I feel like a fool

[handyrn]

I am quitting my LTC job today. I have another offer on the table, but even if I didn't, I would still be quitting. I have worked there only a few months, and very part time and I was never orientated/oriented. I was never shown a P&P book either. The place I work is SO unsafe, many deficiencies, and low rating (1 out of 5). I am not a floor nurse, but recently was asked to be a floor nurse to fill in some shifts, no orientation. So I did it. It was a nightmare! I have 20+ years of experience and have worked for temp agencies so it should not have been so hard, but it was! Anyway, after working one very bad shift on the floor and letting the DON know it didn't go well, I was asked if I could work the floor on a day I was scheduled to be there anyway. I was told that if I didn't do it, the other nurse would have to take the whole load herself! I'm sure they knew that if I was there and she was the only nurse, I would end up helping anyway. So I decided to go ahead and take the shift. Afterwards, my husband said no more! I came home crying after working the floor because I was so stressed and upset by what I saw. (And I was lied to, being told what my shift would be, only to get there and find out I had to be there a few hours more. Not because of being behind, but because they scheduled me that way after I expressly discussed with them what hours I would/could work.)

Anyway, now I find out that on my days to work they are short a nurse. There is no one else to fill in. Since the shifts that they are short a nurse falls on my rotation, I am pretty sure they are figuring I will have to do the floor duties. There has been no talk of orientation. (Obviously, there is no nurse available to orientate me since they are just throwing me out there while in a bind.) I am SO not comfortable giving the meds as I can't find a lot of them, there is a lot of borrowing going on, the narc counts are rarely done and when they are, they are off. I just don't want to touch that med cart with a ten foot pole!

So I have decided to quit effective immediately before being put in the situation of having to do floor nurse duties again without training. And I am so nervous about doing so. It just gives me the shakes and has me in an anxiety attack. However, the thought of going in on my next shift not only does that but also makes me sick to my stomach to the point of vomitting. So the lesser of two evils is to quit.

I am also afraid of lawsuits and protecting my license (there are multiple abuse complaints against this facility), and I worry about staying there and being "connected" to the facility and how that will look to future employers.

So I guess the purpose for this thread is so SOMEONE will say that it is ok that I am quitting even without a 2 week notice. Of course, after this thread, if anyone there looks at it, there are probably enough identifiers that they would know who I am and fire me anyway. And if they did, they wouldn't give me notice would they? So why should I feel guilty?

[handyrn]

It is done. It was a written resignation and no one said a thing. I never talked to anyone just submitted the resignation. But so far no phone calls from them. I really don't think they care. I guess that's good. I had enough guilt without them calling to ask a million questions or beg me to stay.

And to the poster who said I was probably her supervisor, no, there was only one other RN (besides the DON) that worked there and she doesn't work my shift/rotation.

Thanks all for the support. I am feeling huge relief!

[No Stars In My Eyes]

Yay! Hurray! Hurrah! Way-to-go! I'm proud of you! And I, for some reason, feel exceptionally relieved!:heartbeat:yeah:

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

Hey handyrn. I worked ONE SHIFT at a LTC - and quit. I too said I could only do certain shifts @ the interview, explained I was studying, etc. Anyway, after I started they told me I had to do the 3 shifts, then were giving out Insulin & other meds WITHOUT CHECKING IT!, one patient had a big infected sinus wound no-one had done anything about & they'd had ++ arguments with Drs trying to get them in to review this patient - I thought, this is just BS. So I just sent an email outlining why I wasn't coming back. The nurse manager didn't even have the decency to answer me! After I left, I heard they had a high attrition rate, plus the patient care was slack. Also I would have had to do meds for 40 residents, as many med comp carers/ENs don't turn up on Friday nights/Saturdays. I said plainly why am I not doing that again.

Just send an email or ring & say I'm not coming back. You don't have to give a reason/s, just say it's personal and that's it. You don't actually have to say anything at all. I know it's anxiety provoking, but you're doing the right thing standing up 4 ur license - I protect mine like it's gold. Bugger them - just have a stiff drink b4 you call them! I've done that in the past! And don't get into any arguments with them, but be polite and professional - cos they WILL try to provoke you into an argument. Keep on topic and just say your'e leaving for personal reasons, then ask re your last pay/holiday pay.

Don't feel guilty for one second. Believe me, when you walk out the door, they will have 4gotten about you 5 minutes later - there is NO loyalty anywhere, and I'm not loyal to anyone but myself now. And so should you be.