quit my job woes, must rant!

Nurses General Nursing

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Hey out there. I need to rant, not sure where to start. Please let me know your opinions.

I have been working for a small rural critical access hospital for about three years now. I started there with a nursing externship in the ED. After my externship I was offered a job, per diem to start because there were no FT opportunities. I was offered another job at a larger hospital but A)felt loyalty to the ED, and B) was told I was going to have a great orientation and be a "trailblazer" (I was the first new grad they ever took on in the ED).

My orientation was to include 12 weeks on med surg and an additional 12 weeks in the ED. At about 11 weeks into my m&s orientation the hospital declared that they were going to be laying off 2 nurses from med surg with more cuts possible. I spoke with the director of the ED and the head of nursing and was told that they were not sure they would have many hours for me in the ED. I was then offered a FT job in the OR, ad was encouraged by all the accept. During this time I also worked per diem in the ED. While I loved the OR I really wanted to be back in the ED. After one year in the OR I applied to transfer to the ED. I gave them about 4 months notice ( I was pregnant and made my due date my last day in the OR). I came back after 9 weeks of leave.

Upon return to the ED I was offered 4 weeks orientation. Orientation consisted of me working with a preceptor in the ED. With the small size of the hospital, me working nights, and having spent a year in the OR, I did not feel that I had enough experience to work in the ED with just one other nurse during the night shift so me and other nurses I worked for helped to advocate for more time on orientation which the director reluctantly gave me (in the several months I have been back I have only worked 2 codes). I found a class that I could take through the ENA as an orientation to the ED it was approved but then quickly forgotten and that fell through. It's been several months and I feel more comfortable now but am still not feeling right about it....so I applied to another job at the larger Hospital...and got hired.

I gave my boss at the small hospital 1 month notice. I thought she would be happy for me, naive I know! She was very mad at me and really gave me a hard time when I told her. Saying that I am jumping around and that she just hopes that this is what I wanted to do, that it really looks bad for me, and that I basically used the hospital for it's orientation.

Well the icing on the cake is that I called in sick tonight (for a 3-11 shift). I have not called out once in the ED, and possibly 2x before in the three years I have been there altogether. Truth is that I am sick. I have two weeks left until I am done. I am in no real hurry to be done at the small hospital, leaving was a very hard decision. Anyway so the director asked me what my symptoms were and told me that I was leaving on a bad note.

I feel terrible. I had very warm feelings about this hospital since I had such a great experience there and really felt as though people cared about my profession. I understand that I am leaving only a few months after completing orientation to the ED. I feel that my orientation was lacking and that as a new nurse I need to advance myself which is not happening at the small hospital.

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Specializes in CTICU.

Why do you feel terrible? Permitting others to determine how you feel about something is never a good idea. If you feel you have done everything "by the book", and this is the best for your career, move on with no regrets or guilt. It's just a job. They'll forget you in a second when you're gone, so do what is best for you (within reason).

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Dont feel bad. They wouldve dont the same to you! You are just looking out for your family, and remaining as professional as possible... Youve already got the new job so you shouldnt be that worried.

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

Congrats on the new job :yeah:

If I were in your shoes I'd probably have a word with this boss and outline exactly what you've said here. Put it in writing and give to HR. Say that you felt your orientation was lacking and that you didn't have the opportunity to advance your practice through education.

I would also get a doctors note and give it to HR because from what you've said it sounds like they're trying to make your leaving as difficult as possible.

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Specializes in ICU.

You do what's best for YOU. :)

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Specializes in CCU, cardiac tele, NICU.

I don't think three years qualifies as "using them for orientation." It would be different if you'd bolted after three months. I don't think you need to feel bad - enjoy your new job, and be happy you got one in this economy!

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

op: my er has a poor orientation for anyone (new nurse or not). also, there are no protocols, it is very disorganized (all of the supplies are scattered throughout the er and there are supplies for various trays that are not even located near the tray), and they assign beds based upon popularity (i am not exaggerating.. if you have no acls, no pals, no tncc, and no ed experience prior to starting your first shift, you can be assigned to trauma or cardiac patients over nurses that have all of the above if a charge nurse says he/she will "watch you" because the two of you are friends). i never felt comfortable in my current er due to the general lack of professionalism, protocols, training, and lack of minimal safety standards despite being here for over a year! good for you for finding another ed to work in so soon. a year would not have made a difference in your comfort level.

fyi, there is no way i can fix my current er and neither can you. your er is not supportive and no amount of time you remain will change that atmosphere. your manager is angry because of the money and training she provided you but who cares? this should be a lesson to her and others like her that she needs to provide a better orientation if he/she expects to retain new nurses in that er!

btw, i too put in my two weeks and am moving on. i found a better job and none of my co-workers can make me feel guilty!!! besides, i am one of several that has done so in the past 6 months. you are probably not alone in leaving that er soon. :twocents:the turn around for new nurses in my current er is one year (they get er experience and then they get out). the turnaround for experienced nurses is 6-8 weeks. gl!

-5 more shifts to go (i know that you have written that you are not excited about leaving but you should be)!

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

OK, I must be brutally honest here. My apologies to the nurses on this forum who are in administration who may view my comments as negative, but I know that there are good managers and bad managers. I have been in nursing management before, and I know it is tough.

Your NM made you feel bad because she was HOPING that the guilt trip would work. Although she did not honor the agreed upon orientation, she did provide orientation for you...and now she must start from scratch. It is frustrating to her, but she used her frustration to pull on your conscience. That is not cool. She could probably care less about your home situation, your life in general or what you have accomplished. She just wants the position filled. She is doing everything possible to make you feel bad so that you will reconsider. Poop on her. Do what is right for YOU.

I was in a similar situation when I left a travel company after they had totally screwed me over. My recruiter called me and left a message stating that she hoped that I was all nice and comfy at my new travel company because she was going to spew venom if anyone ever called her for a reference. She made me feel awful. I told my new recruiter about that phone call, actually recorded it and sent it to her. The new recruiter said that the old recruiter was just mad because she would not be getting a bonus for keeping me with the company. Ahhhh...so THAT'S it! Sometimes management has key goals that they must achieve in order to get their bonuses, and retention may have been one of the goals that was set for her by her own boss. Now before everyone ties me to the stake and lights the fire, I realize that this is not always the case, but it was in my case and I have seen this happen to other nurses that I have worked with.

OP, do not fall for the guilt trip. If they were really concerned, they would have been there for you long ago. THEIR loss.

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Truth be Told.... Your doing them a favor by finishing your remaining shifts!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

,,, do not fall for the guilt trip. If they were really concerned, they would have been there for you long ago. THEIR loss. "

I completly agree with this comment.

I, too, gave a notice to my work. the manager tried very hard to make me guilty, I almost fell for it.

Congratulations on your new job and decision!!!

good luck to you :):nurse:

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]Congrats on finding a new job, and do not for a single moment feel as though you owe them any sort of loyalty. Take care of you forst. There is nothing as miserable as dreading the idea of having to go to work. Be happy!;)

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I just want to thank all of you. I have been feeling so bad about this. I'm not sure how to describe it exactly, I just felt as though she had a lot of faith in me and wanted to see me do well. I was so wrong! I am very happy to be moving on, not because I hate the hospital but because there is a much bigger world out there for me.

Oh, just want to add, I worked in the hospital three years but only have been the FT in the ED for 6 months but had worked there before and per diem the entire time I was in the OR. They didn't really even want to orient me to the ED, she said that my externship was orientation (but originally I was supposed to have had 12 weeks of orientation).

You guys are all right. I have the other job and will be better off in the end, but I do still feel loyalty to the small hospital. I guess I am partially to blame because I did not look at the fact that they would not have the ability to take on new graduate nurses. I am pretty sure a per diem nurse in the ED has already accepted my position, which is a little comforting. Thank you guys for your words of wisdom and sharing your experiences.

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