospital and being content working where i am.

i would like to take this opportunity to express my genuine appreciation to you as my supervisor, as well all of the nurses and other staff i have met here at abc med-surg hospital. i have had and continue to experience wonderful nurses and excellent training. this company is simply wonderful to work for.

should it be an option, i am very interested in staying onboard with the team as casual rn status instead of full-time. it has been and continues daily to be a privilege and a pleasure to work with this team. i very much appreciate the personal and professional growth i have experienced, the skills i have learned and keep learning, the relationships i have established, and the patients i have been able to care for. i am thankful daily for this adventure and hope it is not yet over.

sincerely,

"allie sparks rn" (not my real name)

[color=#ee82ee]thank you very, very much to anyone who responds! i look forward to reading your responses, whatever they may be =)

sapphire18

1,082 Posts

Specializes in ICU.

That sounds perfect to me:) CONGRATS on landing your dream job!!!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN

102 Articles; 27,612 Posts

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

How long of a resignation notice does your current employer require? In general, most non-managerial nursing positions require only a two-week (14 day) notice of resignation.

Good luck to you. You are in an enviable position!

AllieSparksRN

118 Posts

Specializes in my patients.

Hi Commuter,

Non-licensed postions require 2 weeks (dietary, housekeeping, etc). They prefer 30 days for licensed staff such as nurses, administration, etc.

Thanks for responding,

Allie

Specializes in ER.

Sounds wonderful! I can't see how you could make it any better. ;) Good luck with the Hospice job- I hope you love it, and Hopsice Nurses are quite a wonderful breed of nurses.

frankie,RN

392 Posts

Specializes in peds-trach/vent.

Congratulations on getting your dream job. Your letter sounds great, but in my opinion, you may consider leaving out the part about leaving for another job. Some employers are ok. Some aren't. Other than that your letter's good. Once again, congratulations. And good luck to you.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN

4 Articles; 7,907 Posts

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Congratulations!

The letter is very good...you definitely don't want to burn any bridges with them because you never know if you will be on their doorstep again seeking a job, or if you need a reference for a future job.

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

see if there is an HR policy on lead time for resignations. I doubt it is more than 2 weeks unless you are in a critical need situation. You certainly can ask about prn work. No harm there.

sapphire18

1,082 Posts

Specializes in ICU.
see if there is an HR policy on lead time for resignations. I doubt it is more than 2 weeks unless you are in a critical need situation. You certainly can ask about prn work. No harm there.
The minimum notice to give at my previous hospital was 30 days. Places are just different.

leslie :-D

11,191 Posts

even if giving notice IS 2 wks, you giving 30 days only makes you more considerate and generous.

i think your letter was warm, sincere, and positive.

as a longtime hospice rn, i think you're making a positive change in your professional life.

not everyone can do hospice (and stick with it), so yeah, feel good about all of it.

seriously....congratulations, allie.

it sounds like life has been treating you well.

leslie

Give them their 30 day notice.If they wanted to terminate from their end ..it would have been 30 seconds.

Move forward, do not look back.

Do not apologize for taking a better opportunity.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN

1 Article; 5,114 Posts

i'd like to join in the chorus. you're a lucky nurse. :cheers:

if they normally want 14 days notice, you could wait to submit your letter until 30 days before lift-off, saying that you wanted to give them a longer time to fill your position. if they want 30 days, that should be long enough. if you're thinking about giving it sooner, like 45 days, remember that those 14 (or 30) days of notice apply to you, not to them, and they could look at you and say, "ok, missy, clean out your locker this afternoon." then you might not have any work until june, though maybe the hospice would take you on sooner. it's also awkward to be working side-by-side with people who know you're leaving.

but this is all because i tend to cynicism in my old age. you write a beautiful letter which is sure to touch the heartstrings of nursing management, and it is my guess that they will congratulate you roundly and accept your offer of continuing per diem now and then. your cup runneth over. :w00t:

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