Quitting job during orientation?

NotYourMamasRN · Dec 17, 2016

I have never quit during orientation, but in every orientation I have done we were all told that the company was looking for the right fit for them and if we doubted our decision and decided this was not right for us, orientation was the time to talk with HR and our manager. Looking at it from a purely HRM position, my first career, I would say that the expense of training and then loosing a nurse who is not happy is way higher than the expense of helping that nurse find something in the company that made them happy. While you might not get L&D, you never know what they can do until you ask.

Wuzzie · Dec 17, 2016

Thank you for being nice! People act like they have never accepted a job and then realized it wasn't for them ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½

Many people have spent time posting thoughtful, kind and informative responses to your post not just this one poster to whom you are referring. Those of us who have been around for awhile are trying to help you proceed with minimal damage to you and your career. I'm sorry you can't see that.

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2016

I am a well seasoned nurse that went directly to the OR upon graduation. I was a scrub tech while in school, so it was a natural transition. After 15 years I have come to where I am tired of wildly deviating hours, call, staying late, etc. Even though I've worked in some pretty abusive ORs, I believe that it's me, not the specialty. I may go back to moonlight someday, maybe not.

In the meantime, i have taken a general surgical floor job. I've been there 2 weeks and oh yes, it is difficult. There are many, many new things for me to learn. Especially organizational skills, specific to this branch of nursing and so on. I'm tired and ready to drop when i get home. I am anxious that I am missing things or not doing a good job. However, I am also taking advantage of every last minute that I am with a preceptor. It is very easy to "hate" a job when it is so different to what you are accustomed to. "Hate" can masquerade as lack of comfort and confidence. In my opinion (and the words of my preceptor) it takes time to feel comfortable.

In spite of my own choices of bypassing the floor before going to a specialty, my recommendation is to stick out the floor job. Not because it "looks good" but because there are things to be learned that will hold you in good stead for the L&D job. Stating that you hate the job will show through to your attitude and will only make this time harder.

Libby1987 · Dec 17, 2016

I would ask yourself, if I quit now how competitive am I for L&D, or any other highly sought after position? What's going to make a unit choose me over the high number of applicants with relevant experience?

More than likely, despite stories otherwise, your career will be in LTC.

klone, MSN, RN · Dec 17, 2016

As a nurse manager, I have two thoughts.

One, as a few others have mentioned - if you are hired to L&D and have to work 3 12s, would you figure out a way to make it work? Because the vast majority of L&D units work 12s.

Secondly, if you think that you won't stay at least 6 months beyond when your orientation ends, please cut bait NOW. Don't waste my time and the money I'm spending training you. I would rather you leave now so I can find someone else to hire and train that isn't planning on leaving in less than a year.

foggnm · Dec 17, 2016

If you have a job otherwise, quit. I would never advocate doing a job you simply can't stand. Med/surg is generally in the top most unappealing nursing jobs. And more importantly, hospital based jobs are a dime a dozen. You should easily be able to break in to L&D if you keep trying. Be a grown up and pursue your passion, low risk...high reward!

LovelyOverload · Dec 17, 2016

See if you could work PT or PRN after orientation then in 6 months get a transfer into L&D. That's kind of a backdoor into L&D.

Leonardo Del Toro, RN · Dec 18, 2016

I would say stick it out. If they like you one more reason to stay. I would only quit a job (and jobs are hard to come by) it it was unsafe or if the people there didn't like me. By the time another opportunity comes up you'll be better prepared.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Dec 26, 2016

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 ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½. 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.

You don't say how long you've been a nurse. Leaving two jobs in four years is one thing; leaving two jobs in four months is quite another.

You will probably need the Med/Surg position to acquire the necessary experience to get hired in L & D. The fact that you don't like your job is immaterial. You've taken the job, presumably because you were interested in acquiring the experience and the skills. So stick it out.

Not everyone loves their job. Sometimes, we call it "work" because that's what it is. If it will move you toward your goals, suck it up and do the work.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Dec 26, 2016

OP, it depends on the job market you're in. If there are lots of acute RN openings, you may have a better chance at transferring than if the market was depressed. Like others have said, you were quite lucky to get a med surg position from LTC. Orientation is often difficult and can be discouraging, but usually gets better. The manager had a need for full-time RN not a per diem, so asking to go once a week while you're still on orientation would not be very thoughtful. If you have compelling circumstances that changed your availability, you may be able to negotiate for another position. One question a manager may have (in her head) is "did your husband not know he was going to be travelling and do you not discuss this together?" If you only worked once a week, how will you get enough experience to be comfortable?
Contrary to popular belief, you do not need med surg to enter L&D, but I really would suggest it as it is a difficult area and competence is very important. Also, leaving during orientation will not automatically make you a no-rehire. You have to do it professionally. Do not waste the hospitals money and time if you plan to leave immediately. Think before you act. One may ask "if you have child care problems that is making you leave during orientation, what prevents those problems in the future and how will you handle it?" After orientation, you can certainly ask to do weekends, with one day to arrange for child care. Just a thought.

Although most managers are reluctant to let new grads to part time until they've been on the unit for at least a year. They figure they're just not in a position to learn everything they need to learn if they're only on the unit once or twice a week.

TruvyNurse · Dec 26, 2016

Give it a chance! Not everything is hunky dory right off the bat. Med/Surg is a god way to bridge to OB. I'd stick it out. You'd probable burn a bridge if you quit now. Be advised

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Dec 26, 2016

So, AngieRN OP - what have you decided?