I want to quit my job

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Long story short: I have been at my first job (LTC, includes subacute floor) & "like" it most of the time except for when I work the subacute floor. I signed on to float, and work 2-3 nights/week.

I enjoy the LTC side, but when I am sent to subacute, I want to cry. I don't enjoy learning 15 new pts. every time I am there (which was infrequently until recently) & the air makes me feel ill. I developed a migraine while at work the other night and chose to go home.

I struggle when I am there, partially because I am so disinterested.

I know that subacute at my facility is considered "easier", but being there is making me physically ill.

I would love to somehow not work this floor and instead remind the higher ups that I enjoy the LTC side so much I would rather be placed there, but since I am a float, I am not sure that would fly.

But I do know someone who claims she has a bad back and she doesn't work the LTC side at all (she was literally crying about it).

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Try talking to management? Although being in the float pool you really should exercise flexibility.

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That was one of my concerns. I don't want to be the nurse who comes across as not being flexible or unable to adapt to situations. But when I see that another employee is allowed to not work with 60% of our population, it makes me wonder if they would work with me as well.

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

When I worked LTC I hated being floated to the sub-acute unit, and like you I strongly preferred LTC. What I did was try to look at it objectively as a learning experience. The more experienced nurses tended to be placed there, I learned a lot of new medications, I improved and learned new skills and better ways to organize and plan, etc. If it's something you just outright hate though and can't see yourself getting used to, just talk to management. It's not going to make you look good but the worst that can happen is they'll say no.

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Figure out if you can apply to a position that is primarily LTC, but also figure out what is so distasteful about subacute and develop strategies for dealing with it. We all have areas or tasks that we strongly distaste, but we sometimes cannot avoid them. It's hard, but we must work it out.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

If you claim that (literally) the air is making you ill, you should pursue this issue with higher-ups. If there is something wrong with the ventilation system, it needs to be fixed.

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I really do believe there is poor ventilation on that unit. My sister-in-law who is a supervisor elsewhere said that I should have called in so my supervisor could have found a replacement. In my defense, I have worked with a headache in the past, but the poor air quality coupled with all the scented hand lotions and perfumes put me over the edge.

One thing I could mention to the higher ups is that per facility policy, staff is not to be wearing perfumes & scented lotions...for me, they are more likely to trigger migraines than the people who reek of smoke.

I really want to work things out, so I will try to keep my chin up and work this out.

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I signed up to respond to this message. I'm here to tell you to quit your job. being an RN in a job that you don't like can lead to burnout

So what if other hospitals won't take you? I'm an RN in the state of pennsylvania and I regret every minute i continued to work at the facility I worked at. (it was a hospital too)

There is no amount of pay, no job valuable enough, and nothing worth it.

Lemme be blunt: if you stay there you will burn out eventually. You're going to wake up some day and realize those jaded nurses you dispised so much are you!

Seriously, these people are looking from a perspective of jobs in nursing, but who gives a carp?

If i could take it back, I would. I would take back every moment i wasted in nursing school!

every stressed out moment, every stupid thing that those philly schools teach you (yes i went to a school in philly) is a lie to make money off of you!

Hospitals are there to make money, and so is *EVERY OTHER HOSPITAL*. Don't kid yourself, your managers (no matter where you are) only care about the dollar sign. If they are non profit, they only care about the medicare dollars, if they are for profit, they only care about the customers dollars. (yes customer, they are't patients any more who need your care! They are your customer, and if they want dilauded, well they get it! even if they are strung out heroin addicts).

So quit your job, don't look back and enjoy that job at wegmans, because it's the best darned job you will ever have!

You know what I use my +100k+ degree for? A pick up line. "Hey baby, I'm a nurse".

That's what your education is good for.

Don't stay somewhere because the money is better than elsewhere, your mental health is worth more than anything else. PLUS soon(if not already) will have a compassionate care act and you can bet your sweet bipper that there will be tons of jobs in that market. And they pay well, just ask me, I'm moving to colorado and getting an offer for full benefits with 20 (yeah that,s right 20) days off a year PLUS all holidays and weekends off. I get to choose my hours (as long as I work 40 a week). I have spent a month testing out the position, and some days I sing to the plants. Nothing is wrong with that either.

What I'm trying to say is that there are so many more nursing jobs than just floor nursing. Even an ASN/ADN nurse can find some awesome jobs if you are willing to move to where the jobs are, and you are willing to take some risks. Some times you gotta be drastic and just do what you feel is right. Staying somewhere for the experience might land you in the psych ward. If you like LTC then stay there! Ask your manager to stay there! IF they don't listen, make them listen!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

OP, state that you enjoy the LTC side, and when there is an ooening, you would like it.

I would look into seeing someone aboit your migraines as well.

Best wishes.

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Lady Free, I do enjoy my job very much, just as long as I am not on that one unit. I can't stress enough how much I LOVE working with the elderly, and I know that if it shows. It would not work for me financially to work there PT or FT because the pay is the lowest I have seen in LTC in my area.

The night shift crew for the most part is excellent. We all help each other to have a good night when we are there.

The migraines are usually triggered by stress, poorly-ventilated areas and strong perfumes (I can't even walk through a dept. store without feeling ill when I pass cosmetics).

But yes, I definitely would like to look into what triggers these (other than what I have mentioned) and how I can reduce the likelihood of developing one on the job.

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Dontlookback, the beauty of nursing is that if one area doesn't suit my fancy, I could always try something else.

I am just trying to find the best way to work through this problem without thinking "I want to quit." I have been in the working world long enough to know that obstacles will be encountered at any job, that quitting isn't always the answer.

I enjoy nursing. I want to help people. I thought long and hard about entering this field and I believe nursing is a good fit for me.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Lady Free, I do enjoy my job very much, just as long as I am not on that one unit. I can't stress enough how much I LOVE working with the elderly, and I know that if it shows. It would not work for me financially to work there PT or FT because the pay is the lowest I have seen in LTC in my area.

The night shift crew for the most part is excellent. We all help each other to have a good night when we are there.

The migraines are usually triggered by stress, poorly-ventilated areas and strong perfumes (I can't even walk through a dept. store without feeling ill when I pass cosmetics).

But yes, I definitely would like to look into what triggers these (other than what I have mentioned) and how I can reduce the likelihood of developing one on the job.

I meant take a position for LTC....my tablet went to auto correct.

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