I want to quit

Specialties Emergency

Published

4months into working in the ER and I want to quit. The ER I work in is so busy. I miss the patient care. I miss talking to people. Our ratios can go up to 7:1. I'm stressed. I'm exhausted and since it's winter time the ER is especially busy. I don't know how long I can keep this up. I'm miserable and I absolutely dread going to work. Im thinking to get at least 6 months in and start applying for new jobs. The only thing keeping me is the benefits and great pay. Is it worth the stress and misery. I used to look forward going to work in my previous job (same day surgery). I'm still a fairly new nurse, 1 year previous experience before my start in the er.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Have you explored the possibility of a transfer to another department in your facility?

I must wait 6 months before the possibility of transfer/:

I am not a veteran but I had share of ERs, and ER is a tough place. You deliberately leave other tasks that are pending to do the most important ones, I mean shoot if you are caring for level 1 or truly sick 2s, forget the other patients, that's why your teamworkers are very important. I honestly think my best gig would have been procedural deptartment (OR, GI lab, etc) if I moved to another department since I enjoyed knocking out patients with mod sedation or propoful the most since they won't complain until they wake up at ICU :) But who knows what's better for ya, in any new environment, you gotta give 1 year, but if it sucks that bad, say good bye. My friend works at float pool for floors and makes usually 80-90k/yr and 6 figs if overtime. You can make money somewhere else, ER was like a pride thing for me, but it sucked enough to move me to insurance.

Lol funny you say that because I was looking at insurance jobs hahahhaha

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Have you explored the possibility of a transfer to another department in your facility?

I muse wait 6 months before the possibility of transfer

I am not a veteran but I had share of ERs, and ER is a tough place. You deliberately leave other tasks that are pending to do the most important ones, I mean shoot if you are caring for level 1 or truly sick 2s, forget the other patients, that's why your teamworkers are very important. I honestly think my best gig would have been procedural deptartment (OR, GI lab, etc) if I moved to another department since I enjoyed knocking out patients with mod sedation or propoful the most since they won't complain until they wake up at ICU :) But who knows what's better for ya, in any new environment, you gotta give 1 year, but if it sucks that bad, say good bye. My friend works at float pool for floors and makes usually 80-90k/yr and 6 figs if overtime. You can make money somewhere else, ER was like a pride thing for me, but it sucked enough to move me to insurance.

Lol funny you say that because I was looking at insurance jobs hahahhaha

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So I have decided to look for new jobs. It is not worth it to me to be this miserable/exhausted all the time. I hate going to work and I can not live this way.

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It sounds like you are gaining some satisfaction and you have resources and support. Every job will have some things you don't like. Don't be hasty; but don't avoid deciding. Decide so you can put your heart and mind at ease. When I have to make a difficult decision, I use the "Ben Franklin Cross. I draw a vertical line down the middle of a page; draw a horizontal line across the top so that there are 2 headings. Make one heading "Likes" and the other "Dislikes." List all the things you like and all the things you dislike--every little detail. Now take an honest look and decide what is your best decision. The weight decides for you--not necessarily by the number of items, but rather by the importance of them God bless, you'll make the right decision.

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

Your ER sounds like it is unsafe and stressful. 7:1 ratio is high and can be unsafe. I'd start applying and getting interviews. I don't think it's the ER you don't like, I think it's the ER that you work in that is making you hate it. I moved to a different ER with better staffing and WOW! what a huge difference. I actually enjoy going to work now.

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Specializes in ER.

7:1 is high for an experienced nurse. You'd be stupid to feel comfortable (blunt but true).

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Thank you sadiem, honestly the only thing keeping me here is the pay. I really like your idea of the ben Franklin cross the only positive I see is the pay honestly. I guess my coworkers at night are also helpful but when the morning shift comes giving report has been a terrible experience to me to some of the on comming nurses. They don't want to take report, and they grill and ask you a lot of questions which makes me seem like I'm being looked down upon instead of a coworker. To me my happiness out ways anything right now.

amzyRN:

I think your right, 7 is a lot for me especially if I have icu pts I tend to neglect my other pts. And yes we are always short staffed. But I deffintaly think your right, if the staffing was better and the ratio was a little less, I wouldn't mind it at all. The other night I actually had 8 pts under my name ):

Canoehead, BSN:

You are deffintaly right. I do not feel comfortable here at all /:

Thank you all for your responses. I am in the process of applying to new jobs. This experience, sadly is making me run away from the hospital. I'm sure other hospitals arnt the same but I just do not want to go through this misery again. I am just so disappointed, for so long I wanted a hospital job and when I finally get it, I hate it. I will keep you updated on my job search while I am still currently working in the ED /:

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Still looking for another job. Feel so overwhelmed at my current job /:

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