Leaving during or right after orientation for a better job offer, please help!

[Postpartum RN]

Hi guys,

I started a new job on a postpartum floor about 6 weeks ago at a hospital about an hour away from me. The manager had asked me during the interview if I was willing to sign a contract, or agree to staying there for 12-18 months after orientation (since they have had several instances of nurses leaving quickly I guess). I told her that yes I am willing to do that, but when they gave me the job offer they didn't ask me to sign a contract. I have been trying to get I to this specialty for a long time and was super excited to get this job offer.

Here's the thing, I will be off orientation and starting on my own this week on nights (orientation was on days), and now I received a job offer from a hospital 15 minutes away from home, with better benefits, appointed position (which I hear is almost impossible to get at this hospital without having experience in the specialty or starting per diem first). I am torn!! Morally I feel like I have to stay at the further away job and put in some time there since they already oriented me; but another part of me is tearing me up because I know an opportunity like this to come up at this new hospital is very very rare! I have spoken with several nursing friends who tell me I am crazy to pass up on this opportunity and to just say thanks, sorry and goodbye to the further away hospital.

Pros and cons

First hospital:

Starting on nocs, I will be in prime traffic and my commute will be 1.5 hrs to 1.75 hrs each way, and these are 12 hr shifts

The benefits are expensive and I can only use their hospital and doctors offices, unless I wanna pay 20% then I can use facilities in my city (I have 2 little kids fyi)

In general it's an older hospital and unit is small and old, don't have some conveniences etc

Second hospital close to home:

15 min away, noc shift 8 hrs.

I already work per diem at this hospital on another unit and like this hospital, and have floated to postpartum and liked what I saw, newer unit and etc, charting system I am used to and like much better than the other hospital.

Benefits are excellent and almost free, literally

Very difficult to secure a benefitted position on this unit, staff almost never leaves and opportunities very rarely come up

Please guys can I have some advice? What do I tell my other manager where I have been for 6 weeks if I will be leaving? Do I say I got a better job offer? Or just say commute is not working out? Benefits suck and are not good for my family? I feel so guilty! But I feel like I would be a fool to pass up on this new opportunity, who knows when it will come up again. Please share, thank you guys!

Sorry for my rambling, hopefully you can make some sense of my post

[klone, MSN, RN]

Honestly, I would probably say that after reflection and discussion with other nurses, you realize that a 1.5 hour commute after working nights is not safe for you. And that's the G-d's honest truth. NO WAY would I ever recommend someone take a job on nights with that commute. It's totally not safe. When I worked nights, I was falling asleep at the wheel in the AMs during a 30 MINUTE commute.

I would tell them now, rather than later, though.

[Postpartum RN]

Thank klone for your thoughts, the commute is a huge worry for me! I'm going in for my first noc there tonight, will see how the drive goes tomorrow morning...

[caliotter3]

I would blame it all on the commute. Surely, a fifteen minute commute at night is better than the other and your manager will understand that. They need not be told about the better benefit package. Make certain that you put your resignation in writing so that there are no questions in the future.

[Postpartum RN]

I would blame it all on the commute. Surely, a fifteen minute commute at night is better than the other and your manager will understand that. They need not be told about the better benefit package. Make certain that you put your resignation in writing so that there are no questions in the future.

So you think I should not mention the better benefits offer? Should I mention the better job offer at all? Or just tell about the commute and stuff?

[caliotter3]

I wouldn't go any further than "I have received a job offer with a short commute". If you don't want to divulge the new job at all, you can say that you just can't physically deal with the night time commute and "don't think you can adjust". Bringing up the better benefits is done when one wants a counter offer to match or better the new offer. You aren't submitting your resignation to antagonize, but to take advantage of something that will be better for your overall health.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Yeah, I wouldn't mention the better benefits at all. Make it all about the commute.

[Postpartum RN]

Thank you guys for your responses!

[klone, MSN, RN]

How did your shift and the drive home go, and what did you decide?

[Postpartum RN]

I just got home, the drive was very hard! Yeah I won't be able to handle this commute, ESPECIALLY knowing always in the back of my mind that I passed on something better just to be "loyal" here...I will be accepting the job that is close to home with better benefits :) and will have to resign from the other job..

[iPink, BSN, RN]

Definitely leave for the better hospital you've been holding out for. I agree to blame it all on the commute as it is a legitimate excuse and your safety is important. I work nights and glad I don't work that far away from my hospital. There are some nurses who do live an hour or more away from my hospital but to them it's worth it due to the hospital's name and pay.

Glad that hospital came through to make your life a bit easier.

[jrt4]

The manager is going to be upset either way. This is incredibly frustrating and I will guarantee you will be black listed by the hospital you are currently working for...they cannot make you sign a contract unless its linked with a bonus. It

sounds like you already know what you want to do but its important to consider if you want to burn this bridge. It sounds like the second hospital is better for you and your family. At face value I would choose to accept the position at the other hospital.