I gave two weeks,,,but I dont want to finish

RNnbakes · Nov 22, 2011

Please try to finish your shifts. Nursing is a very small world and no job is ever perfect.

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Nov 23, 2011

I'm sorry to hear that it is overwhelming, but at the same time, I can't help but smh. 38 patients and only one RN? Are they nuts? There should AT LEAST be four or five more, and yet they are sticking a new grad with the work load of about six Registered Nurses? What are they thinking?
Run before you lose your license.

I think the OP said it was long term care. I don't know of any long term care facility with six RNs for 38 residents. Finish out your last few shifts.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2011

Stick it out. Don't burn bridges.

PintheD · Nov 23, 2011

Finish up. I have to concur with so many of the others. Look, I know it's the last thing you want to do but do it for YOU! Work your next four shifts on your terms. That's empowering! Then take the money you make from the shifts in question and BLOW IT on something self indulgent!!

This is a win/win for you - you honor yourself by maintaining your word and you get an awesome goody! Seriously, don't divert that money to anything practical. If you didn't work your last four shifts you would have to do without the cash, right?

I too have left a job in haste and to this day it doesn't sit well with me. Four shifts is the blink of an eye in the context of your career. You may have to face much more difficult situations down the road. Use this experience to define your strength. There is power in knowing what you're made of.

Come on now, do some brainstorming regarding your much deserved reward!

KarriRN · Nov 23, 2011

Well this is what ended up happening. I contacted fellow employees and asked how hey would feel if I just didnt come back. The overall census was that they would completely understand. I also found out that we are over staffed for thanksgiving (which I was scheduled to work) bc the switch to 12s messed up things for people who wanted to work thanksgiving and have xmas off. So there will be 3 extra nurses thanksgiving. I also talked to the other day nurse who works my unit when I'm not there. My unit is not normal. Think geriatric psych. It takes about twice as long to do anything vs the regular skilled floors bc I have to ease them into whatever it is we need to do. Anyway after talking to my coworkers I called the on call manager. I told her that I was overwhelmed and scared of losing my license. I asked (again for the uptenth time) to have a med tech or a fellow nurse help on my med pass, particularly for thanksgiving since we were expecting a lot of family and I knew they would all have questions for me. She told me that maybe one of the other nurses may want to help me but that they were planning on making the extra nurses do paperwork. Then she went on to say more cnas quit and the only med tech for that day would be doing cna work. Plus over half of management would be on vacation. She could not guarantee me any help. I then told her that I would not be returning then to finish my shifts bc I knew I would not be able to provide the care that the residents are entitled too. She said ok I'll let the DON know. Thanks! So thats how that went. The issue of being purposely understaffed has been brought up multiple time in this facility by multiple people. They never deal with it. Nurse turn over is high. Id been there 3 months and I was 3rd in seniority of on the floor nurses. Theyve had 15 cnas quit, 5 nurses quit, and 2 orientees walk out during orientation. I loved the work. I hate the way its run. I understand that every place I work will have problems. But I just couldnt stay in a situation where I felt like my license was on the line every time I walked in the door.

nurseanom · Nov 23, 2011

I am also working out my notice in LTC, and DavidZen is right the atmosphere is horrible the work is overwhelming! I work a rehab wing and many of my patients are more like med/surg with iv meds, wound care and broken bones. I have 28 and 2 CNA's with demanding families who never got out of "hospital mode" and or think for some reason they have one on one care. There is treatments, med passes, people to toilet and change bcs. if both your cna's are busy the families think they shouldn't have to wait. Trays your expected to help pass charting on almost every patient to do...and if that isn't enough on the weekends floor nurses answer the phones and do wound care. I end up working free time bcs we were told no OT and usually with a 30min lunch break cut down to 20. I envy the nurses with 6 patients! My advice to any new nurse..be prepared for a long job search because you do not want to settle for LTC it will only have you leaving exhausted and frustrated everyday you work. If your already there as they hire LPN's more then anyone else, job hunt on your days off and not at another facility..get the heck out of it!

gcupid · Nov 23, 2011

It's an integrity thing. It's not about them, it's about you. Yes, your employers are bums. They're trying to kill you:). How you react to that says everything about you, not them.
I can read your exhaustion in your post. I think you may have already made your decision whether to finish or quit early. I don't know what you can bear and what you can't. I only know if it were me I would hope to have the strengh and character to finish the promise I made when I was hired to do the job.
Good luck.

Integrity can be measured in different ways. If there is an issue of her maintaining professionalism while on the job, I say give them the common courtesy of at least a day, bc its only going to negatively affect the patients and her coworkers.

What if she shows up and just lose it...You can only bite your tongue for so long. Or what if one of the last shifts she works end up placing her before the board of nursing because of the unsafe practices at the institution. For the individuals who have really worked at toxic environments......I think it should show. So whenever anyone looks at the resume of a nurse who use to work at that particular facility doesn't give a two week notice, its understood to be the case with all the nurses who work there and that it can't be counted against the individual's integrity but it should count against the integrity of the facility.

OP, just work the last 4 shifts....if u can do so without going crazy..

DizzyLizzyNurse · Nov 23, 2011

Id been there 3 months and I was 3rd in seniority of on the floor nurses. Theyve had 15 cnas quit, 5 nurses quit, and 2 orientees walk out during orientation.

Whoa. :eek:

onthemark · Nov 23, 2011

All the best to you, KarriRN! It's so unfortunate that your first job experience was such a poor one, but I'm happy for you that you already have a new job lined up. I think we all know what we have to do for ourselves and I applaud you for doing it.

netglow, ASN, RN · Nov 23, 2011

OP,

Now you got to follow up with a fake "nicey-nice" resignation letter, for the record. Then put this behind you, I know you felt such a lift with the deed done.

Have a good Thanksgiving, and try not to go over, and over, and over this in your head. You made a decision and executed that decision. Onward and upward!

:hrnsmlys:

sweetnurse63, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2011

I gave two weeks notice at my job a week ago. I have 4 shifts left. I work in a LTC facility. I'm a new grad and I've been there for 3 months. It is overwhelming. We just switched to 12 hour shifts. I am responsible for 38 pts. I have no med tech and usually 3 cnas. I have 3 med passes to do on my shift. I am in a secure Alzheimers unit. So there are also lots of behaviors to deal with. It is too much. The last 2 shifts Ive had I've cried before walking into work bc I know itll be horrible. I've asked for help from management and the advice is "just breath". Other regular units in the building have the same ratio BUT they get a medtech who passes meds to half their pts. I am suppose to work tomorrow but I feel like I'm having an anxiety attack just thinking about going. I am considering calling and saying I cant finish, that its too overwhelming (which I've said multiple times). I have a new job already. I need advice.....what do I do. I feel scared. I feel like I am put in a position that makes it impossible to give proper patient care. Should I just be done now? Or finish my shifts?

YOU HAVE A NEW JOB!!!!! yes, congrats!!!! :yeah: Don't walk, Runnnnnn away from that job asap.

sweetnurse63, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2011

Well this is what ended up happening. I contacted fellow employees and asked how hey would feel if I just didnt come back. The overall census was that they would completely understand. I also found out that we are over staffed for thanksgiving (which I was scheduled to work) bc the switch to 12s messed up things for people who wanted to work thanksgiving and have xmas off. So there will be 3 extra nurses thanksgiving. I also talked to the other day nurse who works my unit when I'm not there. My unit is not normal. Think geriatric psych. It takes about twice as long to do anything vs the regular skilled floors bc I have to ease them into whatever it is we need to do. Anyway after talking to my coworkers I called the on call manager. I told her that I was overwhelmed and scared of losing my license. I asked (again for the uptenth time) to have a med tech or a fellow nurse help on my med pass, particularly for thanksgiving since we were expecting a lot of family and I knew they would all have questions for me. She told me that maybe one of the other nurses may want to help me but that they were planning on making the extra nurses do paperwork. Then she went on to say more cnas quit and the only med tech for that day would be doing cna work. Plus over half of management would be on vacation. She could not guarantee me any help. I then told her that I would not be returning then to finish my shifts bc I knew I would not be able to provide the care that the residents are entitled too. She said ok I'll let the DON know. Thanks! So thats how that went. The issue of being purposely understaffed has been brought up multiple time in this facility by multiple people. They never deal with it. Nurse turn over is high. Id been there 3 months and I was 3rd in seniority of on the floor nurses. Theyve had 15 cnas quit, 5 nurses quit, and 2 orientees walk out during orientation. I loved the work. I hate the way its run. I understand that every place I work will have problems. But I just couldnt stay in a situation where I felt like my license was on the line every time I walked in the door.

It sounds like this facility needs a new DON who really cares about the staff and the residents.