Should I quit now?

[acmt27, BSN, RN]

Long post but skip to the last paragraph for the main jist of my issues.

I have been considering quitting my current position for a while now (like, since before COVID was a thing in every hospital). I work in telemetry, where we are chronically understaffed. I usually have 5 patients (and these are not med surg level people) and rarely ever have a tech to help the unit (we are supposed to have 2 per unit). Add to that the anxiety I have been facing as I am sometimes floated to the COVID tele unit, and I live with a roommate who would be at high risk if I expose her to COVID.

Now here's the kinda complicated web of entanglements making me unsure of whether I should stick it out.

I want to work in an ICU. That's always been my goal since I have always wanted to be a CRNA. I've only been a nurse for about a year and a half. I was trying to apply to level one hospitals in my area, but then COVID happened and it seemed like no one was hiring. Now people are hiring again so I've been sending out applications. I interviewed with the head of a major level one hospital's medical transplant ICU. I should be hearing back from them late this week or next week, since they have a few more people to interview.

When I told my nurse manager about my applications to other hospitals (I initially didn't want to tell her until I got an offer but I needed a manager's reference), she got in touch with our director about getting me a position in our level one SICU, since she wants me to stay with the hospital. I greatly appreciate her for this. But I'm not sure if I want to stay with this hospital. We are a safety net level one working in a major urban area. We get the patients no one else wants to deal with, many do not have any health insurance, some are abusive to staff- it's incredibly stressful.

Here's my main pickle- do I stay in case my director can help secure a spot at my current hospital's SICU, which I'm not even confident I want to work in, or do I pull the plug and resign, hoping I can get a spot in another ICU? I'm afraid that if I resign now and don't get the offer for the medical transplant ICU, I'll be stuck and resigning will reflect badly on me in future applications. Or will it? I have never resigned before. I have the funds to lose my income for quite a while, but I don't want to experience trouble finding another job when I only want to be in an ICU.

Any input is appreciated, thanks!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

You are newish, so you don't know this yet, but you aren't going to be any more or less abused in a non-safety net hospital. In fact, it leans more toward entitled people and families and therefore can often be more stressful when dealing with patients and families, not less.

If your current organization thinks enough of you to move you and you are at a Level I trauma center, you will find the experience to be very good for your career to stay where you are. If you resign without a job lined up, you are going to be challenged to find another period, let alone in an ICU with no ICU experience, due to Covid.

I would ask for an internship arrangement with SICU where you are. Different units can be like working in a completely different organization. In my opinion, it would be silly not to try the position, as it is going to be much more uphill to try and get one outside of where you are. The one where you are, if you can thrive in it, will set your career up for almost any way you wish to go in the future.

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Jobs are really tough right now so I would not actually resign until you have a concrete offer.

Generally, you will receive an offer very quickly if the unit wants you. I don’t see why waiting til the end of the week or even next week will hurt either position. Either ICU would be good experience for you and looks great on a resume. All you have to do is stay for a year - it sounds like you are well liked for your manager to go to these lengths. That’s wonderful!

Just being honest - most hospitals are all about the patient satisfaction so I don’t think yours is unique. Most will have very similar demands. The difference is generally ICU patients are quite ill and will appreciate the care you give more.

[amoLucia]

On ‎7‎/‎29‎/‎2020 at 11:41 AM, Nurse SMS said:

You are newish, so you don't know this yet, but you aren't going to be any more or less abused in a non-safety net hospital. In fact, it leans more toward entitled people and families and therefore can often be more stressful when dealing with patients and families, not less.

Ain't this the truth!! Add to this witch's brew, physicians who aim to please these pts & families at all costs. And Administration who will kow-tow ad nauseam.

Off topic ...

[WookieeRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I work in a safety net level 1 trauma center in a urban city and I am treated amazingly by our nursing administration. Patients also behave just the same as when I worked at a level 1 in a nicer area so I’m not quite sure what you’re trying to say there. The nursing administration as that hospital treated us like dirt and as expendable because of their name. Same mix of insured versus uninsured, too. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot for a maybe, in my opinion.