Complete Red Flag Mess- Should I Quit New L&D Job?

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Dear Nurse Beth,

Recently, I had three offers for a position on a unit I had been wanting to work on since I was a new grad. It's a specialty unit, labor and delivery, so not the easiest to get into. I'm a 3 year experienced nurse so I thought I was weighing my pros and cons well.

However, I just started this week and it has been a complete and utter red flag mess. I got hired based off a phone interview in a high risk/flow hospital, which was already weird but I figured I'd meet my manager at some point. Then, when I was waiting for the email for virtual orientation - I never got it. Emailed/called first thing Monday morning, didn't get a response until 230pm basically telling me to just skip the day and come in Tuesday for clinical staff orienting. OK...but what did I miss Monday? Tuesday, had no orientation schedule from my manager or educator. So, by 430pm I followed up. Didn't hear anything. On top of this, they downsized the drive and traffic. I was almost an hour late on Tuesday, giving myself ample time, 15 minutes late Wednesday and when I gave myself an insane amount of time - I was only 15 minutes early!

This hospital is in the process of massive construction. I am supposed to work night shift. I don't know where to park, how to get to my unit, where my unit even is, I've never met my manager, never met my preceptor and it's making me completely regret accepting this position! This hospital is not in a good area and it is county so inmates are a large population - I feel like these are things I should know by now!

Wednesday, still didn't hear from my manager. Thursday, I finally hear from her at almost 3pm and she completely ignored a request I had made (prior obligation on one of the days) and wanted to have me work that day. I feel like there's no support for new hires. I'm just really not feeling good about this and don't know what to do. I've tried reaching out but no one has any answers for me. Or they just don't respond. Calls, emails - doesn't matter. I'm 4 days in and feel like I made the biggest wrong decision ever. Is it possible I can try to take back my rejection to one of the other offers? I had denied because of commute but this commute is the same as that one just worse. 

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2 Answers

Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Dear Not Feeling Good,

I'd give it more time. It sounds like you got lost in the onboarding shuffle but unfortunately, it happens, especially now with Covid. It's possible that despite such a beginning, it could be a good or even great unit to work in, and it's too soon to know whether it is yet or not. 

Hospitals and managers should know what a terrible impression it gives new hires to be so completely disorganised, and how important that initial support is, so that you are welcomed and know how to navigate the campus.  You need to learn who the "go-to" people that you can contact for information.  Typically, it's your educator, preceptor, and manager or assistant manager, but it can be your charge nurse and co-workers as well.

Your preceptor has the inside organisational knowledge that you need to succeed. Now that you are on the floor, ask your preceptor who the best person is to talk to about your schedule. 

I hope it works out for you...and congrats on landing a job in L&D! That is not an easy feat.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

I would think hard on this, and do it quickly before too much time passes.

Sometimes good places do get off to a bad start for completely normal reasons, such as a key person being on a much-needed vacation and others not having all the knowledge/experience to keep the flow going as it usually would.

There are enough negatives going on here that I would get into business mode. What I would not do is start my career there by positioning myself as a tumbleweed that will blow this way or that depending upon whatever the prevailing wind is that day. I would try calling HR or whoever your main contact person is and let them know that you need xyz information.

If there are too many significant personal negatives that you failed or were unable to account for prior to accepting the position (such as the terrible travel time, etc.) then it might be best to cut everyone's losses. That drive isn't going to get better.

Reasonable to ask yourself why you wanted this particular position in the first place, and do those positives still make sense.

Good luck

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