Anyone finish shift and not return to job?

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2006

I left two jobs during orientation as I felt the position was not right for me probably related to some of the things that bother you. Negative attitudes and continuous nit picking among staff with no way of stopping it as those were the pets of the unit manager. Unsafe practice in acute patient setting where nurses treated without doctor orders and no written protocols to use. If a policy even simply stated to utilize current ACLS guicelines then I would have been OK until proper specific protocol was written. Receiving poor or no report and having way to many patients to care for in the first place.

I gave no notice on both of those exits, I just called and told human resources that I quit and mailed them a letter of resignation. I also refused an exit interview on both of those jobs as I did not want any negative statements on my work record. Those places had too many faults and no desire to correct them so I didn't trust them to properly use an exit interview anyhow.

Oh yes my letter of resignation stated that I had accepted another position. I gave no other explanation.

I kept a file on those jobs for years, just finally tossed em. I figured something bad would come of it eventually but nothing did. I never used those jobs in resume either as I never finished orientation so I truly never really worked there and I will stand by that statement too. If confronted I would state that I realized that postion was not quite right for me at the time and I had another job offer that was more appropriate for me at that time.

control · Apr 14, 2006

I am working in a VERY unsafe job. I think the "icing on the cake" was yesterday. I have brought many concerns to management and basically have been told to shut up. I have never left a job without giving 2 weeks notice, but I just feel that I cannot work another day at his horrendous hospital! I have been a nurse many years and I have never encountered this type of environment until now. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

A similar thing happened to me, but I had been walking around for 7 months with a letter of resignation in my bag ready for submission.

The night I planned to hand it over to management was the night of a definite "final straw" moment.

What is your schedule like? I would suggest handing in a two weeks notice immediately and finishing out the schedule.

Or maybe you could ask them to reduce you to PT immediately....then submit a 2 weeks a couple of days later.

Just my two cents. I hope you find a place where you can enjoy working in the future. Definitely don't stay there and be miserable!

control · Apr 14, 2006

I left two jobs during orientation as I felt the position was not right for me probably related to some of the things that bother you. Negative attitudes and continuous nit picking among staff with no way of stopping it as those were the pets of the unit manager. Unsafe practice in acute patient setting where nurses treated without doctor orders and no written protocols to use. If a policy even simply stated to utilize current ACLS guicelines then I would have been OK until proper specific protocol was written. Receiving poor or no report and having way to many patients to care for in the first place.
I gave no notice on both of those exits, I just called and told human resources that I quit and mailed them a letter of resignation. I also refused an exit interview on both of those jobs as I did not want any negative statements on my work record. Those places had too many faults and no desire to correct them so I didn't trust them to properly use an exit interview anyhow.
Oh yes my letter of resignation stated that I had accepted another position. I gave no other explanation.
I kept a file on those jobs for years, just finally tossed em. I figured something bad would come of it eventually but nothing did. I never used those jobs in resume either as I never finished orientation so I truly never really worked there and I will stand by that statement too. If confronted I would state that I realized that postion was not quite right for me at the time and I had another job offer that was more appropriate for me at that time.

Good for you. I don't see quitting/resigning during orientation as really worth putting on a resume anyway, granted the time spent was less than a month.

JPrince · Apr 14, 2006

I would put in your two weeks and just tough it out from there! If anything, at least you have peace of mind knowing that you're not going to be there for much longer! That provides some relief! Hang in there! Sorry to hear your working conditions suck! That's life sometimes though! You don't know what you've gotten into until you actually start working there!

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Apr 14, 2006

I am working in a VERY unsafe job. I think the "icing on the cake" was yesterday. I have brought many concerns to management and basically have been told to shut up. I have never left a job without giving 2 weeks notice, but I just feel that I cannot work another day at his horrendous hospital! I have been a nurse many years and I have never encountered this type of environment until now. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

What I did when faced with a similar dilemma last year, was to take Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) to cover my last two weeks. Like you, I got to the point where I knew I could not work one more shift even though I'd been at that job for three years and felt it was unprofessional to quit without notice. Luckily, I have a long-term relationship with my primary-care doctor, who signed a statement for me saying that I needed FMLA because of stress-related illness (which was very much the truth, as I'd used up every bit of my personal time off and then some recuperating from some ailment or another), and I never did go back.

I was even able to draw unemployment benefits, such as they were, because I was such a basket case by the time I resigned.........the hospital didn't fight it either.

Now, not knowing your individual situation, I don't know whether this would be an appropriate avenue for you to take, but it's something to think about. I wish you all the best............you are right to get out of there because your license is at risk. :madface:

Drysolong · Apr 14, 2006

I am working in a VERY unsafe job. I think the "icing on the cake" was yesterday. I have brought many concerns to management and basically have been told to shut up. I have never left a job without giving 2 weeks notice, but I just feel that I cannot work another day at his horrendous hospital! I have been a nurse many years and I have never encountered this type of environment until now. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

During one of my clinical rotations, a head nurse told me that she walked off a job because of nurse-patient ratio. She stated that she just refused to put her license on the line anymore in such an unsafe environment. It hasn't seemed to hurt her career.

JSRN81 · Apr 14, 2006

While I understand where you're coming from, I think it would be best for you to give your two weeks notice, unless you feel the situation is too unsafe and you are risking your life, your patient's life or your licence. If that is the case...talk to your manager and tell them why you are leaving and that you won't be back. One time on our unit there was a nurse who had to bring her patient to the Cath-lab for a procedure....and she did....and then continued right out the door and left for good! THAT I don't recommend! But you do have to do what you feel is best and what you are the most comfortable with. Good luck with your decision.

JS

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2006

The professional and ideal thing to do is to give two weeks notice, with a written notice stating exactly why, sending a copy to various department heads if you choose, without burning any bridges.

If it is indeed unsafe and unbearable, you have to do what you have to do.

TazziRN, RN · Apr 14, 2006

If your license would be in jeopardy because of these unsafe conditions, then leave now but make it clear why you're leaving. Otherwise, professionalism dictates you should give at least two weeks' notice.

APP · Apr 14, 2006

statrnnj97: can you elaborate on what you felt was unsafe about your job?

Undecided7 · Apr 14, 2006

I'm right there. I started to have tears well up in my eyes in a patients room and I he was whining about one thing or another and I was trying to tinker with his 3 IV pumps- I had the strong urge to sit on the nasty dirty floor, put my head in my hands and just cry like a baby. I keep having these thoughts of going into the med room and just shooting myself up with insulin or going home and just overdosing on pills. I can't get help here because the mental health system is WORSE than the acute medical care. If patients really had ANY idea- they would take their chances at home. Maybe it's not the same for other people but no one seems to be too concerned when I start crying at the nurses desk or begging people walking by (other staff) to shoot me. Speaking of which, we had a lockdown last night because there was a shootout in the parking lot. I was going downstairs (by the main doors) and someone said to be careful because it's by where the shooter was last seen; I said, "Good- maybe I'll get lucky and I won't have to come back up." :no: