Should I leave my current job?

caliotter3 · Nov 12, 2009

I would stay put and gain more experience so that you have less misgivings about being able to handle a new environment. Once you feel confident enough, you will be able to move on without thinking that you might be caught unawares. If you were to start at a new position, they would be looking to see someone who is not fresh out of school and would not expect to be giving you too much guidance from scratch. Your post states that you expect more sick patients to go to more seasoned nurses. That says you aren't ready to go elsewhere as an "experienced" nurse.

lorelei1973 · Nov 12, 2009

My comment is very basic: Don't leave your current job until you've secured a new one. Don't fall prey to the "Grass is Greener" syndrome. I would suggest that you decide what makes you unhappy about your current hospital. If it's ICU work, then I'm curious why you think moving to a new ICU would make much difference in your job satisfaction. If it's hospital politics, or personnel issues, you will probably never find a workplace (for long, anyway) where those problems don't exist. If the problem is that you feel like management passes you over based on your experience level, maybe have a talk with your DON to share your concerns in a *very* positive manner. Try to find out what You can do to make this a better place for you to work, rather than what They can do.

Reminisce · Nov 12, 2009

I am not a nurse so my opinion may not count for much but, I think it is very unhealthy to be in a place where you feel unhappy. :twocents:

mamamerlee, LPN · Nov 12, 2009

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CURRENT POSITION UNTIL YOU HAVE A NEW ONE. Yes , I am shouting at you. Try to figure out what it is you need/want, why you are still not getting the 'sick' patients, what makes you think that another ICU will be better. Hook up with the EAP at your business; talking to someone may help you gain some insight. Best wishes!

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 12, 2009

I am not a nurse so my opinion may not count for much but, I think it is very unhealthy to be in a place where you feel unhappy.

I see that you are very new here and very young. What you will learn as you get a little more life experience is that everyone has "ups" and "downs" in life. We all experience times when we don't like our jobs for a while. But it's important to assess the situation carefully (as the OP is doing) before making such an important life decision. Running away at the first sign of unhappiness is often a mistake -- a mistake that someone will regret later.

New nurses often have trouble adjusting to the realities of working day-to-day as a staff nurse -- week after week, month after month, thinking about doing that same job year after year. They frequently run away from that first workplace because their worklife is not as exciting or as fulfilling as they dreamed it would be. Some jump from job to job in the first few years of their careers, searching for a "perfect" work environment that doesn't exist in reality. Later, they realize that there was nothing really wrong with that first job -- or their second -- or their third. The problem was just their difficulty in adjusting from being a student to being a professional nurse. But in the process of jumping from job to job frequently, they have given themselves a bad reputation as an employee.

Sometimes it's best to stay a little while longer and work through the imperfections of your workplace and to use that experience as one that strengthens you and teaches you lessons that will help you when the time is really right to move on.

To the OP: What is it about your current workplace that is causing you so much trouble? Perhaps they are solvable problems that we could help you with. What makes you think another ICU will make you happy?

webmansx, ASN, RN · Nov 12, 2009

To the original poster...I feel your pain..I am a fairly new nurse myself. The others are right. there is no job that is perfect. You might move to another hospital and find that its worse than the one you left. just relax, take a deep breath, you have what is called the new grad itch syndrome :)

every new grad gets this at some point in their 1st year on the job. For some it comes as early as the first few weeks, for some about the 5 or 8th month. Whatever you do, no matter how "bad" things get do not leave. Saty there for a year. Mark the days on a calender and cross them out one by one if you have to, but stay for a full year! Why?

1. It proves to other potential employers that you are not flighty

2. Gives you time to learn to work through problems, most of them resolve on their own after a year or so.

3. You are getting valuble experience, which you will use when you do move somewhere else.

Good luck, just HANG IN THERE!!! YOU CAN DO IT :) :)

Reminisce · Nov 12, 2009

Hey llg, Thank you very much for teaching me that little lesson, If and when I become a nurse I will be sure to remember that when times get ruff.

guislander · Nov 12, 2009

I too feel your pain. I do however agree with previous posters. It's worth sticking out the full year. Even a bad work environment will teach you something. I dislike the hospital I'm at, but stick out a full year and I know even though it's been hard. I learned from the difficult environment. besides that way you aren't competing with new grads for a job. Also, think outside hospital/nursing home, when you do look. nursing is THE most fexible profession there is. Good luck.

jotond · Nov 12, 2009

I had a similar experience when I started nursing. I first worked in an ICU that was small and fairly limited. I was mostly interested in cardiology but that was a small segment of our patient population. I was there for about 8 months when I got hired for a residency program in a CVICU at a large teaching institution that had a large volume of open heart surgery patients. It was a great move, and I never regretted not sticking it out at the first place. I learned a lot more than I would have had I stayed.

I agree with other posters - figure out specifically what it is that makes you unhappy at your current job. I would also start looking around to see what else is out there, but these days I know that's not much. But I don't think you should stay in a job just for the sake of staying, if there are other opportunities that you think will be more enriching to your experience. But at the same time, the one year of ICU will be invaluable for your next adventure. Good luck!

nurseg09 · Nov 12, 2009

I would have to agree with the other replies. Stick to your current job and hopefully the wind will blow over. Getting that 1 year of experience is soooooo important right now. In the current economical situation, I think you are blessed to have a job. But really think about what it is that makes you unhappy. Good luck with your decision!