Leaving my first nursing position

[Cwalz5]

Hello,

i love this site and the great advice that can be found here. I couldn't find someone else with this question and so this is my first post.

I've been working in my first nursing position for over a year (not counting the first few months of orientation) on a step down telemetery unit and while I love my job and my coworkers, a true critical care floor is where I want to be. My floor has been unable to keep new nurses for very long and quite a few of them feel betrayed by my leaving, which I can understand, but ultimately I have to follow my dreams. I will be staying with the floor on a per diem basis and I have become friends with many of the nurses, assistants and secretaries. I want to do something to show them that I appreciate them and everything they've done to help me get to where I am now. Any thoughts?

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

Technically you are not leaving you are just changing your status. Your coworkers apparently have enjoyed working alongside you and are sad to see you leave. A box of candy or other similar actions may seem trivial if it it not accompanied by other actions.I would just tell them what you have just told us. Perhaps in a hand written cards that express what that person has meant to you and contributed to your personal and professional growth. Make them non-generic so it shows you gave them thought. When I receive one of those from a coworker, a student or a patient they always are impactful. Good luck and work hard!

[turtle0206]

Make cookies and bring them to the break room, us nurses love sweets! And maybe bring a bowl of fruit for the picky eaters.

Or another option bring a box of joe, bagels and muffins :)

Write out a nice card about how your experience there helped you grow as a nurse and person. You appreciated their immense support and advice which is so critical for a new nurse starting out. Then end it with you are moving on to pursue your goal which would not have been possible without them. You get the idea lol

[mvm2]

with all our handwashing what about a pocket sized hand lotions and I love the thought of a card that can be seen by everyone. And like someone else said it is not like you will never see them again if you are still going to be working the floor once in awhile.