Should I stay or should I go?

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I was accepted into a "new grad" program at a hospital that is 60 miles away from where I live. I took the job because it seemed to have good support for new grads and it was not too far from home. Since I have been there I have seen some questionable things/actions to say the least. The support was not what I was told it was going to be, the nurse to patient ration is not what I was told, and I am questioning whether I should stay or not? Should I leave after 6 months if possible? I have quite a few connections with other hospitals closer to my home. This location is not where I want to be, some of the questionable actions I have seen I do not want to be apart of. If you have any advice I would greatly appreciate it.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical/Addiction/Mental Health.

I generally tell people to go with their gut. However, given the current market, I am less inclined to give out that advice. If you have other connections, I suppose you may be okay. The applicant pool continues to grow in the area of nursing. Not only will you be competing with new nurses, but you will also be competing with nurses with 6 months experience and nurses with more experience. When there is more supply than demand, employers can become much pickier when selecting candidates; only being at your current job for six months for example. I will be honest that I am not too happy with my current employer. However, I just don’t feel as though the present is the right time to make the change.

The grass is not greener on the other side. Facilities are searching for new ways to reduce cost including workforce reduction. In other words, you will be expected to do more with less and that may mean a higher patient ratio. Whatever you decide, good luck to you!

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Moved to our First Year After Nursing Licensure for advice.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

If you feel that there are some quality or safety issues, why don't you take some action to correct them? Gather your facts (objective data not opinions) and discuss them with your manager. Be prepared with some feasible solutions or volunteer to participate in a work group to make improvements. This will not only benefit your patients, but will also provide valuable opportunities to expand your professional expertise.

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