Quit job during RN school??

[Jmira.BSN.RN]

Hi there,

I'm an adn student. One year in, one year to go.

7 months ago I accepted a job as a patient tech/nurses aid in a local magnet hospital. The reason I wanted a job was to get experience in a hospital, so that I may be more marketable when looking for rn jobs. Also, I though it would be good for me since I work directly with rns.

It is a per diem job and pays quite well. I have to add that I did not take the job for the money, I did it to help me get ahead. When interviewed and hired I stressed to them that I am in nursing school and I wouldn't be able to work many hours. They were more than accepting of this.

Well here we are 7 months down the road, love the job, but school is becoming a lot more demanding. They are wanting me to work more hours than I can. I wake up today to a phone call from the house supervisor, wondering why I didn't show up today. Umm because I wasn't scheduled today! Well someone added me on today, without telling me. The deadline for schedule approvals was June 02. I worked June 02 and my self schedule had already been approved, and I was NOT on today.

Long story short, I get a nice thing called a no call/no show for the day, and to top it off they penciled me in an additional 2 days in the next 7 days without telling me. I told them I wouldnt be available due to finals this week and next week.

It's coming down to this: start working extra days, or put in my notice.

It's a wonderful job, but I'm a B student in school as it is, working more days is going to hurt me academically. Now that I am a year in, the requirements at school are getting a lot harder. I knew this when I took the job, but I was under the impression that they were going to work with my school schedule and thats why I was put on as per diem. Well its not working out that way.

In my shoes, would you quit or suck it up and stay??

[Nolli]

Normally I'd say try to stay and deal with the higher ups, but it sounds like they are ignoring you. If you like the job then your best bet is to go through HR since they are not following their own schedule approval policy. Otherwise it sounds like its best to find a new job and explain that while you signed on as per diem with them adjusting to your school schedule their expectations have grown without your school situation changing and you are looking for someone who isn't expecting you to hold down as many shifts as they are and is more flexible.

[decembergrad2011, BSN, RN]

Are you currently working at a facility that you plan to work at as an RN? I ask this because you don't want to burn your bridges, and they will definitely remember you in the future if that's the case.

If you don't plan to work there in the future for whatever reason, I would put in my notice and quit. However, if you are coming up on summer vacation (no idea how ADN breaks work) it might be a good idea to go ahead and wait until you start back in the fall so you can earn the extra money.

[Jmira.BSN.RN]

Thanks for the replies. I am going to meet with a different house supervisor monday and have a talk and see what we can do that will satisfy both of our needs. I need to put school first. Having a patient care job is amazing, but if I fail nursing school I'll be stuck doing patient care for the rest of my life.

I am not sure if I want to work at this hospital as an RN. It is a children's hospital, and while I do love children, I still am not sure where exactly I want to go in nursing, but I do know that I want a few years of med-surg under my belt before I go into any specialty. I won't be able to get those crucial few years of experience at this hospital.

If I have to leave the job to ensure that I do good in school, I want to be able to leave in as professional of a manner as possible.

[Katie71275]

I will start working as a nurse tech in August....the ways ours go, is we call the lady in charge of all the techs and let her know what days we can work. B/c we are not counted as part of the unit, (we come out of her fund), it doesn't really matter if we are not, as they already have enough coverage for all the patients.

We can call today, and say "Id like to work tomorrow" and we will work tomorrow.

I would talk with the supervisor and let them know what hours you are available and if they still aren't listening, then you may have to quit.

[lovedijah]

Put your two weeks in and quit.

[Jmira.BSN.RN]

Well the decision has been made.

I talked to my manager (house supervisor) this morning. As nice and caring as my manager is, she has absolutely zero say in hospital policy that I must work a certain number of hours each pay period because I am only a patient tech and not an RN. RNs at my facility can work as a "casual per diem", meaning no minimum required hours, but per diem techs can not.

In addition to the unnotified add ins made to my schedule, there was apparently another random day last week I was penciled into (past final schedule approval date) that I wasnt notified about until today, given a no call no show for. The last thing I want is to leave the facility to scrounge up somebody for the day.

After a long discussion with my manager and some good advice she gave me, I have officially put in my notice. Nursing is where my heart is, I cant risk failing nursing school and being a tech forever.

She's putting my file as "eligible for re-hire" and at the end of the day I have learned a lot at this job and I am glad that I experienced such a wonderful opportunity that leaves me with knowledge I can carry with me in my nursing career.Now the opportunity can be passed to someone else who is well-deserving.

Thanks for letting me vent!

[tamadrummer]

Put your two weeks in and quit.

I totally agree! Do not burn any bridges, do not complain and do not let them in on your feelings of aggrevation. Just leave on good terms and give them the two weeks this way you left on good terms.