Leaving Home Health. Abandonment?

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Hey guys,

I just hit 9 months in my first home health job but boyyy does it feel like 9 years. I am so unhappy and have been for months.

I made the switch from a clinic position (8-5 m-f) because I was promised more flexibility. I'm still waiting to see the "flexible" side of it. I was also promised that all of my visits would be grouped together in one area, and if they weren't it was a mistake and to let them know but when I do, it doesn't seem to do any good. For instance, I had an admit an hour from all of my other visits, I let the office know and was told that once it was assigned to me I was forced to take it. However, they have pulled admits and various other visits from another nurse and given to me because she "had a headache" and the patient was rude on the phone. Me having to drive 30+ miles in the opposite direction of all of the rest of my visits has happened almost weekly since starting here.

Another thing that recently happened, one of my weekly patients had a picc line that became occluded. I tried to stick him twice on two different occasions but his veins were rolling so I wasn't able to get any blood. These labs were to be run stat due to needing a trough level. I saw it was assigned to me a third time and reached out to my director and expressed my concern. I told her that the labs were important and asked if I could switch visits with another nurse so this man could get his labs when they were needed, I was just told "good luck". Every time I have went to our DON with concerns they have been brushed off. Even when it comes to my safety. So I decided to leave.

I told my DON the Tuesday after thanksgiving that I was giving my one month. She asked where I was going and I told her I didn't know yet. She also asked if I wanted to go PRN several times and finally I agreed. From there she told me to keep her updated. Last week she text me to ask if I was still leaving full time, I told her yes and it would be after Christmas. I then followed up with a text and told her that according to the day I gave my resignation that my last day would be the day after Christmas to which she replied "yes ma'am. It has to be the end of a pay period so you're last day is 12/31.” 
 

5 days isn't going to kill me, but I am so burnt out and it's more of the principle of the thing. I don't even want to go PRN for this company. I want to put it all behind me. 
 

If I take my tablet and my bag and drop it off the day after christmas, before accepting any of the visits for that day is that considered patient abandonment?  I don't want to end up losing my license for quitting & thats causing me horrible anxiety because it makes me feel stuck, like I have no control over when I can leave.
 

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Specializes in ICU/ER/Med-Surg/Case Management/Manageme.

I don't have any real answers but can certainly empathize with you (and about a million other HH nurses).  Seems so many of these companies hire nurses only to use and abuse them.  Then they sit back and wonder why they can't find "good" nurses.  Frankly, after my short stint in HH, I'd rather clean houses.  No doubt there are many reputable companies out there but they seem to be few and far between and particularly for nurses new to HH.

As for abandonment?  Hmmm...if you gave notice, I don't see how it could be abandonment.  Did you give notice in writing?  If not, always do that in the future.  Can't quit until the end of the pay period?  Just shaking my head at that.  Absurd.  

Why don't nurses make contracts with future employers to cover things you mentioned...driving 30 miles in the opposite direction, keeping assignments grouped - that sort of thing?  And the IV sticks?  Good grief!  If I was the patient...or the doctor needing the trough level???  Good luck with all.  (PS:  At one point, I thought the grass would be greener in HH.  LOL)

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

I don't think it would be patient abandonment, but it would be unprofessional.  It is never a good idea to burn bridges professionally.  While I sympathize with your desire to get out of there, 5 days is not going to kill you.

You have been with this place 9 months and are going to have to list it as an employer and be able to provide a reference.  It can be a very small world, and if you apply for another job, someone at the place you apply to may know someone with the home health place.  

While you gave the home health place reasonable notice, you also agreed to do some PRN work.  

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Specializes in Home Health.

Tell her you changed your mind and you don't want to go PRN. Your last day is the 26th. Be done with that toxic environment.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
I<3H2O said:

Tell her you changed your mind and you don't want to go PRN. Your last day is the 26th. Be done with that toxic environment.

Personally, I view that as unprofessional.  If the OP waits until that morning to "If I take my tablet and my bag and drop it off the day after christmas, before accepting any of the visits for that day" that is an incredibly bad way to leave.  Toxic or not, that place is an employer and the OP will need to list them on her jobs and will need a reference from them.  As I pointed it, it can be a small world.  That employer could end up telling someone about leaving them high and dry the day after Xmas.

If the OP is adamant that 12/26 is her last day, then 12/26 is her last day.  That means she has to work on 12/26.  And if she is not going to do PRN through the 12/31, then she needs to tell her employer both of those things NOW.  Otherwise, they are reasonably going to assume she will be available to see patients.  Just because the place is "toxic" is no excuse for her to behave unprofessionally and for her to dump on some other poor RN who is going to have to scramble to see those pts at the last minute.

"When they take the low road, you take the high road . . . "

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Specializes in Home Health.
FullGlass said:

Personally, I view that as unprofessional.  If the OP waits until that morning to "If I take my tablet and my bag and drop it off the day after christmas, before accepting any of the visits for that day" that is an incredibly bad way to leave.  Toxic or not, that place is an employer and the OP will need to list them on her jobs and will need a reference from them.  As I pointed it, it can be a small world.  That employer could end up telling someone about leaving them high and dry the day after Xmas.

If the OP is adamant that 12/26 is her last day, then 12/26 is her last day.  That means she has to work on 12/26.  And if she is not going to do PRN through the 12/31, then she needs to tell her employer both of those things NOW.  Otherwise, they are reasonably going to assume she will be available to see patients.  Just because the place is "toxic" is no excuse for her to behave unprofessionally and for her to dump on some other poor RN who is going to have to scramble to see those pts at the last minute.

"When they take the low road, you take the high road . . . "

WWHHOOOAAAA, *I* said to tell the supervisor that her last day is the 26th. I never condoned quitting by turning in her stuff on the 26th. The only reason they are saying she can't quit until the 31st is because she isn't quitting, she is going PRN. She obviously doesn't want to do that so she should just tell her supervisor she is done. I agree it would be very unprofessional to quit in the manner she asked about. You read way more into what I actually typed out. Please don't put words into my mouth.

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FullGlass said:

Personally, I view that as unprofessional.  If the OP waits until that morning to "If I take my tablet and my bag and drop it off the day after christmas, before accepting any of the visits for that day" that is an incredibly bad way to leave.  Toxic or not, that place is an employer and the OP will need to list them on her jobs and will need a reference from them.  As I pointed it, it can be a small world.  That employer could end up telling someone about leaving them high and dry the day after Xmas.

If the OP is adamant that 12/26 is her last day, then 12/26 is her last day.  That means she has to work on 12/26.  And if she is not going to do PRN through the 12/31, then she needs to tell her employer both of those things NOW.  Otherwise, they are reasonably going to assume she will be available to see patients.  Just because the place is "toxic" is no excuse for her to behave unprofessionally and for her to dump on some other poor RN who is going to have to scramble to see those pts at the last minute.

"When they take the low road, you take the high road . . . "


I'm actually off on the last day. I'm not asking if it's considered unprofessional. I was asking if it was considered abandonment. At this point I don't care because my mental health is more important to me than continuing to go to a job that wouldn't give me the decency of any kind of notice if the decided to terminate me for any reason.

Your responses are feeling really targeted & honestly kind of rude. 

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
Jessie1213 said:


I'm actually off on the last day. I'm not asking if it's considered unprofessional. I was asking if it was considered abandonment. At this point I don't care because my mental health is more important to me than continuing to go to a job that wouldn't give me the decency of any kind of notice if the decided to terminate me for any reason.

Your responses are feeling really targeted & honestly kind of rude. 

No, it is not pt abandonment.  My apologies if I misinterpreted your original post, but it was a bit confusing.  Here is what you wrote:

"Last week she text me to ask if I was still leaving full time, I told her yes and it would be after Christmas. I then followed up with a text and told her that according to the day I gave my resignation that my last day would be the day after Christmas to which she replied "yes ma'am. It has to be the end of a pay period so you're last day is 12/31.” "

If your supervisor understands that the day after Christmas is indeed your last day, not 12/31, and you have 12/26 off, then fine.  However, you didn't not say you had 12/26 off in your original post.

Also, it seemed as though the supervisor considers your last day to be 12/31, not 12/26.  If she then expected you to be available for PRN work 12/26-12/31, then she could be reasonably upset if you just drop your things off on 12/26 and refuse further work.

It was not my intention to be rude, but to provent you from doing something that could be costly professionally in the long run.  Unprofessional behavior could very well come back to haunt you, but so be it.

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No, not abandonment. What your supervisor is doing is trying to cover as much of the schedule as she can and using "soft guilt" (repeatedly asking you to do PRN) to string out your time because its easier for her to keep visits covered. You gave her a months notice, the burden is on her to figure out how to cover the visits once you left. It is none of her business where you go to work next unless you want to tell her.

I worked HH a few times in the past and understand completely why you are leaving. My only advice is don't remain PRN as it sounds like you will be pestered to work. Cut the cord and move on.

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