How many chances do you give a job before you quit?

In a post I mentioned my three strikes countdown. I give a job three chances and after the third I am usually gone. It not for petty things, but  huge things. For example, a first strike at a nursing home years back was when I worked night shift on a unit with and with one nurse, the unit had more that 15 patients for sure.  The second was when the one person who made the food did not show up. So the DON had to make sandwiches. I think the third was when my wallet was stolen from my purse (maybe that was the second)? Anyway, what is your limit?

[CalicoKitty, BSN, RN]

I think I was unhappy at my first job for a while. I found a per-diem position elsewhere and realized how toxic my first place was. One night at my old job, the other nurses pretty much ganged up on me. Since I started my other job, that was it. I still miss the old job and patients, but not the toxic work environment.

Per-diem job I quit because management decided to make drastic changes to scheduling and pay. I found another job, and quit that one. I was sad to quit because my coworkers were pretty good to work with, but I felt "betrayed" by "the company". Still kinda heartbreaking. But, I love my new job. 😄

[klone, MSN, RN]

When I start thinking about calling in sick and I'm not really sick. When my drive to work is filled with dread. When I have fantasies about crouching under my desk and pretending I'm not in my office. That's when I know that it's time to start looking for different employment.

At my last director-level job, it was when I threw my cellphone across the bedroom and had a ugly crying temper tantrum after I was called to come to the hospital by the house supervisor for the 4th Sunday in a row. I gave 2 months' notice the following week.

[SmilingBluEyes]

You don't need 3 strikes. I would look elsewhere now. Mine would have been the theft of my wallet.  If there is a thief going unchecked, it's time to check out.

[JBMmom, MSN]

I don't have a specific number. When the bad days at a job outnumber the good and I find myself checking out the want ads more often, I'm just working up to finding something to move on to. 

[Davey Do]

4 hours ago, DesiDani said:

 Anyway, what is your limit?

After17 years at Wrongway Regional Medical Center, and being terminated about a year ago, I applied for and got a position at Corrigible Nursing Home. I was seriously considering retirement, but thought I'd work part time.

The first shift, I counted seven red flags and told myself, "I am not going to have to fight and struggle all over again in order to merely do my job".

This cartoon depicts me dealing with the first few red flags, but when the number got to seven, I was out of there.

 

 

I worked with really great people who are gone after the first offense. It's sad because you hate to see them go. It is probably why they are so good, cause they don't tolerate BS. They are the people that will tell you "that you should really find another place to work".

Then there are those who let stuff pile on so much that it mentally breaks them down to a point they have to quit due to correlating health reasons.

11 minutes ago, Davey Do said:

The first shift, I counted seven red flags

Seven red flags on the first night. That is toxic!

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

It's not about strikes, but as klone mentioned, when you are filled with a sense of dread arriving to work on a mostly daily basis, it's time to plan a departure 

Doesn't the sense of dread mean you should of left a while back? Unless you can't leave for some reason. Which is sad.

[Davey Do]

1 hour ago, DesiDani said:

I worked with really great people who are gone after the first offense

Or the ones who will put up with offenses for years and then the proverbial straw will break the camel's back.

Case in point, one employee at Wrongway, Jenn, in the 17 years I worked there, started out as a unit secretary, got her LPN, then RN, and even acted as an interim supervisor on geriatric psych for a few months. Jenn was a pretty good nurse, worked extra shifts when she could, and tolerated a lot of administration's BS.

Then one day, Jen was pulled from her home unit to be replaced by a nurse with very little seniority. Jenn contested the scheduling arrangement, administration wouldn't even consider her request,  so she said, "I'm out of here!"

On the spot, Jenn turned in her badge and keys and clocked out.

 

On a rare occasion you bump into the one who left after the first offense. They will give a pity "You still work there?!?!?"

Yeah, I may have a three strike rule, but I would not ask why a person stays or strays. Might think it in my head, but I'm not going to make them feel dumb for not leaving. Some people have different tolerance levels.

[Emergent, RN]

Theft of a wallet could happen anywhere if you don't lock it up. If they didn't give you a locker, that's another matter. If the DON isn't above making sandwiches,  that's actually a plus. Poor staffing on a consistent basis and I'm out the door 

On 3/11/2021 at 9:33 AM, Davey Do said:

After17 years at Wrongway Regional Medical Center, and being terminated about a year ago, I applied for and got a position at Corrigible Nursing Home. I was seriously considering retirement, but thought I'd work part time.

The first shift, I counted seven red flags and told myself, "I am not going to have to fight and struggle all over again in order to merely do my job".

This cartoon depicts me dealing with the first few red flags, but when the number got to seven, I was out of there.

I'm interested in knowing what the red flags were....

54 minutes ago, Emergent said:

Theft of a wallet could happen anywhere if you don't lock it up. If they didn't give you a locker, that's another matter. If the DON isn't above making sandwiches,  that's actually a plus. Poor staffing on a consistent basis and I'm out the door 

Locker, not sure that was yrs ago. Sandwiches, that too was a lack of poor staffing. Why is a nursing home depending on one person? Obviously they didn't even have an assistant cook. Some seniors can't eat a sandwich.

[Davey Do]

39 minutes ago, Nunya said:

I'm interested in knowing what the red flags were....

Thank you for asking, Nunya. I'll do my best to recall...

 Starting date set, then I was requested to start one week earlier.

 No code was given in order for me to enter the building.

PPE was no provided and that which was cheap and insufficient. It's a good thing I brought my own mask and nitrile gloves because the cheap vinyl gloves tore when I attempted to put them on.

Name badge not provided as promised.

Shift RN not informed of her need to orient me.

Less staff scheduled than promised.

Some staff did not wear masks.

Was scheduled as sole RN after only two shifts. When hired, I was told that I would not be the sole RN until I felt comfortable in doing so.

I attempted to contact the administrator about my concerns and after several attempts over several hours on a weekend, could get only a busy signal.

There were other concerns that I had, like patients' status and care procedures, the way in which meds were dropped off at the facility, and a broken fax machine, that I fixed.

I had fulfilled my duties in getting the facility a copy of my RN license, birth certificate, BLS & CPI card, etc. in a timely manner. In other words, I had fulfilled my end of the verbal contract and they did not, so I cited a breach of contract as my reason for not returning to work thereafter.

I worked an entire eight hour shift, yet had to telephone the facility after a month to remind them to pay me.

3 minutes ago, Davey Do said:

Was scheduled as sole RN after only two shifts. When hired, I was told that I would not be the sole RN until I felt comfortable in doing so.

One of my three strikes. The RN I had was elderly and had health issue. Poor thing, obviously I didn't ask her to help with patient care.

[Davey Do]

8 hours ago, Davey Do said:

 I applied for and got a position at Corrigible Nursing Home