Published
I hate my job more than any other job I can remember... and that's saying a lot. As with any other position, there are nice coworkers and annoying ones. I don't feel really CLOSE to my coworkers, but most of them are nice enough. It's really the job, and the unit that I absolutely HATE. 99.9% off the time it's pure CHAOS - new orders, patient meltdowns, change in conditions, more new orders, changes, and problems. It's just hard to explain how unpleasant of an environment this is to work in.
Almost like you would have to see it to believe it! I dislike this job so much (the ironic thing is that I fought hard to get this job and was very WRONG about what type of nursing job I would be best in).
I have tried to stick it out, hating it most of the time, but trying to convince myself that I SHOULD stay for experience, or whatever other reason I come up with!
Unfortunately, now, after yet another terrible shift, I am to the point where I don't even think I can bring myself to finish out a 2wk notice. I tried to give it a chance, and even make myself like it, but I hate it just as much and don't think I have the patience to even complete a 2wk's notice of resignation.
Have you ever felt this way? I have another job lined up and would just like to QUIT!
I recommend you immediately see HR and tell them everything you have told us here with absolute objectivity and no emotion whatsoever.
Then tell them you are resigning as a result of the issues, and would happily leave today, but will stick it out two weeks more out of courtesy if they need that much time to replace you.
It is likely that they will let you off the hook and mutually break their contract with you immediately.
If they don't do that, and want you to stay 2 weeks, I think you are morally fine to quit anyway, just be willing to take the consequences. I don't think it will affect your future job, but it likely elk affect your ability to work At that location again. If you don't care, and would rather be homeless than work there again, then I don't see much of a reason not to just leave.
By the way, employers do not risk their livelihoods speaking negatively about their ex employees. They tell your prospective employer when you started, how much you earned when and why you left. The why you left part is simply, whether you resigned, were laid off or were fired. They may be able to sneak in if you left without notice, but this is iffy.
If they say anything else they know you can sue and win. So they don't.
I recommend you immediately see HR and tell them everything you have told us here with absolute objectivity and no emotion whatsoever.Then tell them you are resigning as a result of the issues, and would happily leave today, but will stick it out two weeks more out of courtesy if they need that much time to replace you.
It is likely that they will let you off the hook and mutually break their contract with you immediately.
If they don't do that, and want you to stay 2 weeks, I think you are morally fine to quit anyway, just be willing to take the consequences. I don't think it will affect your future job, but it likely elk affect your ability to work At that location again. If you don't care, and would rather be homeless than work there again, then I don't see much of a reason not to just leave.
By the way, employers do not risk their livelihoods speaking negatively about their ex employees. They tell your prospective employer when you started, how much you earned when and why you left. The why you left part is simply, whether you resigned, were laid off or were fired. They may be able to sneak in if you left without notice, but this is iffy.
If they say anything else they know you can sue and win. So they don't.
This is terrible advice. While it's true many HR departments don't give specific negative references, that's not true of all, and even those who don't give specifics often categorize former employees as "eligible for rehire" or "not eligible for rehire." That conveys plenty of information about the bad circumstances under which you left.
Don't forget that mergers are common in healthcare, too, so what feels today like merely cutting yourself off from this employer could turn out in future to affect your ability to work at other facilities, as well.
I know the feeling of wanting to hand in your ID and walk out, but work out your notice if you possibly can. It's a small investment of time that will save you no end of headaches in the future.
In general terms, a two-week (or more, depending on circumstances) notice is common courtesy to your employer, and it is almost universally expected from a professional. The only time it would be acceptable to just hand in your badge and walk away would be if the working conditions put you or your license at risk. Two weeks isn't an eternity, and you really need to be careful about how you handle your relationship with your soon-to-be-former employer. HR people DO frequently talk to each other, often off the record, and a "burned bridge" can come back to haunt you.
Do what is best for you. Putting in a notice is of course ideal. However, your health and sanity is most important.
Putting in notice is probably what is best for you. You don't want to be blackballed at your institution -- and the other institutions now owned (or may in the future be owned) by the same company. Managers move around, and so do staff nurses. I wouldn't want to be in the position of applying for a new job down the road and see my current manager is now the VP of nursing services there or that a current colleague is now doing the hiring.
Under what circumstances is it OK to quit without notice?
When you leave in the middle of the night to joint the witness protection program, as I'm sure that's what happened with a former colleague of mine whose husband was an important witness in an organized crime trial.
One former co-worker left without notice when she received word that her parents had been killed in a car accident and she had three young siblings at home alone (the oldest was 13) in another state. She managed not to burn any bridges -- and the manager even recommended her for a day position in the hospital back home where she stayed to raise her siblings.
When you've had a CVA during CPR class and your doctor says you won't be able to work as a nurse until you can remember how to count and do simple mathematics again.
When your place of employment has been flattened by a hurricane, tornado, earthquake or avalanche as has your home.
Agreed. If you're leaving without notice for reasons that Ruby mentioned, employers will understand.
However, if your rationale is "I just hate this job" you're not a good candidate for hire. With the 100s of applicants, you will likely be passed over. Employers do not want to deal with those dramatics.
Burning bridges, as PPs have said so well, is such a tricky and dangerous thing to do.
You have NO idea who is talking with whom. This could bite you in the hiney. I know you have a new job lined up but what if you don't like that one either? Then you will be applying and forced to put a job you left without notice on your resume. It's tough.
Take it from me. I absolutely deplored my previous job. Like, it turned me into a monster with snakes for hair and demon eyes and fire breath and I was just a miserable human being. I really was unhappy. But I'll tell you something. 2 things, actually. 1) Putting in my notice was one of the most satisfying feelings on the planet. Similar to popping a big pimple or peeling the plastic screen cover off a new electronic device. And 2) My last 2 weeks there were so much more tolerable because the END was in sight! Every time something awful happened (which was pretty much every 15 minutes) I just thought to myself "only __ shifts to go" and that made it so much easier. Trust me.
Try to stick it out. You will be happy you did.
blondy2061h, MSN, RN
1 Article; 4,094 Posts
How long have you worked there? If not long, they might not make you fulfill the two weeks. But you you offer it. If you've been there awhile, two weeks should feel like a drop in the bucket- especially with a light at the end of the tunnel.