Has anyone left nursing job due to COVID19 virus?

agiboma, BSN, MSN, NP · Apr 7, 2020

On 3/25/2020 at 9:30 PM, PeachyERNurse said:
I'm seriously considering it now that my hospital is forbidding us from wearing masks unless we’re caring directly for confirmed COVID patients.

WOW!! I did ER for many years and that is an unreasonable request from the hospital administration. I would have to resign because I could not abide by there rules. The ED is the first stop for most covid19 patients in the hospital.

Workitinurfava, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2020

We are able to wear mask now, it is the regular mask, not the N95. They are useless but atleast we get to wear something. Many people are being called off and we now have to take more patients (nurses have to work with more patients and less help).

RN covid anonymous · Apr 7, 2020

I did. I gave a proper notice of 2 weeks after being told I would have to move from education to the ED and will be placed on my place of employments no-rehire list as a result.

After seeing how they are willing to treat me, I don't regret leaving. I will miss my job as an educator and my coworkers dearly.

Editorial Team / Admin · Apr 7, 2020

1 hour ago, RN covid anonymous said:
I did. I gave a proper notice of 2 weeks after being told I would have to move from education to the ED and will be placed on my place of employments no-rehire list as a result.
After seeing how they are willing to treat me, I don't regret leaving. I will miss my job as an educator and my coworkers dearly.

Are you sure 2 weeks is the proper notice? In mine, 2 weeks is only for unlicensed staff. Nurses must give 4 weeks. That may be another gotcha clause that landed you on do not rehire status.

2BS Nurse, BSN · Apr 7, 2020

1 hour ago, Rose_Queen said:
Are you sure 2 weeks is the proper notice? In mine, 2 weeks is only for unlicensed staff. Nurses must give 4 weeks. That may be another gotcha clause that landed you on do not rehire status.

It depends on the company. They are all different.

RN covid anonymous · Apr 7, 2020

3 hours ago, Rose_Queen said:
Are you sure 2 weeks is the proper notice? In mine, 2 weeks is only for unlicensed staff. Nurses must give 4 weeks. That may be another gotcha clause that landed you on do not rehire status.

Yes, two weeks is a proper notice at my place of employment unless you are a department leader or manager.

Editorial Team / Admin · Apr 7, 2020

2 hours ago, 2BS Nurse said:
It depends on the company. They are all different.

Right, which is why the universal 2 weeks notice may not apply. I didn’t realize my organization required 4 weeks notice until about 5 years in ?

NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN · Apr 8, 2020

My last shift in acute care was exactly 4 weeks ago tonight. Although there was a COVID patient in the mix of my assignment on a general med-surg unit, it was not the reason I left. I've been a traveler for the past 2 years, and with my last assignment, I've been referred to the supervisor about unfair assignments received. I voiced my concerns to three different supervisors on three of many separate occasions...nothing changed. Even still, I signed an extension with the facility; except with the extension, I took the one-shift-per week option. (I had finally secured my ultimate position 2 miles from my home with bankers hours)?.

Well, with this new contract, I received 5 isolation patients (pre-COVID outbreak) and a hospice patient (who died, bringing life to additional paperwork and phone calls) during the first shift. I voiced my concerns with the agency this time. Noted.

Here's the second shift assignment (a week later), in order of appearance: Pt #1: a very weak GI bleed with diarrhea, receiving plasma, and two units of PRBCs which I had to transfuse, Pt #2: a diabetic COVID patient in need of accuchecks and coverage with each result (this is significant because the pyxis will not allow us to pull insulin without knowing exactly how much insulin is needed and having a witness to draw it up...meaning that someone [me] would need to go into the room and obtain a blood sugar first), this doesn't include PRN meds, antibiotics on no specific schedule, and routine meds; Pt #3: a run-of-the-mill drug-seeking frequent flyer, and Pt #4: an HIV+ post-op with constant rectal bleeding who was also "in need" of his/her narcs (aka demanding) without a minute to spare when it came due.

Needless to say, I was very busy. Just when I thought, I might get a minute to actually figure out what was going on with my patients, I get a C-diff patient (who had been having diarrhea every hour on the hour since 0500, per the patient) as my new admission at 10 p.m. So, I had to contend with that all night long as well. When I asked earlier about COVID training at this facility, there was none that had been done...this was all relatively new demographically, and all the nurses knew was that they didn't want the patient.

I toughed it out, but my defining moment was when I was in the COVID patient's room checking the blood sugar, and asked another nurse via the call system to get me the insulin that I needed (I provided the results, the sliding scale, the amount of units needed, and the type of insulin). I asked that it be placed on the counter in the ante room, and knock on the main door and I'd wait until I heard the door close as well as a call-back for confirmation before I stepped out to get the syringe. When that request met with opposition, it was a done deal for me. I reported this patient assignment to my recruiter; she reported it to the Regional Director who is a nurse, and both of them fully supported my decision to cancel the contract, and without penalty since I'd been bringing this type of thing to management's attention since November, to no avail.

This is a serious situation. There were enough nurses on this small med-surg unit for each one of us to have only one of the patients that I had; yet they gave them all to me. The other nurses said that I should not have received that assignment; but they were not volunteering to swap out either one of their patients to even out the assignment, and the nurse in charge would not make any changes. I was determined to keep the COVID patient simply because of the fact that if they were afraid to care for this patient, I believe they would have carelessly infected us all. It is said to keep your friends close, but keep your enemies even closer.

As a traveler and float nurse, we are accustomed to getting the worst of the worst when it comes to assignments. So, not knowing how to care for a COVID patient was not my concern; I know how and am not afraid to protect the integrity of an isolation situation for the sake of the patient, colleagues, and myself. Fortunately, this all happened at a time when PPE was plentiful. Had it not been, I would never have accepted the assignment.

Innocent2021, ADN, BSN · Apr 9, 2020

On 3/25/2020 at 1:33 PM, Tirednurseandmomma14 said:
I am curious to find out if anyone has decided to leave their current job due to the risk of this virus? I work in the Emergency Department and we are now being asked to reuse PPE and to prepare for a surge of COVID 19 patients. This makes me sick to my stomach and concerned for my co workers, other patients along with the risk we bring home to our own families.

You need to follow your intuition. We can't be judging each other for leaving, whether young or old. Everyone must do what they feel. Don't put your family at risk if you are very fearful of this. You should be supported by nursing, no matter what your choice. Blessings

Innocent2021, ADN, BSN · Apr 9, 2020

On 4/7/2020 at 8:00 PM, BSNbeDONE said:
My last shift in acute care was exactly 4 weeks ago tonight. Although there was a COVID patient in the mix of my assignment on a general med-surg unit, it was not the reason I left. I've been a traveler for the past 2 years, and with my last assignment, I've been referred to the supervisor about unfair assignments received. I voiced my concerns to three different supervisors on three of many separate occasions...nothing changed. Even still, I signed an extension with the facility; except with the extension, I took the one-shift-per week option. (I had finally secured my ultimate position 2 miles from my home with bankers hours)?.
Well, with this new contract, I received 5 isolation patients (pre-COVID outbreak) and a hospice patient (who died, bringing life to additional paperwork and phone calls) during the first shift. I voiced my concerns with the agency this time. Noted.
Here's the second shift assignment (a week later), in order of appearance: Pt #1: a very weak GI bleed with diarrhea, receiving plasma, and two units of PRBCs which I had to transfuse, Pt #2: a diabetic COVID patient in need of accuchecks and coverage with each result (this is significant because the pyxis will not allow us to pull insulin without knowing exactly how much insulin is needed and having a witness to draw it up...meaning that someone [me] would need to go into the room and obtain a blood sugar first), this doesn't include PRN meds, antibiotics on no specific schedule, and routine meds; Pt #3: a run-of-the-mill drug-seeking frequent flyer, and Pt #4: an HIV+ post-op with constant rectal bleeding who was also "in need" of his/her narcs (aka demanding) without a minute to spare when it came due.
Needless to say, I was very busy. Just when I thought, I might get a minute to actually figure out what was going on with my patients, I get a C-diff patient (who had been having diarrhea every hour on the hour since 0500, per the patient) as my new admission at 10 p.m. So, I had to contend with that all night long as well. When I asked earlier about COVID training at this facility, there was none that had been done...this was all relatively new demographically, and all the nurses knew was that they didn't want the patient.
I toughed it out, but my defining moment was when I was in the COVID patient's room checking the blood sugar, and asked another nurse via the call system to get me the insulin that I needed (I provided the results, the sliding scale, the amount of units needed, and the type of insulin). I asked that it be placed on the counter in the ante room, and knock on the main door and I'd wait until I heard the door close as well as a call-back for confirmation before I stepped out to get the syringe. When that request met with opposition, it was a done deal for me. I reported this patient assignment to my recruiter; she reported it to the Regional Director who is a nurse, and both of them fully supported my decision to cancel the contract, and without penalty since I'd been bringing this type of thing to management's attention since November, to no avail.
This is a serious situation. There were enough nurses on this small med-surg unit for each one of us to have only one of the patients that I had; yet they gave them all to me. The other nurses said that I should not have received that assignment; but they were not volunteering to swap out either one of their patients to even out the assignment, and the nurse in charge would not make any changes. I was determined to keep the COVID patient simply because of the fact that if they were afraid to care for this patient, I believe they would have carelessly infected us all. It is said to keep your friends close, but keep your enemies even closer.
As a traveler and float nurse, we are accustomed to getting the worst of the worst when it comes to assignments. So, not knowing how to care for a COVID patient was not my concern; I know how and am not afraid to protect the integrity of an isolation situation for the sake of the patient, colleagues, and myself. Fortunately, this all happened at a time when PPE was plentiful. Had it not been, I would never have accepted the assignment.

Innocent2021, ADN, BSN · Apr 9, 2020

You told the story here...you were treated terribly. I hope your assignments will be fair in days to come. Keep everything written down. Memory fades. You should keep a record. In addition, you certainly should complain to the powers that be. I am sorry to say, I am not terribly surprised. People are often disappointing, sometimes surprising in their kindness. Since you know how it feels, I pray you will be the one who surprises others by her kindness.

givemeanurse · Apr 11, 2020

Its a matter of can't and won't for me then I have a BUT

I can't quit my job because of my bills and hey I need my salary to sustain my family. ( We can all agree on that)

and I won't quit my job during corona because I have responsibility for my patients and for my colleagues whose still coming in so that we will not be understaffed. Nurse's blood is always helping and empathizing. I'll still go for my " cause " and my "comrades " .

BUT..

I'm not a hero, I have my limitations. I can't say " Yes " all the time. At the end of the day I have a family I need to protect, if something happens to me or happens to them because of me going "all in" , I can't take it. I need to be a hero for my children. That's my take.

Whatever a nurse stands for, I know, it whats best for them. Respect to whatever decisions we make " quitting ( taking a step back) " or " not quitting".