professional way for new graduate to quit during orientation

Nurses Professionalism

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Here's my situation...I graduated Dec. 2010. I had a difficult time finding a job where I wanted, med-surg. I was offered a new grad orientation for a PRN position...no perks, no extra pay. I was happy to have a position where I wanted. The day I accepted the PRN position I interview for another tele/med-surg position for full time. 5 weeks into the new grad PRN orientation the other hospital called and offered me the job...I informed the PRN manager that I could not orient full time and basically tried to quit...she agreed to finish my orientation a day a week...I agreed only because I was very appreciative to them for giving me a job and I guess I thought I could do both....well I can't! One orientation is stressful enough...the full time position I have to take telemetry and ACLS...and they are always doing extra educational stuff...The one day a week is not going well...I am not retaining the information about policies and confusing them with the other position. Oh and I have 4 children at home ages 12-6...and both my parents have chronic health issues...I need to quit this PRN position...but I'm not sure how to quit during orientation...I have tried to be up front with both managers and both have been supportive... but I can't go on like this....do they want a two week notice? Doesn't make sense to me, for them to train me 2 more weeks...I had such a difficult time finding a job I don't want to burn any bridges. Do I call, e-mail? Thanks for listening...advice is welcomed :)

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Put all your time & attention on the job you want to work at & don't discuss your PRN job with the supervisor at your full-time job. I would call you PRN job supervisor and set up a time to meet - make a special trip to this PRN job, speak with the supervisor and explain the situation. Don't "beat around the bush" - just be up front and honest about the fact that you need to quit. Since you're still on orientation, they shouldn't be counting you as part of their patient to nurse ratio, so there should be no problem quitting without notice. You need to do what's best for you...

Best of luck,

Amanda Tillema

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care, Cardiac, EMS.

Orientation is generally considered part of your probationary period where both you and your employer are determining your 'fit' for the position in question. With that understanding, the professional relationship can generally be terminated by either of you without prejudice. The best way to do so is with a face to face meeting, an explanation, and a written notice. A professional business letter thanking your employer for the opportunity and explaining that the situation is simply not a good fit for your circumstances at this time is generally sufficient. When you meet with your manager, you can state that you find that you are unable to continue your position, hand your letter of resignation, thank them for their time, and say something along the lines of "I appreciate you taking the time to work with me, and look forward to seeing you again in the future."

You have nothing to be ashamed of - you would do both places a disservice by continuing to try to burn the candle at both ends, and it is very commendable and mature of you to realize this.

Best of luck to you.

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Specializes in geriatrics, IV, Nurse management.

You can still politely quit, but from experience you probably will have to cut your ties with that company. Last week we had 2 new grads quit hours before their orientation day because they had other orientations with companies for more hours. Always remember to politely quit (You never know when you may have to return to them), but I don't think there is any other professional way. I was so annoyed at the new grads who quit hours before because I was to train them. I put a lot of work into preparing to train someone for them to quit hours before lol.

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I feel so bad that I need to quit. I understand what is put into training a new grad and I am very greatful for the position...I wish I could do both but...I just can't I feel very overwhelmed with one orientation...thanks for the advice :)

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

the longer you pretend it will work the more stress you endure and the more it costs that employer. Be kind and quit. Tell them it is just not working out for you and you appreciate the opportunity but cannot continue. They need to find a replacement and the sooner the better.

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I don'tthink you should quit.It is amazing what we can do when we set out minds to it.

I think you should be upfront with the PRN manager- put your cards on the table. After the orientation it will be a PRN job, so it can still be workable( I'm assumingt your med/surg is 12hour shifts).

Get organized by trying to have different files for each work-place. But the bottom line is that you decide what works best for you:)

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Specializes in Peri-op/Sub-Acute ANP.

Don't feel bad. This is business, it isn't personal. Do what you need to do and do it clean.

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Specializes in Neuro/Trauma, 66H.

You need to do whats going to be best for you and your family. Even though you had a hard time finding a job intially, you've secured a new position.. you're not going out on a limb and quitting without having a back-up plan.

I was in the same boat just last week, it took me nearly 4.5 months to find a job so i took the first thing that came my way.. which happened to be an hour from home and in an area i didn't really care for. 3 days before the end of my orientation I was offered a new position closer to home in an area i was excited about, so i took it. I put in my official letter of resignation, giving 2 weeks notice, and thanked them for the great opportunity. they were understanding and accepting of my situation when i explained it to them

If you don't want to burn any bridges, you need to go about things as professionally as possible. Type up an official letter of resignation, giving 2 weeks notice.. regardless of your orientation status giving an employer 2 weeks notice is a professional courtesy. But because you are on orientation still, they probably won't hold you to the 2 weeks and will release you immediately (which is what happened in my case).

Good luck with everything. Don't let the situation discourage you, at the end of the day you need to do whats best for you, and no one can fault you for that. Just take full advantage of this new job opportunity!

(sorry for the lengthy response!)

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Thanks for all the great advice...

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ah]You need to do whats going to be best for you and your family. Even though you had a hard time finding a job intially, you've secured a new position.. you're not going out on a limb and quitting without having a back-up plan.

I was in the same boat just last week, it took me nearly 4.5 months to find a job so i took the first thing that came my way.. which happened to be an hour from home and in an area i didn't really care for. 3 days before the end of my orientation I was offered a new position closer to home in an area i was excited about, so i took it. I put in my official letter of resignation, giving 2 weeks notice, and thanked them for the great opportunity. they were understanding and accepting of my situation when i explained it to them

If you don't want to burn any bridges, you need to go about things as professionally as possible. Type up an official letter of resignation, giving 2 weeks notice.. regardless of your orientation status giving an employer 2 weeks notice is a professional courtesy. But because you are on orientation still, they probably won't hold you to the 2 weeks and will release you immediately (which is what happened in my case).

Good luck with everything. Don't let the situation discourage you, at the end of the day you need to do whats best for you, and no one can fault you for that. Just take full advantage of this new job opportunity!

(sorry for the lengthy response!)

I am currently in the same conflict that you were in with wanting to quit during orientation. I've been on the job search since passing my nclex in november and i desperately took a position at a SNF. The place is more of a med/surg for the geriatric, no respirator patients, etc. So far during my orientation I've been thrown to preceptor all over the place; thrown to work w/an RN in one side for 2hours, back w/another, then another nurse the next & i'm left helping them w/med pass, the pressure of computer charting for them &other documentation(when they didnt even give me a report on the patients!), & since theres no secretaries on the nursing stations the nurses are required to handle all the appointments, fax, paperwork, all the clerical stuff! The sad part is their the nurse to patient ratio. They have 3 stations: short stay(geriatric medsurg), long term residence, & hospice side. They started a new policy where during the day each station: Day one nurse is charge nurse (mans the nurse desk) plus one side of pts(usually just 3 or 4), while the second nurse gets 18 to 26 patients (doing their med pass, charting, assessing on own, documenting, tx, input orders, admit, discharge,etc AND trying to care for patients & meet their needs is somewhat more than impossuble which is upsetting). The nurse ends up staying on a good day 2hours overtime to just finish all the work & on a bad day up to 5hours! It's sad since even when the charge nurse helps w/med pass the second nurse is still everyday having to overtime quite a few hours to catch up). The DON actually repremanded some of the nurses for helping by splitting the workload!! AND the directors meet everyday to make a list to critic the nurses & a list of things they need to do from the previous shifts which is plenty! Imagine that criticism to start your day lol. Their pm & noc are worse w/just one nurse on each station doung everything w/no desk staff. I feel so stressed coming home everyday preceptoring w/burnt out nurses & seeing how much management doesn't care about staff..and more about their ratings. Surprisingly, the CNAs have union & the licensed nurses do not (not surprised so they can load us on workload lol) I am hardly learning being thrown in to help random nurses where i still need orienting. I feel this as an unhealthy environment & that i could be risking my own license working in these poor conditions. I was referred by a family friend & i feel awful about wanting to resign already, but i dont see myself growing as a new nurse here. I see myself being burnt out & unhappy...and this is the complete opposite reason I wanted to be a nurse! I'm on my 2nd week starting this Sunday (4days a week) of orientation which is also my lastweek . (we had a 1week 4day orientation going over policy/procedure & 3hr charting crash course lol). Any advice in appropriate steps to resign? I am so stressed as I write this that its difficult to function..

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