HELP: quit LTC without 2 wk notice and ED treatened to report me to BON

[hgal]

Hello, all. So I have only been working at this LTC for about 6 days of orientation. Tonight was supposed to be my first night on my own working 3rd shift as the the only RN supervising 3 other LPNs. I have gone up to upper management a number of times about not feeling comfortable about the idea since I'm new to the place and a new nurse myself (only 1 yr exp.) After debating about it for days and with last night being crazy, I thought to myself it's not worth losing my license and sanity (I'm 7 months prego). I didn't get a break last night, didn't sit all night and was still orientating but left with the cart because the RN I was orientating with was busy with other things. I have asked for more orientation. They tried to give me my own patient load after 3 nights of poor orientation because they were short. I gave them my resignation letter today and got a call around 5 from the executive director stating that they would file a complaint against me for not giving them 2 weeks notice and leaving them short handed. I already expressed my concerns with them over and over again about not feeling comfortable being the only RN at night and they don't care. They just need me because they are short and they need a RN at night in the building. Does this ED have any legality with her treats? I just can't believe anyone would stoop that low to say they would report me for "endaring their residents." As you all can imagine I'm all stressed out about this and I've been so stressed out about this horrible place since starting. I don't agree with unsafe nursing practices. The nerve of some people, I can't believe how desperate some people are. I'm very professional and am not proud of quitting so soon after starting a job and without 2 weeks notice, but I have to consider what I feel competent and comfortable doing and what I feel is right for the residents. Any advice would be wonderful. So stressed out about situation.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

OP: I got curious and went to my state's BON website. According to them, resigning without notice is NOT considered patient abandoment--it's an employer issue and not a patient issue. This is, of course, assuming that you are not resigning and walking out in the middle of a shift while you are caring for patients :)

I'll bet other state BONs will tell you the same thing...so any threats they may attempt to hold over you are going to be empty ones.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

They can only report to the BON if you abandon your patient.

They can report you. They just won't prevail. Hopefully.

[RNTM]

I'm surprised the discussion ended. How did it turn out? I appreciated reading it. I just graduated in May, and started a new job. They gave me four days of orientation on a unit with 41 people. It had a potential for 44. During the day there are two nurses on the unit. But, for the pm shift it was to be one. I never would have taken the job if I'd known I'd be responsible for that many people alone. Yes there was another nurse to do insulin but then she went back to her unit of 30 some odd people.

So, I quit before my 5th and last day of orientation. The DON called me and wanted to work something out so I wouldn't be "abandoning" my job. I explained the situation. She said that new people are trained on that unit but usually work on another unit. I know the first day I was scheduled by myself though was a day the lady orienting me was scheduled off. So, the scheduler had every intention of putting me on that unit most likely. Even if they put me on another unit, that would give me NO orientation on whatever unit they were putting me on.

Anyway, I was given the weekend to rethink my decision to quit. I don't feel any differently though, and I have three interviews this week, all that pay more. I was relieved to read that they can't charge me with abandonment, since I did not leave in the middle of a shift. The next shift I was to work I would have been orienting anyway, so that would not have left them short. They had notice for Friday and I was to be off this weekend. I don't plan to call them back. If they call me, I will use what I have learned here. Thank you!

[whatdidigetmyselfin2]

Not 100% sure but I don't think you have to list a job that you left in your probationary period (i.e 90 days) on your employment history. I've been told in the first 3 months of employment, if you quit, it's without penalty and doesn't need to be told to the next employer unless you absolutely felt it was necessary.