Quitting while on orientation

Nurses General Nursing

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Any advice appreciated. I am currently working in palliative care at a hospital. Although I really am enjoying what I am doing and everything I am learning, it is just too much. While interviewing, I was told the ratio would be 1:8. However, when I started working there, I quickly realized the unit had a total of 25 meaning one nurse always gets a 9th patient when it is a full house. I was also informed that there is an admission nurse and wound care nurse, but there have been more instances in which the admission nurse does not show up and the nurses have to stop what they are doing to complete the admission. Thankfully, there is always a wound care nurse on the floor but there have been times where one of the staff nurses have called out in which the wound care LPN has to basically take his or her place and you are left to do your own wound care. My co-workers are friendly, but you can seriously just see the burn out. I also do not think, especially with the acuity of some of these patients, that this ratio is safe. I feel like I am constantly trying to beat the clock to make sure my med pass is done on time rather than taking time to get to know and truly care for my patients. & when I do, I fall tremendously behind and am playing catch up the rest of my shift. I would really love to continue working there, but I do not think the ratio is doable- at least not for me. I don't want to just pass out medications, which at this point is all I feel I ever do! I really want to help my patients. I only have one more week of orientation and have really been considering applying elsewhere with safer ratios or going back to ambulatory/outpatient. 

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Specializes in ER.

Orientation is a trial period on both sides. It is a time for management to see how you are going to work, and it's an opportunity for you to see if this workplace is a good fit for you. It is a two-way street.

I quit a per diem job during orientation once. I had another job and this was an extra job. I was very disturbed by some of the things I saw during my orientation. One nurse, who might not have had the best bedside manner, but was reportedly excellent, had been reported to the board of nursing by her boss because of a patient's family complaint. It was definitely a frivolous complaint, but the manager of the unit was such a piece of work, he reported her. I heard so many bad things about that manager that I thought that I better get out of there before I got targeted. I had been promised one preceptor, and I got a different person every time I went in. 

I've never listed that job on any resume. I believe that if you quit a job during orientation, that it's kind of like getting a marriage annulment in the first 3 months.

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If it's not a good fit for you then it's not a good fit but you need to know that a nursing job in an adequately staffed unit is a bit of a unicorn and has been for quite a while. I currently work in ambulatory and routinely do the work that is  normally assigned to 3. It. Is. Not. Fun. 

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" it is just too much." You have answered your own question.

 Move on and best wishes.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.
Emergent said:

Orientation is a trial period on both sides. It is a time for management to see how you are going to work, and it's an opportunity for you to see if this workplace is a good fit for you. It is a two-way street.

Emergent put it beautifully, orientation is a two-way street. Just like an employer can terminate your position, you can do the same. I have quit one per-diem position after a few weeks due to the unit culture and lateral hostility between staff. You have to do what is best for yourself. 

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Right now there are probably frequent call outs and an obscene amount of resignations and switching to part time everywhere. I work at a high end well paid academic medical center and we have the same problem.   If you're told the ratio is X, add a bit to that.  That being said, that sounds like an excessive workload.  Perhaps try to find a place that claims a 1:5 ratio and hope its only 1:7 here and there.   

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I too have left during or shortly after an orientation period with an employer. Like you, the job/work environment was presented one way but ended up being vastly different. I would be concerned if I were in your place too.

As others have already posted, orientation is a two way street and if you know this facility is not a good fit then it's time to move on. Nothing to feel guilty about.

 

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Specializes in Hospice Nursing.

I did. I took a position in a LTC/rehab facility and quit immediately on my second day when I found out I would be responsible for 50 patients alone plus all the administrative tasks they piled on. No way am I putting my license and patient safety at risk like that! 

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I don't know who comes up with those kinds of ratios. That's excessive! 

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Thanks everyone for your advice! I have been seeking employment elsewhere. Yesterday the third nurse called out yet again so myself and the other nurse along with the wound care LPN were left to oversee the floor. However, the LPN cannot do IV pushes nor hang any narcotic drips so myself and the other RN had to step in for that. That was the second time that's happened on a shift after my orientation. I've only been off for about two weeks now. I know some days will be more challenging than others & I'm not trying to make excuses, but I feel yesterday proved my point as to why there should be 4 nurse's scheduled for day shift- & 3 for the night. The night shift RN was left with another LPN so he basically had to do any pushes scheduled (& PRN!) for the unit (the census is 25). I also want to point out I'm in no way bashing the LPN as the ones we have are excellent! In fact, the other day we had 3 RNs & 2 LPNs scheduled & the day went by smoothly as one LPN did wound care & the other ran a section of the unit. However, for certain things we do need to step in & it becomes stressful if we are already short an RN. 
Many other staff agree there should be 4 nurses, as well. They all claim it was better that way as people were less stressed & were able to provide better care to the patients. I'm not sure whose idea it was to cut back on staffing. I never see that as a good outcome. Such a shame bc I'm enjoying what I do & all that I'm learning. It's just too stressful of an environment for me!

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

I'm unclear why you didn't quit during the orientation period 2 weeks ago, when you saw the writing on the wall.

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Specializes in ER.
klone said:

I'm unclear why you didn't quit during the orientation period 2 weeks ago, when you saw the writing on the wall.

Probably because of money. Not everybody has an emergency fund to keep them going while they search for a job.

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