How Often is Too Often...

[westieluv]

to change jobs? I'll give you some background: I have been an RN for 21 years. I have 10+ years of experience working as a Med/Surg float nurse in a hospital, but I left that in 2004 to stay home full-time with our kids. I returned to work in 2010 and worked for a local hospice company. I loved the job, but unfortunately, due to the fact that there were five nurses in our department, I could only get hours every other weekend, which wasn't enough. I stayed there for almost a year and then left for a job in LTC. I have been there for almost six months and gave my notice recently for what I consider to be very good reasons: I have developed painful problems with my feet and legs due to having to walk/stand for 8+ hours straight without a break and I need to find a contingent position due to needing a more flexible schedule because of some unforeseen issues with my elderly parents that developed after I started the LTC job. Also, I really loved both hospital and hospice nursing and would like to get back into one of those two fields.

Anyway, as I apply for positions, I am always worried that it looks bad that I only stayed at these two jobs for a matter of months and not years, even though I had, what I felt to be, good reasons for leaving.

What do you think? If I cited the above reasons (except for the foot and leg pain, because this only presents when I am doing that job, I have never had it with any other nursing job, and it resolves if I have several days off in a row) on an application, would you consider them to be legitimate reasons for leaving after a fairly short amount of time? A lack of hours, needing to find a contigent position, and wanting to get back into hospice or hospital nursing sound like reasonable reasons for leaving to me. Would you hire someone with this recent work history? Are people who stayed at a job for years considered better employment options than someone like me who hasn't quite found my niche? Would it matter on an application now that I stayed at my hospital job for several years, or has too much time passed?

[caliotter3]

It sounds from your post that you are worrying too much. Just come up with an answer to have in the back of your mind should the question come up in an interview. I got asked in a job interview one time if I was a job hopper. I was surprised, but managed to answer that my jobs were either short term jobs to begin with or I had to leave because I was in nursing school while I was working. It sounds as if your reasons are clear in your mind, so you should have no problem discussing this in an interview.

[MollNick]

Or you could consider working local agency and get to know the unit, manager, staff for the units you will be assigned to.

[juschillin, MSN, RN, NP]

I too have had this issue to contend with. My elderly parents have totally consumed me for the past almost 2 years. I have read numerous times when looking for this info online that it is recommended to be ready to answer for any lapses in employment, and to be honest about it (as much as possible!). The reasons you stated are legit, you're human, it happens. So yeah, don't sweat it too much. ... easier said than done, I know. I tell you what, our aging selves trying to care for our aging parents (and raising our own family)--all while maintaining continuous employment doesn't mix well and it's going to become almost the norm pretty soon. So future employers shouldn't frown on it too much. But then again it's a tough job market and it's all competition...