I'm ready to resign!

Published

Hi all,

As many others on this thread, I too am ready to leave my job. Some background: I got a job as an RN on a med-surg unit, day shift. Orientation was to include classes. The classes never came, and in fact, I was told AFTER I started that there wouldn't be any classes until "sometime in 2008." Yet at the interview I was told I'd have classes. If I knew there wouldn't be any, I never would've accepted the job.

Second, orientation was 5 weeks. At my interview I asked if I could get more time on orientation if I or my preceptor felt I needed more time. I was told that that would be evaluated and a decision would be made based on my progress. Well, I repeatedly told my preceptor and mgr that I felt I needed more time on orientation. You know what they gave me? TWO extra days. Wow. I even told my preceptor that I was looking for RN refresher courses, but unfortunately those don't start until 2008.

I was given an orientation "checklist" of things I was supposed to complete during orientation (many were not), and in many of the columns I wrote "R" for "review needed," and my preceptor has only reviewed the first page of the checklist with me.

I was on my own on Monday and Tuesday, and both days were a mess. I never went to the bathroom, and didn't take any breaks or lunch. I did manage to drink a cup of water each day. Even without taking breaks though, I still didn't finish on time and didn't get out until 4 and 4:30pm.

While still on orientation, I told my preceptor how disappointed I was that there weren't any classes, and she said, "Well if you ever need help you can always ask us." Well, I did ask for help on Monday and Tuesday, but everyone was too busy. I almost broke down crying on Tuesday but managed to avoid that, thank God.

I feel like a chicken with my head cut off when I'm on the floor. It's not just all the patient care (5:1 ratio), but dealing with all the doctors, case managers, social workers, etc constantly in my face and calls from the pharmacy and lab is overwhelming. I don't think it's safe for the pts, and certainly not worth it to me to lose my license over this job, especially since they are going to close the hospital in 2009.

My saving grace is that I'm in the process of getting all my paperwork and tests done for a per diem job at the County hospital, in an outpatient clinic. I was given a start date of December 17th, but I really don't want to wait until 2 weeks before that to turn in my resignation to the hospital. I'm sick to my stomach going in to work, I'm unable to take any breaks because I'm always behind, and I can't sleep more than 5 hours a night.

I was supposed to work today, but I called in sick. I don't have to go back in until Friday, and I'm planning to ask my preceptor (who's also in charge of scheduling), if there are any positions open on night shift, or if anyone is on leave of absence to see if I can work in their place (in the hopes that night shift won't be as busy). If nothing is available or if they're unwilling to put me on nights, I think I will turn in my letter of resignation to the nurse mgr.

Thank God I can vent here!

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If you have another job and can survive until 12/17 without pay, and after that without benefits, quit.

If you feel bad it is bad.

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Specializes in cardiac rehab, medical/tele, psychiatric.

I feel your frustration. I too was told that orientation was for X amount of time. I got one week of "classes" where we covered paperwork, etc. then on the floor for 3 weeks. I was also given a checklist that I asked to review and that still hasn't happened. Unfortunately where I work they are more concerned with the med pass..and when I do have questions I get misinformation or there is no one available to ask. Extremely frustrating. I am looking for another job, b/c of loans I can't just leave.

I wish you luck! It's kinda nice to know it's not you!

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Hey Jam, I wonder if we work for the same organization? My hospital is a Sutter hospital, and it seems they're all pretty stingy with orientation, at least for the med-surg units.

I turned in my letter of resignation today, but then my manager came down to talk with me. We decided to try night shift since it's less hectic. We'll see how it goes. If I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing, I'll quit for sure.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Good luck on your new job.

The one thing that stood out was that everyone else is busy which lets me know that what you're going through is probably fairly normal for med-surg. It's busy, stressful and overwhelming at times even for the experienced ones.

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Specializes in cardiac rehab, medical/tele, psychiatric.

Hi, no I'm not at a Sutter hospital. It's a sad commentary that our situation seems common.

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Specializes in NICU.

Sorry to hear you're having such a rough time right now.

When I started in the NICU, I didn't have classes right away either. They were up front with me about that though, they do classes twice a year and the next group of classes wouldn't be starting until after I was off orientation.

Really it was no big deal not having the classes. I was able to go through all the orientation on the unit and then do the classes ..... which actually was kinda nice that way, because by that point I had a good idea of what they were talking about in class, whereas if I had taken the classes right away I would have been pretty lost!

The first year is TOUGH! There's no doubt about that. At first you're going to be running your butt off non-stop, crying before/during/after work, stressing out about a lot of things, and feeling overwhelmed. No classes in the world are going to help ease that. No classes are going to teach you how to deal with doctors, pharmacy, social workers, etc. All of that stuff just comes with experience and practice.

I know right now you probably don't want to hear this, because I remember all too well that I hated hearing it when I was in the first year ..... but it does get better. But to get to that point you have to go through the first year of hell.

If you honestly feel that what you're doing is unsafe, then by all means, leave that place. You're right, it's not worth risking your license. Go to another place and get the orientation you need. But know that no matter how much orientation you get ..... even if you go somewhere else and they give you months and months of orientation, you will NEVER feel like it's enough. Even after orientation you'll feel overwhelmed and stressed. But to get through that, you just have to push on and go forward.

To all of you going through this first year of hell ...... hang in there. I'm wishing you all the best, I really do know how hard it is, as I was there not that long ago.

"If you're going through hell, keep going"

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Specializes in Cardiac.

The first year is TOUGH! There's no doubt about that. At first you're going to be running your butt off non-stop, crying before/during/after work, stressing out about a lot of things, and feeling overwhelmed.

I know right now you probably don't want to hear this, because I remember all too well that I hated hearing it when I was in the first year ..... but it does get better.

I couldn't agree more! The first year sucks beyond belief! Many times I would cry on the way to/from work (one time it was AT work!) I honestly don't know how I survived...

But I did. And you will too. But, sometimes we all need a change, and if you feel like you need to move on to a different shift/floor/hospital, etc then you should do it.

It does get better! Good luck!

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Specializes in SICU, MICU, CICU, NeuroICU.

I wouldn't put up with stuff like that. Those types of classes are there for a reason. Good luck with your new job.

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Well yesterday was the day from hell, and my breaking point. One of my pts died (he was a no code, on palliative care). It was my first time even seeing a dead body, but that wasn't the worst of it.

He was confused (as he had been for a while, though this was only my second day with him), but able to verbalize when I made my morning rounds. The charge nurse called me over to his room a couple of hours later, as he was diaphoretic. She asked me if he had any PRN meds, and I responded that he had morphine, so she told me to get 2mg of morphine while she stayed with him.

After I administered the morphine, she told me that he was apneic for 5 seconds while I was out of the room. After that she called the pt's son to let him know that the family should get to the hospital asap because the pt could go at any time. She also paged the doctor twice, and when the doctor called back the charge nurse told me to talk to her. My report sheets had been jumbled so I told the doc I had to get my paper and that's when she started yelling at me, and while she's yelling, the charge nurse is telling me what to say to the doc. I just handed the charge nurse the phone and let her talk. When the charge nurse told her I was new, the doc said, "obviously."

The pt passed before the doc or the family arrived, and after she came out of the pt's room she chewed me out for not contacting her sooner. The look in her eyes was the worst part though. If looks could kill, I'd be dead. I felt like such dirt. The whole thing was a mess. The charge nurse was charge that day only because she had the most experience out of the rest of us (most of the other RNs only had 6 mos experience), so it was her first time being charge, and she said it was her first time dealing with a dead body too. I still feel traumatized and shaken over the experience.

Ironically, last Friday I had submitted my letter of resignation to the nurse mgr. She came down to talk to me and the first thing she said was, "today can be your last day," then "if you want to finish out your two weeks, you can work the two weeks," and back and forth. I expressed all my concerns to her but I don't even feel I was heard because she kept talking over me when I was talking. Then another RN came into the room and overheard us. He kept encouraging me not to resign, and maybe I should just try another shift, etc. I asked the mgr if there were openings on nights, and she said yes, so I told her I would try night shifts. But then yesterday happened. I wish I would've just left on Friday :(

I think the other problem here too is that I was NEVER interested in med-surg. I don't like it at all. My true love is women's health so I think I'm going to go ahead and resign and just stick with the outpatient clinic job (per diem) until I can land a floor position on a maternity unit, and ideally still do per diem at the clinic because I love the job and the pts.

Thanks for being here for me!

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Well I don`t graduate till May 08....and these messages are making me crap my pants. I`m soooo nervous of what to expect. 5:1 sounds beautiful...In NY it`s at least a 7:1, and that`s on a good day! LOL

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Oh, pinky, I'm sorry you're going through this.

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