Quitting job during orientation?

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Hey everyone! I'm super depressed right now. I left my job doing ltc to a med surg position at a hospital. I figured I would TRY it but I am not liking it 😫. I'm trying to figure out how to get out of it without burning any bridges. I'm sure most people will say "stick it out" but I can't imagine doing so if I hate it! It's just a part of nursing I'm not interested in! I ultimately would love to do labor and delivery or mother infant. Any advice? I was hired full time to do 3 12s.

As the others have said, if you were hired for full - time, they will want full - time hours from you. And it makes even less sense to go part - time for a job you don't like. You might think "hey at least I'm not quitting" but it still leaves a FTE position open. If you leave during orientation, you may be put on your facilities "do not rehire" list. As other posters have advised, do your time (I'd put in at least a year) and look to transfer to L & D. A year in acute Med-Surge will look much better than leaving during orientation and then scrambling around.

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It's not that I'm thinking of bailing! Basically IF my husband is forced to travel with his job I CANT do 3 12s a week because of the childcare issue. My kids are 1,6,7,10. I would like to get an idea as to what options if any I would have when this happens. I have great work ethic, I feel like it would be more respectful to let her know it's a big possibility it may happen now instead of wait until it happens!

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Specializes in Vascular Access.
If your manager gets even an inkling that you're thinking of bailing she will likely let you go before you can finish your sentence.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

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It's not that I'm thinking of bailing! Basically IF my husband is forced to travel with his job I CANT do 3 12s a week because of the childcare issue. My kids are 1,6,7,10. I would like to get an idea as to what options if any I would have when this happens. I have great work ethic, I feel like it would be more respectful to let her know it's a big possibility it may happen now instead of wait until it happens!

Well, you kind of presented us with two scenarios. First you hated the job and wanted to quit and then it was the childcare thing. We addressed both. Either way letting your boss know what's going on is great but be prepared to be let go immediately. Can you handle that financially? Your options are find other childcare arrangements and make the job work or find another job. I seriously doubt your manager is going to let you drop to part time. Maybe she will but it's going to be a risk asking if you aren't prepared to be without a job in a blink of an eye.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

If, and that's a big if, you are able to negotiate a different schedule due to unexpected child care issues good for you. Whatever you do though, if you don't want to be jobless and not eligible for rehire don't approach your manager telling her [or him] that you hate the job. At least having a legitimate life event like a spouse suddenly needing to work out of town and leaving you with child care issues could be seen as a valid reason to renegotiate your schedule if not your entire position.

My big concern with trying to renegotiate your schedule is the fact that you are still on orientation. I don't see any manager being too willing to let you drop hours so significantly until at least your orientation is complete. How are you suppose to learn everything you need to know to succeed on your own working only one day a week? You'd be better off leaving the position all together if you are able to quit without affecting your ability to be hired again at a later date.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
Thanks everyone! I guess the only thing I can do is talk to the manager and be honest and see if there are any options available for me. I know with my husband gone mon-fri I can't pull 3 12s unless I find another childcare provider willing to keep my kids that late. I hate to switch sitters though because hey have only gone to this woman and I trust her with my kids. I will keep you all updated!

I would definitely talk to the manager and tell her you have an unexpected childcare snafu. Don't let on that you hate the job. You might be able to work it into a way to bow out gracefully without burning bridges. Good luck.

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.

I'm going to deviate from everyone else and say that your post seems a little questionable. You didn't address any childcare issues in your original post, only that you wanted to work in L&D and not Med Surg. So is it a childcare issue or you really just don't want to work Med Surg? Because if you do L&D the chances are high that you'll have the same schedule, and even then if you want to stay in the same hospital system, you'll run into the issue of probably having to stay at least a year to transfer departments.

Just trying to make sense of your thought process. I'm really not trying to be mean, I'm just trying to see it from your point of view.

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Specializes in NICU, RNC.

I get the feeling that if this was your dream L&D job, you would find childcare and make it work....

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Yes obviously I TOOK the job but I HATE the job so there's that. ������

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Sometimes you do what you have to do to pay the bills.

Give the job a chance. Once you are on your own out of orientation you will have some more freedom to do things your way.

This is TRUE!

You've got to start somewhere and it's unlikely that you'll get your dream job ASAP. We've all been there... we've all worked in areas that we did not like, dreaded going into work, counted down the hours until we could get off the unit... because we had an end goal, and sometimes working a job you don't LOVE is a necessary stepping stone to reaching an end goal.

Unfortunately, no one can make this decision for you. I think a lot of poster have given you some great advise. Personally, I think the best thing is to always try to stick it out as long as you can for the experience, networking, and to have something to put on your resume. Try it out for a few months if you can... then if you really find it intolerable after that... quit. I don't really see this as a major dilemma though, you have a job offer and that is more than what most people can say these days. Be grateful for your current employment but ultimately only you know and can do what is best for you.

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Thank you for being nice! People act like they have never accepted a job and then realized it wasn't for them 🙄

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@angieRN528 Reading the post, I can tell you genuinely don't want the job, and despite what others are saying IT'S OK! Family and Happiness is essential, but you do have a small dilemma because you want an L&D spot? The question is how bad, could you put up with the job part-time or PRN? If not, then let the manager know this isn't for you and give a formal notice. It's harder but very possible to enter L&D different ways. But if you think you could bare it, I would talk to the manager and let her know an unexpected childcare issue has presented itself d/t your husband's job, and ask her for that option.

Now keep in mind that she may very well let you go with either choice, so be ready for that. Oh and one other thing that may help you with your decision is to find out (anonymously of course) what makes an employee ineligible for re-hire at your hospital, and word of advice keep the woes about the job under wraps at work, you don't want a rumor to get to your boss before you do.. Good Luck Sis!

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