New RN, leaving after 6 months unprofessional?

allnurses Guide · Apr 6, 2017

Explain "go travelling". As a travel nurse, or just for yourself?

As in, you aren't going to work, just travel?

I ask because I would never advise someone with less than 2

years experience to do any travel or agency nursing. It really

is beneficial in those roles, to have lots of experience, preferably

in one specific area.

I would recommend sticking it out for at least a year. It

does look better to future employers. Although I must say

that one nurse to ten patients doesn't sound very safe.

amzyRN · Apr 6, 2017

I don't think it's unprofessional to leave if you feel that you cannot provide safe care. You protect your patients and your license that way. No way I would work in a place, acute care, with a 10:1 ratio. Start applying now, don't assume you'll get anything until you reach 1 year, but if you do, jump on it. I worked in the midwest when I started. There were no mandated ratios but never more than 5:1, which was a little unsafe at times considering I worked on a step-down unit with high acuity. Night shift might get more but never 10. Plus they had CNAs on nights, some places don't have CNAs on nights.

I don't think travel nursing is open to you at this point. Agencies usually require 2 years minimum. You are expected to be up to speed in a very short orientation, sometimes less than a day. Your skills have to be solid. Skills aren't solid at 6 months.

RubyRubyRuby · Apr 6, 2017

Thanks for your responses. I don't mean as a travel nurse, just to travel for myself!

allnurses Guide · Apr 6, 2017

Well if you have the opportunity and the means, I say

go for it. However, be aware that when you decide to

go back to work, finding a job may be difficult. I mean,

if you travel for a year, when you try to go back to work, you

may be looked at as a new grad, more than a year out of

school, who hasn't REALLY worked. Four months isn't much.

In some jobs, you would still be in orientation.

If you are only going to be gone a couple of months, that's

another thing. :)

Wuzzie · Apr 6, 2017

Well if you have the opportunity and the means, I say
go for it. However, be aware that when you decide to
go back to work, finding a job may be difficult. I mean,
if you travel for a year, when you try to go back to work, you
may be looked at as a new grad, more than a year out of
school, who hasn't REALLY worked. Four months isn't much.
In some jobs, you would still be in orientation.
If you are only going to be gone a couple of months, that's
another thing. :)

I'm not sure I agree entirely with this. If I were to look at a resume of a new grad who quit barely out of orientation, who hadn't worked long enough to achieve more than minimum competency to go travel for kicks I would dismiss the candidate as a viable option. It makes the person look extremely unreliable.

OP, I think you will be shooting yourself in the foot if you choose to do this. While the job does not sound optimal quitting to go travel is really irresponsible. Quitting for another job would be an entirely different thing. Jobs in acute care can be difficult to find. If you follow this trajectory you might find it impossible to find a job at all let alone one in an area that interests you. This one decision could impact your future in a very significant way. Even if you don't mention that you traveled hiring managers are going to question the gap in employment. It's time to start adulting and unfortunately that means making tough decisions based on what is the responsible thing to do over what's more fun. Trust me, I've been doing it for well over 30 years and it sucks. I feel bad for you because I love traveling and it would be really sad to have to give up an opportunity to do it.

RNperdiem, RN · Apr 6, 2017

Keep working for now. Save your money. The more money you save, the longer you can travel.

Give the new job a year or so.

See if you can line up a better job and use the time between jobs for a travel break.

Working and travel are not incompatible. Most of us who have jobs do manage to travel. If you come from one of those countries that have "wards" then you probably get abundant time off compared to the USA.

elkpark · Apr 6, 2017

I'm not sure I agree entirely with this. If I were to look at a resume of a new grad who quit barely out of orientation, who hadn't worked long enough to achieve more than minimum competency to go travel for kicks I would dismiss the candidate as a viable option. It makes the person look extremely unreliable.
OP, I think you will be shooting yourself in the foot if you choose to do this. While the job does not sound optimal quitting to go travel is really irresponsible. Quitting for another job would be an entirely different thing. Jobs in acute care can be difficult to find. If you follow this trajectory you might find it impossible to find a job at all let alone one in an area that interests you. This one decision could impact your future in a very significant way. Even if you don't mention that you traveled hiring managers are going to question the gap in employment. It's time to start adulting and unfortunately that means making tough decisions based on what is the responsible thing to do over what's more fun. Trust me, I've been doing it for well over 30 years and it sucks. I feel bad for you because I love traveling and it would be really sad to have to give up an opportunity to do it.

Ditto.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2017

I am a 24 year old recently graduated RN 4 months into my first role in a busy endocrinology medical ward.

Are you in the United States? I am asking because we typically do not have endocrinology wards at hospitals here in the States. We do not even refer to our hospital floors and units as 'wards.'

If the OP is not practicing in this country, then a nurse/patient ratio of 1:10 might be perfectly normal and customary wherever in the world (s)he is located.

dream'n, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2017

I guess it would depend on the travelling. If it truly is a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity (like around the world on someone else's dime), I'd take it. If you're just getting the itch to travel around, I'd hold off for awhile.

klone, MSN, RN · Apr 6, 2017

Agree with the previous poster. With the possible exception of Venice, the travel opportunities will still be there in a year.

Farawyn · Apr 6, 2017

Thanks for your responses. I don't mean as a travel nurse, just to travel for myself!

I wouldn't.