Shortest amount of time at job?

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What is the shortest amount of time some of you have stayed in an LPN position during your careers? I have been at my first LPN job 4 months now, and have already been thinking of leaving to find something else. It's a stressful position, with low pay. I hope to stay there at least 6 months as of now. I work part time though, so I worry 6 months part time isn't enough to put on a future resume. Any advice from fellow veteran LPNs?

Specializes in pediatrics, geriatric, developmentally d.
Have been hired for two employers who never offered me any work, so I would have to classify "never working" as being the shortest time for me. Of course, I never bother to list these employers. When I went to the office to update my personnel file with one of them, the receptionist had the gall to tell me to fill out a new application for employment. I was quick to tell her, no thank you, and haven't bothered with them since.

OMG! same with me! 2 staffing agencies so called "hired" me took a picture for my badge and the whole shabang but never once called me for an assignment there was never ONE call til this day so i was "hired" but never was assigned to any patients so i dont list those on my resumes...however the last job i worked i worked there for 6 months. i needed 6 months exp to get this job i have now so right when my 6 months mark hit i was out the door. i made it work perfect because i wrote the schedules (i was facility manager) so my 2 weeks waas written up for the last pay period. i didnt have to go back and pick up the last check..and good riddance.

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If I remember you said it was your first job? I know my first job SUCKED but that's why it was the first. No one wanted to hire a nurse with no experience. I sucked it up, did my year, then found a job that I thought I would like better. Sometimes it's hard to sneak in that first year somewhere. Without that first year of practice I would have never gotten the other opportunities that I did get. I would say stick with it as long as possible, then make sure you have something else lined up. ALWAYS leave on a good note like the above poster mentioned. You never know when it might be the only job open in town in a few years. This particular supervisor may be the sup. at another place also in the future. Nurses network, get a bad rep and you could have a difficult time when looking for different jobs. I would list it as a job that you held because you need the experience at this point. I would never tell a future employer that you left because it was under-staffed; because it can happen anywhere at anytime and I wouldn't want them having the impression if it got that way you'd leave.

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Very nice example of a resignation letter given by The commuter. No matter how terribly I've been treated I ALWAYS make sure to thank them for the opportunity to blah blah blah. Owloveyou is absolutely right, I know there must be ONE RN or LPN out there who liked their first job.. but I haven't met any yet! The longer you can hang in there the better it will be for your future prospects.

I worked at one LTC for psych where no one who left was having any luck finding a new position. Everyone I worked with was suspicious that management was giving negative reviews. The MDS coordinater, Activities Directer, head social worker & myself decided to list each other as work references. We all were able to secure new jobs pretty quickly.

Kboo4656; I'd never make it in pediatric hospice! I'm sure I'd need medication for depression. Thank God there are nurses who find this is their calling.

ChristinP...I had an experience where a CNA slapped a pt too! I was orienting a new nurse at a LTC when a W/C bound pt rolled up to me & started kicking at me. Everyone there, including the CNA, knew he had a psych dx, & I just stepped back out of his reach. Before I even had a chance to respond to the pt, the CNA grabbed his hand & slapped it, the way a parent might slap a misbehaving child on the hand. The CNA was very angry with me because I wrote up an incident report & reported to the supervising nurse & DON...who decided a verbal reprimand was sufficient "because she didn't slap the pt hard & wasn't trying to hurt him" (!!) I even worked one place where an RN thought it was amusing to tell a pt with Schizo affective D/O "9/9/99 is the end of the world". I notified the DON on that one, but I haden't heard him say it to the pt, the pt came to me frantically asking if it were the end of the world, & when I asked where she got that idea, she told me "nurse x said so". When I asked him he just laughed.

Reading all of your stories is reminding me of things I'd chosen to forget! Not all nursing jobs are terrible. When you eventually find one where you're comfortable (you WILL) hang onto it tightly!

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Thanks so much again for everyone's wonderful advice. I know that you are all right. When I leave, I do need to leave on a good note, and plan to do so. I hope to make it there at least 6 mos., but will just have to see how things go. I also think you are all right in saying the longer I'm there, the better for me in the future... thanks again...

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Start looking now, as it may take you many months to find a new job. If you get a better offer take it. Don't wait six months. I disagree with folks that say you must stay six months or a year at a job with untenable working conditions. Choose your next position carefully so you don't jump into a similar situation, however.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Start looking now, as it may take you many months to find a new job. If you get a better offer take it. Don't wait six months. I disagree with folks that say you must stay six months or a year at a job with untenable working conditions. Choose your next position carefully so you don't jump into a similar situation, however.

The original poster does not need to work in order to live because she is fortunate enough to have a spouse who can support the family on a single income. She plans to return to being a stay-at-home mother during the summer once she resigns from this job.

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Specializes in none.

Shortest 15 minutes. I decided that the job wasn't for me when I walked into the DON's office and he said, "You are early, I feel like punching you out. I did a military about face and walked out the door. I heard from a cop friend of mine later. They were called to that place at about 7 PM because the DON had climbed on top of the soda machine and wouldn't come down. My friend,who is very compassionate said, "That guy was so loco in the coco we had to put him on the Disoriented Express and ship him up to Wonderland." To this day I don't know happen to him.

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Shortest 15 minutes. I decided that the job wasn't for me when I walked into the DON's office and he said, "You are early, I feel like punching you out. I did a military about face and walked out the door. I heard from a cop friend of mine later. They were called to that place at about 7 PM because the DON had climbed on top of the soda machine and wouldn't come down. My friend,who is very compassionate said, "That guy was so loco in the coco we had to put him on the Disoriented Express and ship him up to Wonderland." To this day I don't know happen to him.

OMG, That's crazy! I wouldn't have taken the job either! lol

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Well, I've decided to give my 2 weeks notice this Thursday. Could use some thoughts & prayers. I know my boss is going to be upset that I'm leaving, but I really don't care. Their negative attitude is one of the many reasons I've decided to go! Wish me luck! lol

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Hospice, Palliative Care.

I worked at a place for five days (well, two days were indoctrination (corporate orientation stuff) days, and maybe those don't count). I left after finding three serious med errors that were swept under the rug; hearing the nurses say that they never wear gloves because they don't have the time; and forget about washing hands; and lack of an orientation schedule. The patients seemed fairly happy, but I realized that it wasn't an environment that I could thrive in, and left. Sometime it is better to cut your losses early.

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