Help! Need advise! I just resigned!

BabyLady, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2011

HI everyone! I need everyone's advise and/or opinion.
I just gave in my 2 weeks notice, I am in my last week and decided to just call out on my last few days. The reason being is that some of the nurses on the floor are not even speaking to me anymore and I am hearing so many things behind my back. Many negative things. I thought I was leaving in a positive note. When they asked why I was leaving I just say as much I love the unit(which is not the truth and really Major cause to my leaving), I just couldn't pass up this opportunity being offered to work in a Step down ICU. I worked in a Med-Surge fl this was my first nursing job after grad., I am forever thankful to what I've gained during my time there but honestly I was miserable from the start not only their orientation to new grads was not good but the management was really horrible and the staff not very receptive to new grads, there's no team work everyone is pretty much doing their own thing. I cried almost eveyday in my first 3 weeks there. So when this offer came up and met the nurse manager who I seriously feel very sincere when she told me how supportive the staff in her floor are and team work is a big thing in her unit that is why there is unity. Also she was explaining to me how she was willing to help me reach my potential as a nurse as long as I work hard so it was hard not to take it.
Now my question is should I still talk to my ex Nurse Manager and explain to her why I couldn't finish my last week was because of the many negative things I was hearing from some of the nurses about me and how they are pretty much just ignoring me on the floor?
Thank you all!

Life is hard and sometimes we have to do things that are extremely unpleasant and uncomfortable. You will run into many bumps in your career. Newer nurses, regardless of age, still get their fair share of hostility from senior staff members...it should not be like that, it doesn't make it right, but one look on this message board and you will see that it does not change no matter where you work.

My advice, is to work that last week. Putting in your two weeks notice means very little if you call out your last week...there is no "calling out" to it...they will write you down that you quit without notice (which is the truth, because the purpose of giving a notice is to work the notice) and can possibly land you on the "do not rehire" list.

I see this all the time on the board...I have a friend that was placed on the "do not rehire" list of a hospital because she called out her last day...she found out a few years later when she tried to re-apply with the same hospital.

Work out your notice...one week isn't going to kill you and I can assure you that won't be the worst event you will encounter in your career.

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2011

If you have been miserable the whole time a couple more days won't kill you and i doubt anything will be gained by talking to the Nm about how your being treated. btw looking at your previous post you have only been there about 3 months.........leaving after that amount of time is never leaving on a 'positive note', regardless of the quality they invested a lot of time and money on you that was pretty much not recovered at all. doesn't mean your wrong to leave ...... good luck in your next endeavor.

kakamegamama · Mar 3, 2011

OP---if I read your post correctly, you are currently in your last week of the 2 week notice time and called in/are calling in every day, or you called in at the beginning of the second week & said you won't be in? If that's the case, you can't do what the first responder recommended (which is a wise choice, imo). However, if you have any days left of your week that you CAN go in, do so. And, I would be honest w/the HR folks, after talking to the unit manager, about the hostility you have encountered. I would tell her in person, and write up a note as well (a paper trail is a helpful thing). A hostile work place, brought about by hostility of fellow employees or anyone else in the workplace, is illegal. You can't "fix" the situation, but you do need to go on record. So sorry you are going through this. It is indeed hard. Sounds though, that you have a positive nursing experience coming up, and I would focus on that & enjoy the fact that your new nurse manager and fellow staff will encourage and support you.

SammiJoRNBSN · Mar 3, 2011

I can't speak from personal experience, but that sounds just terrible! Personally, I would alert the manager to all of the negative attitudes that caused 1) you to not finish the last week of work and 2) to take a new position. But then again, I do recall reading that the management was not up to par...and perhaps this issue is something that maybe HR needs to be aware of? Of course there is always the "default to the chain of command" in most companies. I would review your policies to see what you've got here because there are policies to protect employees from harassment, etc.

Long story short, if they are unwilling to properly train their staff and communicate between each other (including stopping gossip and rumors, etc.)...what type of care are their patients getting?!?!!?!? Not only that, but the negative language they use to reference you can be quite damaging not only to your self-esteem but also what others perceive as your character. If you do decide to pursue any action, make sure that you make it a point that expectations were not met and that with such negative communication issues that you feel that perhaps the patients may not be receiving the best care possible because communication is KEY! You need to add in your personal feelings too...but it always strikes a nerve when there is any suspicion that patients may not be receiving adequate care because there is a lack of communication and "team work" (two major components in working with the patients).

Take this as you may...it's just my two cents and by no means am I the best advice giver....this is just some steps that I personally might have taken in a situation such as this. You have a right to protect your character just as much as everyone else and perhaps no one else has been strong enough to try to put a stop to it! The above mentioned scenario just sounds juvenile and high school on the part of your co-workers....we are PROFESSIONALS and should be acting as such!!!!

j621d · Mar 3, 2011

Don't burn your bridges, you never know when it will come back at you. Yes, it may be tough those last few days, but the bright side is that you are going ino a better situation. Maybe your coworkers are wishing it were they that were leaving, only they didn't have enough gumption to go and look for something better.

Hold your head high, and do the right thing: finish your time as YOU PROMISED (the two week notice).

netglow, ASN, RN · Mar 3, 2011

OP, I would just work the last few days. You will find that it IS actually easier just to do that.

I totally disagree with the talk of "money spent on you - lost" BS. What money, what time? Every job a person can get anywhere requires some orientation. I would bet that what you got = nothing in monetary value. I think that everybody has to just lose this mentality. Once you start talking about serious orientation that lasts at least 6 months of intensive classes and mentoring on the floor then we can talk about monetary value. But continuing what amounts to a clinical day in school is not worth crap to me or anybody else.

NrsKyssez · Mar 3, 2011

If you have been miserable the whole time a couple more days won't kill you and i doubt anything will be gained by talking to the Nm about how your being treated. btw looking at your previous post you have only been there about 3 months.........leaving after that amount of time is never leaving on a 'positive note', regardless of the quality they invested a lot of time and money on you that was pretty much not recovered at all. doesn't mean your wrong to leave ...... good luck in your next endeavor.

To Evolvingrn

No I am in my 6 months there, I really planned on sucking it out for a year there but a person can only take so much. And if you given an opportunity to be in a better work environment wouldn't you take it?

I have voiced out to the NM how I feel from the very beginning but nothing was ever done. And the same complaint the seasoned nurses on the floor complain how poor management is there. Nurses there complain of getting abused but nothing ever gets done. I've feel sick to my to my stomach knowing I have to be there and at the same time worry how it might affect the care I give my pt. in my physical and emotional state which is something I did not want to happen compromise patient care.

Thank you for ur opinion

NrsKyssez · Mar 3, 2011

OP, I would just work the last few days. You will find that it IS actually easier just to do that.
I totally disagree with the talk of "money spent on you - lost" BS. What money, what time? Every job a person can get anywhere requires some orientation. I would bet that what you got = nothing in monetary value. I think that everybody has to just lose this mentality. Once you start talking about serious orientation that lasts at least 6 months of intensive classes and mentoring on the floor then we can talk about monetary value. But continuing what amounts to a clinical day in school is not worth crap to me or anybody else.

Thank you for seeing that. I only got 4 weeks orientation. I tried to extend it, talked to the Manager but she just won't listen and basically threw me on the floor. Everytime I asked question or asked for help I get an eye roll or them saying I have to wait. I was always scared coming to work for my patients safety. I did hang on for 6 months.

thank you Oneclearday

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2011

4 weeks is not a very long orientation at all. but i read a post from you in nov of 2010 saying you were 2 weeks into orientation. sorry that was not a great fit for you , hope the next one is better.

NrsKyssez · Mar 3, 2011

4 weeks is not a very long orientation at all. but i read a post from you in nov of 2010 saying you were 2 weeks into orientation. sorry that was not a great fit for you , hope the next one is better.

No I started there Oct 2010. That was a typo I meant to say 3 week on that post. Thank you I am hoping also

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Mar 3, 2011

Wow - as an ancient nurse, I feel obligated to raise issues that the OP may not have thought of.

First of all, there is a very good possiblity that you will not be paid for those "sick days" taken after you turned in your notice. This is the policy with many organizations. Read the fine print in the policy.. don't be taken by surprise if this is the case. Second, this behavior will undoubtedly result in a "not eligible for rehire" on the OP's employment record. This is not a good thing & it will remain pertinent to future employers for at least 10 years.

Lastly, this behavior will certainly justify the attitudes of all those mean nurses who don't like working with new grads, won't it? It may have lasting effects on the chances of any other new grads being hired in the future.

I realize that there are times when we all "gotta do what we gotta do" for health and sanity, but there are times in life when we realy need to examine the impact of those decisions on those around us.