how to peacefully resign from clients' homes without awkwardness?

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This will be my last week. There's one client's family I'm particularly concerned about. It's been forever since they've had a day nurse ...I've been working at their home for maybe 3 weeks? They're well aware of my agency's tendency to pull nurses off a case at the drop of a hat so they're prepared for me to possibly leave. They also say they don't blame me if I found something better and that paid more. They are always saying though how nice it is to have someone around to help. Apparently they never get a break and when they do get sent a nurse apparently they are always ding bats (according to them idk! Haha) and theyre thankful to have me around. Let's just say working these cases and my agency in general has been hell and I'm SO excited to leave. But of course I feel bad. (Not that it's stopping me at all! Stoked for my new job!)

But do I tell the fam I'm leaving? Do I just smile and wave bye everyday then don't come back? What does the agency say to them and when do they say something? What do I say if asked?

I'm new to PDN / HH so idk how this works. Can anyone tell me from their experience?

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

You've only been at the home 3 weeks, so it's not a big deal. Plus, you shouldn't cross the professional/ personal line with the families. I know it's hard with PDN/HH since we go to their homes but at the end of the day it's just a job. You don't need to tell them anything. If the agency decides to tell them you go another job, that's their decision. But as for you, I would just go to work & take care of my business. The less the family knows, the better.

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You're right. Thanks.

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You have no responsibility to say anything at all to the family. The agency will take care of that and you have no control over what the agency chooses to say. If you should get in a corner, you can say, that the agency is assigning another nurse to the case and your last day will be....or, I am leaving for personal reasons, it has nothing to do with your family.... Just best to say nothing and do your last shift in peace.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

I had one family not believe it was my last day. Months later I was still getting desperation calls from the agency for horrible 6AM 15hr shifts since apparently the nurse that wanted my hours couldn't fulfill the obligation. They asked how much it would take for me to "help them out" since the family requested me...(the agency had not treated me well at all) I said a ridiculous hourly rate probably more than the manager commanded. Amazingly they didn't call me again.... My other job treated me better and paid more. Their loss not mine.

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Is two weeks notice sufficient? I will be getting a new job also per diem. I would like to stay with the agency to do fill-ins when I can so I hope they don't lie to the client families.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

If resigning in the beginning of the month, some agencies ask for 4 weeks depending on how schedules are created so they can transition you off. It's negotiable especially if you want to stay prn

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My status with them is currently per diem so that wouldn't change. I would need to be taken off my regularly scheduled clients.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
My status with them is currently per diem so that wouldn't change. I would need to be taken off my regularly scheduled clients.

I'd say let them know now for the end of the month while their likely in the middle of creating the next month schedules

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As soon as I get a start date I will let them know

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Is it typical for the agency to notify the family of my leaving BEFORE my last shift? I technically have a week and 2 days left with this family and they called and told them I'm leaving this morning when I came on my shift at their house! Great ...so awkward now and who's to say I won't be treated differently for the remainder of shifts.... I figured they wouldn't say anything until the last shift and would have a new nurse otw hopefully lined up. Either way is this typical to notify the family already? Seems unfair to the employee aka me, because now I feel kind of uncomfortable even though my quitting the agency doesn't have anything to do with them specifically.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

It depends. Sometimes they are notified in advance simply by the agency sending over the schedule and you aren't on it otherwise they must explain why a new nurse needs to be oriented to the case.

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