If you apply and accept a job, don't bail out for no good reason

[Emergent]

I'm of the opinion that, we should do our due diligence before we accept a job. We need to find out specifics such as ratios, hours, etc. Then we make the commitment to work there. Unless you've been lied to, I think you should stay for more than 6 weeks.

It's a common theme here, often a new grad who settles for the job they can get, who then wants to jump ship right away! I've seen different versions of this many times. I've heard various rationale, I hate nightshift , I'm not challenged on med-surg, I have too many patients in LTC, my coworkers are rude bullies, etc.

There are some extreme situations of course, but generally speaking I think it's unprofessional to bail out of a job so soon.

[elijahvegas, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

I'm of the opinion that, we should do our due diligence before we accept a job. We need to find out specifics such as ratios, hours, etc. Then we make the commitment to work there. Unless you've been lied to, I think you should stay for more than 6 weeks.

It's a common theme here, often a new grad who settles for the job they can get, who then wants to jump ship right away! I've seen different versions of this many times. I've heard various rationale, I hate nightshift , I'm not challenged on med-surg, I have too many patients in LTC, my coworkers are rude bullies, etc.

There are some extreme situations of course, but generally speaking I think it's unprofessional to bail out of a job so soon.

while i agree with the overall statement, where you lose me is where you mention

"I hate nightshift , I'm not challenged on med-surg, I have too many patients in LTC, my coworkers are rude bullies, etc." as i find all of these pretty valid reasons to want to leave a job.

i hate nightshift -- while nightshift mayve initially seemed like a good idea at the time, if its not working out for you, why damage your health and overall wellbeing and peace of mind for what i would consider no good reason either

im not challenged on m/s-- if youre working in an environment that you dont feel challenged or an overall will or drive to do well, your performance slips, plain and simple. showing up to work becomes a drag and almost soul-crushing when you have no interest in what you're doing. again, why subject yourself to that?

i have too many pts on LTC-- if you cant handle your workload, you become unsafe, and pts suffer. 'nuff said

my coworkers are rude bullies-- we spend 12 hrs a day (ideally) with these people. if you factor in the fact that youre probably asleep for 8 hrs a day, you have 4 hrs of alone time you probably use to decompress after a shift. if you're anything like me, working a stretch of 3 or 4, you're only ever asleep, eating, driving to work and actually at work. so to have to spend so much of your awake/conscious time around pts that run you ragged, and then to be kicked around by your coworkers as well again makes very little sense to me.

no job is perfect, and we all value and dislike many aspects of where we work and what we do. but theres only so much we should be expected to sacrifice in ourselves.

[AJJKRN]

I agree with the OP on the grounds that new grads are treating my organization (that has its ups and downs but is a damn good place to work) as a "stepping stone" for orientation before they "move-on" to the big city or travel nursing...

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

I think if you take a job, comit to it for a minimum of six months and preferably a year. It looks dodgy as hell IMO with a whole bunch of short term jobs on your CV unless you are travel nursing

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

It seems that when anyone relates the slightest unpleasant work incident on AN, the OP is met with an immediate chorus of "quit your job" posts. Rarely is anyone encouraged to work out a solution.

Not saying people should just tolerate abuse, but job hopping over the smallest slights seems to be a common reaction these days.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

In my experience any new job is an "uncomfortable fit" for at least the 1st 3 months until you are accepted,

establish relationships, get to know the culture, learn where things are, phone numbers, who is cool and who

to avoid etc. If you bail too early then you never get past the uncomfortable newby feeling.

That said, if it is a truly sucky job and you know for sure it is not going to work, then it is smart to bail.

However, it is always easier to get a new job while you still have a job so keep that in mind and try not to

burn bridges. I have lied about my reasons for leaving in the past to always keep the door open and the

references positive.

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

Employment at will. The employer or the employee can terminate employment at any time, for any reason, or no reason at all.

I truly believe that a person's loyalty/responsibility should be to themselves and their families FIRST. I also really don't want an employee who is not fully engaged in their job. I would rather they leave and make room for someone who is.

^^ This.

Most of today's organizations in the US have absolutely no loyalty or care for their employees. Pensions are stripped, health care cost for employees are up, and they find every way possible to boost their bottom lines including cutting into employee benefits. We should always put ourselves first.

If employees are not staying, perhaps you should ask "what can I do better to retain talents" rather than blaming people who want to look out for themselves.

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

I think the problem is that the job market has changed and employers have not adjusted to that change yet.

Nurses are in very high demand where I live. Nurses can pick where they want to work. But employers are still operating as though every job offer is a gift from God, and anyone who gets one should take it.

Prospective employees should be given an opportunity to shadow, time to make a decision and an opportunity to review the details of the employee contract before an offer is accepted. None of the job offers I have gotten since I graduated have provided all of these.

Employees are left to take jobs blindly. It's not surprising that they are often left in positions that are not a good fit.

[chacha82, ADN, BSN]

"I'm not challenged on Med Surg" = I'm not doing half of what I should be doing, either I have no idea to or I don't care to.

[Wuzzie]

It seems that when anyone relates the slightest unpleasant work incident on AN, the OP is met with an immediate chorus of "quit your job" posts. Rarely is anyone encouraged to work out a solution.

Not saying people should just tolerate abuse, but job hopping over the smallest slights seems to be a common reaction these days.

I'm beginning to wonder if what we are seeing is a result of the prevalent parenting style and "everybody gets a trophy" mindset. It seems that kids these days are moving into adulthood without any built in resilience. I'm not saying it's true of all of them but I'm seeing it more and more on this site as well as in my day to day life.

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

"I'm not challenged on Med Surg" = I'm not doing half of what I should be doing, either I have no idea to or I don't care to.

Honestly I never ever thought I would end up in long term care, because it wouldnt be challenging.

Now that I've worked in long term care for the last four years, I have come to see that any job has much to teach and challenge us we just need to be prepared to learn.

[TriciaJ, RN]

I'm beginning to wonder if what we are seeing is a result of the prevalent parenting style and "everybody gets a trophy" mindset. It seems that kids these days are moving into adulthood without any built in resilience. I'm not saying it's true of all of them but I'm seeing it more and more on this site as well as in my day to day life.

I also suspect nursing schools aren't helping. There seems to be a huge disconnect between the nursing school experience and the real world. My experiences as a preceptor have often left me shaking my head.

Anyone who'll quit a nursing job because they "aren't challenged" are lying to themselves and everyone else. I'll bet whoever follows them on the next shift is plenty challenged picking up their dropped balls and cleaning up after them.

[Libby1987]

^^ This.

Most of today's organizations in the US have absolutely no loyalty or care for their employees. Pensions are stripped, health care cost for employees are up, and they find every way possible to boost their bottom lines including cutting into employee benefits. We should always put ourselves first.

If employees are not staying, perhaps you should ask "what can I do better to retain talents" rather than blaming people who want to look out for themselves.

This and other posts stating that employers don't care.. I clearly work for a helluva organization and appreciate them more everyday because they are nothing like described above. No doubt some employees believe the organization has no loyalty but if they were on the other side of the curtain they'd be blown away at the efforts made to be a good and fair employer. Or maybe they'd dismiss those efforts.. perspective.

I do agree that many applicants don't do their due diligence. "I want to learn this field, I haven't done any real homework so can't speak to it at all but it sounds interesting and I'm a fast learner." Licensed *professional* applicants. Literally have to protect them, and our resources, from themselves.