I'm a new grad RN who got her first real nursing job working at a SNF. The SNF I work at is attached to a hospital, which while I was originally not excited to work at a SNF I was excited for the opportunity for advancement into the hospital into one of their med/surg units, etc. Turns out, I really do like working at the SNF. I like my coworkers, the residents, and feel comfortable here. But working at a SNF is not part of my long term goals.
I have worked at the SNF for four months now, so I am just about to get off my probationary "new hire" period soon. Therefore, I wanted to try applying to the hospital and see if I can get a job there, because I feel as if working in Med/Surg would at least get me closer to my ultimate goal of doing something more acute, such as critical care.
But my dilemma is that I feel like I'm disrespecting my employers at the SNF for "jumping ship" basically as soon as I can to work over at the hospital. My ideal situation would be to work at the SNF per diem every other weekend (which is what they originally hired me for, but of course they have me in a 32hr/week position still even with my per diem role). I do feel obligated to them to give them at least a year of my time since they were the first people to believe in me and offer me a job. I don't want anyone to be disappointed or judge me that I would either leave the SNF completely or go down to working there every other weekend.
One last detail: My boyfriend and I do plan to leave the area and move up closer back home where he would have a lot more opportunities to get a job in the field he's about to join. So even if I do apply to the hospital and got a job, I would only stay at the unit for 7 months at most because our lease is up in September and we would move back up closer to our families. So that's another added stress of secretly not even giving the hospital unit a year of my time for being so generous and hiring a new grad onto their unit.
Should I just avoid all this mess and work solely at the SNF for now? Or should I be a little more "selfish" and see if I can get a job that would give me more opportunities to advance to critical care even though I'd secretly only work there for 7 months? I would have to try and find a new job in September despite what I do in this situation because we will 100% be moving away, and I'm not sure if a year's worth of just working at a SNF will give me the best chances at getting a new job rather than working at the SNF *AND* working at the attached hospital for ~7mo would. I could also just apply to a different hospital that's much closer to where I live and tell the SNF that I can't do the commute anymore. But there's still the issue of only giving that hospital 7 months of my time.
This all makes me feel so fake and self absorbed, like I'm not considering what anyone else's feelings or staffing needs are Am I overthinking everything??
Thank you for reading my rambles, I appreciate any input or advice you all have for me.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
You're not disrespecting them you are going for your goals.. I have similar plans myself. A good way to leave on a good note would be to write a letter to all the staff thanking them for being a part of your awesome experience, and maybe throw in some baked goods :)
There's nothing wrong with moving on and nothing wrong with staying in one area. To each their own.
With respect, you're 24. You don't have a lot of life experience or work experience. Those of us with both are saying that it's not a good idea to get hired at the beginning of your career, suck up weeks or months of training during which you aren't contributing to the bottom line and then leave after less than a year. Baked goods and a nice letter isn't going to change the recommendation you'll get after doing so.
Since you're technically per diem, can you ask about cross-training to the hospital? I used to work per diem for an SNF on the subacute rehab floor, and I asked about cross training to LTC because I felt more secure in my ability to get enough hours. As a per diem, you're not guaranteed hours, right?
If that's not a possibility though, I completely agree with most of the 1st pg of replies (as far as I've read.) It does NOT look good to apply for a 3rd job in a year.
Focus now on your continued transition from nursing student to RN, which generally takes a good year or more. Hone your assessment skills, which in SNFs means relying on your senses and your knowledge -- not on monitors, stat imaging, and stat labs. Read all you can on the specialty of geriatrics and the EBP specific to that population.
1. Employment in most states is AT WILL. Meaning you or your employer can sever ties at any time with or without notice.
2. You don't want to burn your bridges. Most hospitals these days are part of a larger "corporate" entity e.g HCA. So if you make somebody upset at one hospital of that system you best to believe you will be blackballed in that entire hospital system.
3. The average cost to orient a new nurse is between 36k to 48k according to the ANA. If an institution spends that type of money to orient you only for you to jump ship after a few months, nursing managers will see that as a red flag and won't want to waste more time or money orienting someone who probably won't stick around for long.
BUT.... job searching and hopping is like playing a strategic game of chess. Just know the right moves to make so you don't end up at a check mate.
1. Employment in most states is AT WILL. Meaning you or your employer can sever ties at any time with or without notice.
2. You don't want to burn your bridges. Most hospitals these days are part of a larger "corporate" entity e.g HCA. So if you make somebody upset at one hospital of that system you best to believe you will be blackballed in that entire hospital system.
3. The average cost to orient a new nurse is between 36k to 48k according to the ANA. If an institution spends that type of money to orient you only for you to jump ship after a few months, nursing managers will see that as a red flag and won't want to waste more time or money orienting someone who probably won't stick around for long.
BUT.... job searching and hopping is like playing a strategic game of chess. Just know the right moves to make so you don't end up at a check mate.
How can training a new RN cost an organization 36k to 48k? That's ludicrous. The cost to train an RN costs as much as you are paying that RN. So unless these hospitals are paying 36k to 48k to orientees in 3 months, I don't believe that figure. The ANA needs to check their methods.
How can training a new RN cost an organization 36k to 48k? That's ludicrous. The cost to train an RN costs as much as you are paying that RN. So unless these hospitals are paying 36k to 48k to orientees in 3 months, I don't believe that figure. The ANA needs to check their methods.
Oh we've spent that much, their productivity is half of what it should be for the first 6 mos. plus our time pulled to support them. It's a good investment if we retain them as satisfied employees.
Oh we've spent that much, their productivity is half of what it should be for the first 6 mos. plus our time pulled to support them. It's a good investment if we retain them as satisfied employees.
Can you please break that figure down? Most organizations have nurses fresh off orientation carrying a full patient load, not a half patient load. As for being pulled to support them, that isn't costing the organization extra money. Unless they're calling in extra nurses from home to come in to help a new nurse, then it isn't costing money, because those nurses are there anyway. There's no way that training someone for 8 to 12 weeks costs 36 to 48k. A more accurate figure would be 12 to 15k.
As for your post as it relates to the topic, if you aren't retaining someone like the OP as a satisfied employee, and it keeps happening over and over, your organization is doing something wrong. It's likely not the employee who is "tacky."
Eh...I am a little iffy. I started in a SNF but only lasted three days on orientation. I took it because that was what was offered. I then went straight to med/surg at a facility I had been working at for nearly four years in different positions. Stayed put for eight months and then got my dream job (my current one).
The SNF job isn't even listed on my resume and I hope to stay casual at my med/surg gig.
Job hopping hasn't hurt me in the least. But I never left a job before having another one lined up and I was always jumping TO something, not running away from something.
Can you please break that figure down? Most organizations have nurses fresh off orientation carrying a full patient load, not a half patient load. As for being pulled to support them, that isn't costing the organization extra money. Unless they're calling in extra nurses from home to come in to help a new nurse, then it isn't costing money, because those nurses are there anyway. There's no way that training someone for 8 to 12 weeks costs 36 to 48k. A more accurate figure would be 12 to 15k.
As for your post as it relates to the topic, if you aren't retaining someone like the OP as a satisfied employee, and it keeps happening over and over, your organization is doing something wrong. It's likely not the employee who is "tacky."
Libby works in HH as do I. I am FFS since I have another job, and I started in June. I'm off orientation and taking patients, but just barely. And I'm an experienced nurse with computer skills. They spent a lot of money to train me to their satisfaction.
Classroom orientation alone was $30 an hour 40 hour weeks for a month, then the visits with preceptors- $35 an hour for 8-10 hours at a clip for 2 months...(per diem, not 40 hour weeks, but still)
I suck at math, but it does add up. And that's "just" home care.
And I think a letter and baked goods is a nice gesture.
A "nice gesture" to salve one's own conscience, maybe -- it doesn't do anything to change the fact that the individual is screwing over the employer, and the employer and coworkers are not going to be fooled.
Am I overthinking everything?? 
Ruby Vee, BSN
17 Articles; 14,051 Posts
With respect, you're 24. You don't have a lot of life experience or work experience. Those of us with both are saying that it's not a good idea to get hired at the beginning of your career, suck up weeks or months of training during which you aren't contributing to the bottom line and then leave after less than a year. Baked goods and a nice letter isn't going to change the recommendation you'll get after doing so.