Resigning

[hazyblue]

I know and I have always received advice not to burn any bridges when you quit your job but I'm really very conflicted right now. I know that you're not suppose to write abrasive things to your employer but I feel like if I don't write the true reason of my resignation (which is very critical of the system), I will be the "problem". Granted that my reactions may not be the best, I believe that it's not unusual.

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What will you people do, if you're taken under, let's just say, some-kind of a bridging course to be a nurse, and not once did you receive any actual training to be a nurse?

Me, I accepted the fact. I understood the situation. I have to pay my dues as an ancillary care staff. I made myself think that they'll eventually have to give me training that is due if I pass the local nursing exam and, I am so passing that exam.

What will you do if you've already passed the local nursing exam and has been given license to practice but still you weren't started/included in the hospital's training program?

At first, I waited. I patiently waited. Then, I found out that other areas provide training/preceptors to their trainees even if they haven't passed the nursing exam yet. I eventually complained and some things did change. However, as a nurse with experience before coming to this employment, I knew that that is not how nurse training works. I complained again. I had thrown in phrases like "if you're not going to let me work as a nurse then at least transfer me." I didn't want to swallow my pride working under people who aren't nice.

Eventually, I stopped bothering to continue studying nursing. I couldn't even bother to improve my local language skills. I just saw no point anymore. The closest contact that I could get with a patient is when I change diapers. Who needs in-depth nursing knowledge on that? The longest discussion I could have is when I'm handing out food and it's not really lengthy because you have to do other stuff to. Who needs native level language skills with that? Anyway, I just see no point in working hard.

Now, apparently, I have this image as an indifferent/lazy person who doesn't know how to persevere. I feel like I have to address this in my resignation letter. I am not working hard enough?! Why do they think that I passed the freaking local nursing exam? By my inborn intelligence alone? Oh, f- no. I want to remind them that they barely supported us "trainees". I was crying forcing myself to study after our heavy workload. I don't understand. You can't just **** on people's dreams and effort and expect them to jump through hoops for you. Okay, maybe I've developed that bad habit of clocking in and out exactly on time, but it's not like I'm a real nurse now. What's the point? I do the tasks assigned of me better than the actually ancillary staff. Okay, I'm not better at everything but I can say that I'm the only one who thoroughly cleans toilets when I'm on duty. Besides, I feel like if I do put in an effort in being a diligent employee, it will give them an idea that I am okay with the things that they are doing to me. I am not okay. Even the law should say that it's not okay.

Maybe they find me unenthusiastic because I'm not interacting frequently with others during break time and such. What? What?! You expect me suck up to people who are treating me like I'm a lesser human being? Sure, I don't think faking niceness is a bad thing anymore but I believe that even faked niceness must only given to people who a properly fake nice to you.

What would you do if after all those things, your chief nurse (and the like) told you that you aren't being discriminated. What would you do if you told you're feelings of not being a real nurse to your chief nurse and the response you get is "This is (enter country's name)." Then she adds, "how come the other foreign nurses are doing fine as nurses?"

"Well, I highly doubt it that they are made to wash soiled sheets in their floors!" I told her not. That was a fact though. At that point I was just feeling so low that a part of me was thinking that it is my fault.

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This has gotten long that I forgot my original intent...Oh, yeah. I was thinking of writing the real reason why I am resigning and the thing is that the aforementioned ones are just one part of the many reasons. I think that if I write everything that I could remember, I would definitely exceed one page. How about you people? Has anyone been honest with their resignation letter?

[SaltySarcasticSally, LPN, RN]

I'm a little confused, can you elaborate more? Are you practicing as a nurse in a different country? And are you a nursing student doing a capstone of sorts?

[Katillac, RN]

A resignation letter is just that, a communication informing your organization that after a certain date you won't be there anymore. It's not the place to vent your frustrations or to try to address ways in which you feel you have been wronged. It's considered polite to give a few words of explanation, for example pursuing other opportunities, relocating, or the generic "personal reasons". Any more than that can hurt your chances of being employed there or elsewhere in the future. Though it may briefly feel good to tell them off in your letter, it's never a good long term strategy.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I don't understand what the questions in italics are.

Sorry, your whole post was a bit TL;DR for me.

Short and sweet. "I am tendering my resignation. My last day will be X. Sincerely, Hazy Blue"

If you have an exit interview, that is when you can expound on your reasons.

[vanilla bean]

Your thread reads more like an entry that should have been in your personal journal rather than something that should be submitted to an employer (or posted on the internet). It is bitter stream of consciousness ranting that would never have the effect that you're hoping for if submitted to your employer. If you're unhappy with your current employment situation, then leave like a professional, and submit a formal letter of resignation. If you insist on submitting an "honest" resignation letter, then have at it. It would be a mistake, but you already know that.

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

As a seasoned veteran nurse I will tell you that employers don't care what you have to say, especially if it's a long-winded nonsensical rant. In fact you'll do yourself more harm than good. Nursing is a small world and if you want to survive in an era where most city hospitals are owned by a single huge corporation you'll learn to keep your feelings to yourself and just compose a short and to-the-point resignation letter for fear of earning yourself that title nobody wants: Do Not Rehire. Seriously, your feelings are valid and maybe even completely justified, but you'll earn no brownie points from expressing them to the higher ups and will just earn yourself a reputation that will be guaranteed to come back and bite you in the proverbial behind....if not now then someday. Let it go and move on.

[hazyblue]

@ klone

Yeah, it was too long for me too. Believe me when I say that I restrained myself on this post. . On exit interviews, wouldn't telling your specific reasons in an interview be just as damaging as writing it in the resignation letter?

@ SaltySarcasticSally

I can't explain it properly because the program is very specific to the...err.. host country. And, I'm not ready to talk about said country without being emotional and appearing racist-y.

Anyway, I'm a recognized nurse by their law and my contract with the hospital indicates that I'm a nurse and I have the pay grade of a nurse. That's actually one of the reason, I haven't sued them. Can I still sue if I used my salary?

[klone, MSN, RN]

@ klone

Yeah, it was too long for me too. Believe me when I say that I restrained myself on this post. . On exit interviews, wouldn't telling your specific reasons in an interview be just as damaging as writing it in the resignation letter?

It's not damaging if you don't go on a blathering rant, but rather keep your answers succinct and factual.

[jodispamodi]

Post is long and confusing, but if your asking about writing a resignation letter usually that consists of just I'm leaving on x date. If you want to vent your opinions on their perceived failings you can make an appt with hr or your manager and hand in your resignation letter at that time. Chances are they won't care, they will most likely view you as a disgruntled employee.

[hazyblue]

*sigh* Why does being professional hard? (Don't have to answer that. It's rhetorical.)

@ vanilla bean and all of alllnurses.com

Sorry. I usually just internalize all these things alone but you can only be alone for a limited amount of time before you start crying everyday. I tried talking about this with "friends" but you know what I got in response? "Just accept the fact that, as a person belonging to my race, I am an inferior being wherever I go.

@ jodispamodi

Again sorry for the long post. I really tried to keep it short. XD. But, when you've bottled a lot, it just seeps out sometimes. Yeah, I already noticed that the higher ups didn't care even before my first complaint. I mean if they cared in the first place, they would have trained us properly right at the beginning.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

It has been my experience that when one resigns (no matter how much the DON seems like a nice person) it never pays to tell them what you think on the way out. Never. Ever. Not even in the non-nurse world either.

What you'd like now is for now and the future, for you to be considered rehireable. If the facility is doing something illegal, whistle blow it elsewhere and not on your goodbye paperwork.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Yeah they really dont care why you are leaving, or probably even that you are. You won't gain anything by it, but good luck!