resigning

babs_rn · Oct 8, 2003

Make sure you have another job to go to if you live paycheck to paycheck. Don't count on them letting you work out your notice. If they do, be especially nice and helpful and offer to help orient your replacement if they have one. Don't burn your bridges.

Good luck!

EastCoast · Oct 8, 2003

Ditto what babs said.

If you are due any unused vacation or sick time due not do anything to annoy folks unless you don't need to the $$.

Some places will not give you accrued funds if you call in sick after you resign.

I would be sure to include in your letter of resignation that you hope at another time it may work out for you to return but for now you need to focus on work that in within a reasonable commute. If you have patient care issues I would address those at my exit interview. If you've been a good employee and are on good terms with your boss you will probably go through this fine.

Also, don't spend the last 2 weeeks badmouthing anyone or the facility. It may bite you in the butt at a later time. Remember, these are the people who will be giving your next employers references.

enjoy your new job!!

k-eet10 · Oct 8, 2003

I gave my two weeks resignation after 12 years of service because of very unsafe practices. went to human resources and asked the correct process ect.. One week after my resignation they felt I did not fulfill my contract and cut off everything right then. I was a house float RN and protested working a certain unit that patient nurse ratio was unheard of. I offerred to work any other unit in the hospital every day until my effective last day. Would not budge. HR even said I can see both sides, had to remind him there are no sides just patient care and safety. Any hospital can find a reason to let you go even if you go about it correctly, because the wording " it is to the benefit of the hospital". But remember, you want to leave for a reason that is now consuming your time weighing options. I was scared to leave because of the security "so I thought" I don't regret my decision, just disappointed in my administration. Good Luck and it will be okay:)

nurse62 · Oct 9, 2003

Thanks for the comments concerning resigning. And yes, there are many reasons in why I wish to resign. However, I figure my travel time is the best reason to give, for it is very clear and doesn't place the facilities practices at fault. And I very well may wish to return (highly unlikely) so I wouldn't want to jeopardize that or the possibility of getting a bad review. I do have over 40 hours of sick pay and 12 hours of vacation due. I do believe I will loose the sick pay all together. I was thinking about waiting until January for I will then be entitled 3 weeks vacation pay, but not sure I my nerves can hold out that long and I feel that's kind of unfair to the facility if I actually make that my plan. I have been wanting to quit for months now and I think it is time. It is hard to leave a place that you have become comfortable with, even when you stuggle. You just seem to adapt to the struggle. I am not sure the facility I am going to go to will be much better, but at least I will only be 5 miles from home verses 45 miles. I will take a cut in pay as well, but if it is better than it is worth the cut. Even if it not, it's worth sparing my miles on my car.

kidluvinRN · Oct 9, 2003

I resigned my first nursing position just recently, after almost three years. I also had multiple reasons for leaving, but gave admin. the most palatable. The new job hours were better for my family. I worked my two weeks and left! There was some attitude from admin but mostly because they had to replace me. I did fill out a HR exit survey anonomously and stated some of my REAL reasons. . made me feel better but probably not as effective as what I wanted to do. . . :devil: That CYA instinct is hard to shake. Good luck to you.

erroridiot · Oct 10, 2003

I gave a reason for resignation and stated facts that administration did not want to hear when I resigned from a job 15 years ago. I was blacklisted, and called into the nurse manager's office two days before my last day and told terrible things about myself - three weeks after a glowing evaluation.

I learned valuable lessons from this experience.

No reason for resignation is required - ever. My resignation letters simply state "I am resigning from this position. My last date of work will be two weeks from today. Thank you for your consideration." Some people and institutions take a resignation personally and are offended by it. For these personality types, any reason for resignation can be used against you for years to come. Unfortunately, some vindictive and destructive people do work in the medical profession - and some can be very twisted.

I never engage in any "exit interview". If it is "required", I fill it out with a simple no comment or state that I have no comment. My current manager is evaluated on recruitment and retention of staff. She is graded by how many people resign. She is ruthless in her efforts to keep people from leaving and can become very devious in her efforts to do so. Human resources in return can use exit interviews against managers - who ultimately will be required to give some kind of recommendation - or who can blacklist you "under the table" for spite.

I have not had any problem with the no reason - no comment exit. This type of exit is neat and clean, avoids destruction and allows everyone to "keep their cool".

Hope this helps.

cannoli · Oct 10, 2003

erroridiot, do you work in an HCA facility, by any chance?

erroridiot · Oct 10, 2003

I have never worked for HCA.

cannoli · Oct 10, 2003

The reason I asked is because one floor was losing a lot of staff, and the last person that wanted to leave, I was told the nurse manager cried and begged that person to stay. The person did end up staying, I don't know why.

I couldn't believe it when I heard she cried. When you said a manager was evaluated on retention, I thought maybe that was the case here. This is a HCA facility.

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Oct 11, 2003

HCA managers have been the brunt of poor evaluations for the last 3 years. This is due to a poll taken and all answers are confidential, that said, they find ways to "redefine" the answers. HCA like most for profit hospitals have low morale issues, use threats and mandatory overtime to fill staffing spaces, equiptment is poor and not enough of it, benefits for employees are high in cost and it takes action from an attorney to sometimes get care at facilities, for an employee or their family that is needed and that HCA does not provide. I could go on and on but HCA is not a good orginization to be an employee.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2003

Originally posted by erroridiot
I gave a reason for resignation and stated facts that administration did not want to hear when I resigned from a job 15 years ago. I was blacklisted, and called into the nurse manager's office two days before my last day and told terrible things about myself - three weeks after a glowing evaluation.

I learned valuable lessons from this experience.

No reason for resignation is required - ever. My resignation letters simply state "I am resigning from this position. My last date of work will be two weeks from today. Thank you for your consideration." Some people and institutions take a resignation personally and are offended by it. For these personality types, any reason for resignation can be used against you for years to come. Unfortunately, some vindictive and destructive people do work in the medical profession - and some can be very twisted.

I never engage in any "exit interview". If it is "required", I fill it out with a simple no comment or state that I have no comment. My current manager is evaluated on recruitment and retention of staff. She is graded by how many people resign. She is ruthless in her efforts to keep people from leaving and can become very devious in her efforts to do so. Human resources in return can use exit interviews against managers - who ultimately will be required to give some kind of recommendation - or who can blacklist you "under the table" for spite.

I have not had any problem with the no reason - no comment exit. This type of exit is neat and clean, avoids destruction and allows everyone to "keep their cool".

Hope this helps.

I had an experience identical to the one described by erroridiot in her first paragraph above.

erroridiot- great advice in your post!