Want to Quit My Tech Job-How Much Notice am I Obligated to Give?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

So. A little background. I recently applied for and received a PCT job that I was very excited to get. Now, I can't wait to get the heck out of dodge.

I work as a tech in a large hospital in a small city, working 12 hour shifts, and recently got a second job in a smaller hospital working 8 hour shifts. Both are PRN. My plan was to work both as much as possible throughout the summer, then during my last semester of nursing school balance by working 1-2 8 hour shifts after class during the week, and 1-2 12 hour shifts on my weekends. A lot, yes, but then I would have garnered the experience of two hospitals, and learned a lot about flexibility, work environments, etc.

Ever since I got off of orientation at my second job (the 8 hour, more recently hired) has been one big disappointment. To start, I was not given the unit I had originally applied for (ICU). Played phone tag, and eventually got onto a step down unit. Nurse ratio is 4 to 1, techs 7-3 and 3-11pm only. I trained on a different unit, where everyone was amazingly sweet, good teamwork, great attitudes all around. Now I've been on my ACTUAL unit, and it's awful. First of all, I specifically asked for a unit orientation, as I was warned that even though the two units were "sister" units, they do things a little differently. When I showed up my first day, no one gave me the time of day, much less a unit orientation. I had to ask for door codes, how to communicate blood sugars to nurses, etc. I spent most of my time that day figuring these basic things out, as the unit was very different in these regards.

Second, I was told in my interview, that typically during the day (7-3) there are 2 techs for the 25 patient unit, and that at night (3-11) there is one. I have yet to work a day shift with a second tech, and am consistently coming in to patients soaked with what is obviously multiple bouts of incontinence. I am then berated by families, etc, and barraged with nurses asking me to bathe their patients immediately when I'm still trying to pass waters, get sugars, bath the other soaked patients, introduce myself, update boards, etc. There were even 2 days in a row, where 3 separate patients, had what were at least stage 2 pressure ulcers on their coccyx uncovered, soaked in urine. I asked the nurses if they were aware, they both stated they were not, and if they would come look at it while I was changing them. They both (one had one patient, the other had the other two) just told me to put a mepilex (sp?) on it. I did so, and when I returned the next day, 2/3 were now uncovered again, and the 3rds bandage was soiled beyond use. I mentioned this to the manager the next time I spoke with him, without naming names, and was told to just document what I saw in a nurses note. When I asked him to show me where to document such things, and it was found that I did not have access to it, he shrugged, said oh well, guess you can't do that, and that was the end of that.

Thirdly, every day I've worked has been a hassle just trying to get the nurses to tell me what blood sugars they even want. They have a process. They write the order (ACHS, Q6, Q4) next to the room in a notebook that sits in the nurses station. This is supposed to be done on nightshift. It has never been done, so every morning I am there I ask the day shift nurses to please just let me know. I usually only get 1 nurse to respond, maybe 2 if I'm lucky, but unless I have the time to chase them all down, I don't know all the blood sugars until they start calling while the trays are being passed, asking why they don't have results.

This is quickly turning into a rant and I have so much more I'm so disappointed in. In short, I want out, and I want out as fast as possible. I don't want to work in a place that I would not be a nurse, or not be comfortable with my own family coming for care. I've worked there less then 90 days, what obligation do I have? I just want to run as fast as possible.

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There should be a policy that indicates the proper length of notice to give. Look it up and give notice. If you're not sure, try calling HR ...or just go with the standard two weeks. Good luck.

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Oh god that sounds awful! One tech for 25 patients? I would run away as quick as possible. They didn't give you access to be able to see what the orders for BG's are? Like in the electronic chart? Two weeks notice should be fine or just stop taking hours since you are per diem

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SI'm sorry you are going through such a hard time. It is not acceptable care to not be able to be reliably able to pass on blood sugars to a nurse, much less get them to look at pressure wounds. I would give my 2 weeks notice, there have to be other jobs in the area you can apply for. You have to ask yourself, is the salary worth the stress? Is this a p,ace I would want to work as an R.N.? Will I ever get to know anyone well enough to garner a reference? You can try to stick it out on f you like but does not seem worth it to me.

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Honestly, even at the job I actually like we often have 25 patients. Even on the days of full staff they'll often float one tech to another floor. I just do the best i can on those days, and the end is in sight. I graduate in december.

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Honestly, even at the job I actually like we often have 25 patients. Even on the days of full staff they'll often float one tech to another floor. I just do the best i can on those days, and the end is in sight. I graduate in december.

The end is in sight? Hopefully .....but the nurses at your current job probably aren't responding in a timely manner because they're also overwhelmed- maybe even more so.

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The night shift is supposed to do it...and I know for a fact that more often then not they have time. If this happened a few times it'd be one thing....if it was the only thing it'd be a different story....but they literally never do it.

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