getting rid of your PRN shifts?

Nurses General Nursing

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I've worked PRN for this company for almost 4 years, and starting last year I also run an online business. This year my business has taken off and I've been trying to juggle both my PRN nursing job and staying on top of my business, and I am EXHAUSTED and cannot do this anymore. I considered quitting nursing after the new year (2017) but was afraid, so I kept signing up for more nursing shifts "just in case". Now I'm working ~50-60 hours a week on my business and ~30-40 hours/week on average at my PRN job (plus 2 hours/day to commute). Then I found out last week that my partner is being transferred to Germany in September. And I stupidly already scheduled myself in advance for shifts through Jan 2018, because the DON asks for help that far in advance (covering FMLA leaves, vacations, weekends/holidays, etc).

Would it be unprofessional to just ask the DON if she would mind sending out a mass email to the PRN list and seeing if anyone wants to take some of my shifts? She usually emails the PRNs once a week anyway with dates that she needs covered, so it wouldn't really be any extra work for her especially if I list all the dates and all she has to do is copy/paste and hit "send", and I would still work the shifts that no one wanted to take.

I've also been debating asking if I could cancel my shifts for next January. If I ask now 6 months in advance, the DON would have that much time to get someone else to cover my shifts in January, and I would still be working over the Christmas/NYE holidays when coverage is at a premium.

I really wish I hadn't signed up for work so far in advance, but since I did I have to try to find a way to fix this in as professional a way as possible. Has anyone here been in a similar situation and what did you do? I don't want to return to nursing ever, but I also don't want to burn bridges because I suppose you never know, and I also just don't want to create a big mess for the DON, because I do quite like and respect her. OTOH I cannot continue working 90-100 hours/week for another 8 months and burning myself out.

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"I don't want to return to nursing ever," to quote you. Resign and be done with it.

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"I don't want to return to nursing ever," to quote you. Resign and be done with it.

you accidentally left out the second part of that quote :p I'm trying to brainstorm ways to get rid of as many of my shifts as possible in a way that is professional and doesn't make the DON's job more difficult. Resigning right now doesn't fit either of those criteria. The only thing I can think of that might be acceptable is to try to ask other PRNs if they want extra shifts. If anyone here has any other ideas, they would be much appreciated.

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you accidentally left out the second part of that quote :p I'm trying to brainstorm ways to get rid of as many of my shifts as possible in a way that is professional and doesn't make the DON's job more difficult. Resigning right now doesn't fit either of those criteria. The only thing I can think of that might be acceptable is to try to ask other PRNs if they want extra shifts. If anyone here has any other ideas, they would be much appreciated.

Resigning now, leave in September. That gives her three months notice, which is more than enough.

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Resigning now, leave in September. That gives her three months notice, which is more than enough.

it is? I was thinking I would have to stay through the winter holidays in order to be professional and leave on good terms.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Check your resignation policy. It should tell you how much notice is required to resign on good terms. Mine is 4 weeks. There is plenty of time for those shifts to be covered.

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Check your resignation policy. It should tell you how much notice is required to resign on good terms. Mine is 4 weeks. There is plenty of time for those shifts to be covered.

good idea; thanks :)

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
I've worked PRN for this company for almost 4 years, and starting last year I also run an online business. This year my business has taken off and I've been trying to juggle both my PRN nursing job and staying on top of my business, and I am EXHAUSTED and cannot do this anymore. I considered quitting nursing after the new year (2017) but was afraid, so I kept signing up for more nursing shifts "just in case". Now I'm working ~50-60 hours a week on my business and ~30-40 hours/week on average at my PRN job (plus 2 hours/day to commute). Then I found out last week that my partner is being transferred to Germany in September. And I stupidly already scheduled myself in advance for shifts through Jan 2018, because the DON asks for help that far in advance (covering FMLA leaves, vacations, weekends/holidays, etc).

Would it be unprofessional to just ask the DON if she would mind sending out a mass email to the PRN list and seeing if anyone wants to take some of my shifts? She usually emails the PRNs once a week anyway with dates that she needs covered, so it wouldn't really be any extra work for her especially if I list all the dates and all she has to do is copy/paste and hit "send", and I would still work the shifts that no one wanted to take.

I've also been debating asking if I could cancel my shifts for next January. If I ask now 6 months in advance, the DON would have that much time to get someone else to cover my shifts in January, and I would still be working over the Christmas/NYE holidays when coverage is at a premium.

I really wish I hadn't signed up for work so far in advance, but since I did I have to try to find a way to fix this in as professional a way as possible. Has anyone here been in a similar situation and what did you do? I don't want to return to nursing ever, but I also don't want to burn bridges because I suppose you never know, and I also just don't want to create a big mess for the DON, because I do quite like and respect her. OTOH I cannot continue working 90-100 hours/week for another 8 months and burning myself out.

I am flabbergasted that the DON is scheduling PRN nurses for January of 18 in June of 17.

My suggestion is to give your notice. You can get another PRN job where you don't have to schedule out so far in advance if you want to.

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
I am flabbergasted that the DON is scheduling PRN nurses for January of 18 in June of 17.

My suggestion is to give your notice. You can get another PRN job where you don't have to schedule out so far in advance if you want to.

Yeah, OP's place of work sounds odd for a few reasons. She is working full-time there in actuality. I wonder what kind of work environment necessitates that. No wonder she wants to leave nursing!

As an aside, FolksBtrippin - I love your username!

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
Yeah, OP's place of work sounds odd for a few reasons. She is working full-time there in actuality. I wonder what kind of work environment necessitates that. No wonder she wants to leave nursing!

As an aside, FolksBtrippin - I love your username!

I like yours too!

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What type of place schedules that far in advance? Why would you need to give that much notice as a PRN employee? 2 weeks to a month is standard. Quit putting yourself out.

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Thank you so much for the advice. You're right, I am essentially working full time hours- and to be honest, I don't know what the standard is for leaving a PRN job -especially one that's actually more like FT in terms of how consistently they schedule me. This is the first RN job I've had since I graduated 4 years ago, so I want to make sure I do everything the right way and leave on a good note in case I ever need references.

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