Six months into first RN job, ready to bolt!

Nurses New Nurse

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Specializes in GI and Telemetry.

I've been working on a tele unit for 6 months now, and am ready to look for a new position. My unit is extremely busy (not to mentioned understaffed), and I work a D/N 12hour rotation. I can't complain about working 3x/week, but the night shifts and 12 hour days are taking a toll

on my family and my body.

So here's my conumdrum - I really like and admire the majority of my co-workers, and have met some wonderful doctors, techs and patients. I've learned so much from my preceptors and other nurses with more experience than myself. But I feel the pull and tug of my family's needs, and realize that they come first. So am I a failure for looking for something else, after only 6 months? I love being a nurse, especially the teaching part, but feel torn about this decision. I'm not that crazy about tele that much either - liked it at first, now realize it's really not my first interest. And how will this look to prospective employers?

Any advice, experience, etc. would be most welcome, thanks!

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Well, obviously family comes first, but it sounds more like the shift itself is what's giving you the trouble, not the job. Is it possible to move to either 12 hour days OR 8 hour days or evenings? I work the 7p-7a shift, and it's something of a struggle to get family needs done, but I figure it's only three nights a week, so I manage.

As for leaving after only six months, I know you're going to get varied responses, but my own opinion is DON'T. I honestly don't think it ever looks good on a resume, particularly a new grad who has just started. My nurse manager recently interviewed someone (we're also always understaffed!) but did NOT hire her because of her track record: new grad, GN program at another hospital, they of course spent time and money on her orientation and such, and she quit six days shy of six months from her start date. So my nurse manager figured she didn't want to invest the same kind of time and money on her if she wasn't dedicated enough to stay and work things out with the hospital. Just want to give you that perspective, so you can think it over.

Obviously if it's an unbearable situation, if they are renegging on promises made at the time of hire, if it's something so blatantly bad that any other employer would never hold it against you, that's different. But it sounds like maybe if you WENT to your boss and discussed this, you might be able to get a shift change or even switch to a different unit, rather than quitting like that.

Now, if you give it all your best effort and you really do NOT want to work there and DO want to cut back to part-time for family reasons (and your facility won't let you), then I don't see how an employer interviewing you for a part-time job could hold that against you at all. Per diem is an option, too, without it being a huge big deal.

Best of luck in whatever you decide!

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I agree with RNsRWe. It doesn't sound like your situation is all that bad. I think you should stick it out a little while longer and fulfill your moral obligation to your current employer. The cost of orienting a new grad typically runs from $25,000 to $50,000 depending upon the specifics of the situation. Employers want to recoup some of that expense by having you stay and actually work for a while providing the patient care you have been educated to provide. There's a good reason why employers are hesitant to hire nurses who jump from job to job frequently.

Is it possible for you to work in your current job a little less? Talk with your manager and tell her how much you like the unit, respect her and the staff, etc. etc. etc. ... but that that hours are making things difficult at home. Ask her if you can cut back a little. Can you cut backt o 2 shifts per week instead of 3? ... or compromise at 5 shifts in a 2-week period instead of 6? Maybe it would help to design your schedule a little differently -- e.g. work 3 day shifts one week and 3 night shifts the next ... or 2 weeks of day, then 2 weeks of nights, etc. whatever would work best for you. Give her a chance to help you work out something that will make things a little better for you.

Also, work with your family a little. What can you do on the home front to help them cope better with the fact that Mommy is a nurse now and has more committments outside the home now? Certainly other people have dealt with whatever problems you're dealing with and they can give you some advice on how to handle them. Single moms hold down full time Nursing Jobs all the time -- and their families turn out just fine. The people here at allnurses can probably help you with some of those things.

So .. work with your manager to try to ease things up on the work front a little -- and work with your family problems to ease things up on the home front a little -- and stick it out a little longer. Try to stay for at least a year if you can, even if it gets a little tough. Life isn't always easy, but sometime, we just have to dig in and do what needs to the difficult thing.

If you feel you MUST change jobs because conditions become worse ... then DON'T just jump to any old job. Two short-term jobs in a row will look really bad on your resume forever and you will need to stick with that 2nd job for a while. Be sure you are not going from a tough, but OK situation to a really bad one.

Is there any possibility that you could stay on per diem at your current job (to be able to show on your resume that you were a success on that first job) while you work another job? For example, you might be able to find a part time job elsewhere and just work 1 or 2 shifts per pay period at your current job for a year or two.

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Specializes in GI and Telemetry.

Thanks for both your replies.

I have spoken with my manager about this; if I could find someone to switch shifts w/me, it would work out, which is fine w/me. However, due to my spouse's work schedule, eow is not an option for us. I've already mulled over the PRN idea, and if this other opportunity I have becomes reality, then I'll present that to them.

This isn't my first nursing job per se - I worked as an LPN in a GI practice for 9 months before getting into a mobility program, so all told I have 15 months experience, not to mention 20+ years in another job before I switched careers. Plus I've come to the realization that I'm not a 'hospital nurse'. Some people are, and God bless them, but I'm not.

So there you have it!

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Well, I think it's wise and prudent to check out the job market in your area before you decide to switch out. Can you get another job right away? Or is it difficult to find and land jobs in your geographical area? If it is a tight market I'd say stay where you are for a year, at least. If the market is wide open, then I would go ahead and say adios to the current job.

Yes, the hospital has put time and money into your training, but when push comes to shove, if many hospitals cared more to provide a good working environment for their nurses, more nurses would probably stay there longer......Besides which, would they back you up if you needed something from THEM? Or would they tell you to not let the door hit you in the rear on your way out? I guess I'm trying to say that most companies/hospitals don't feel like they owe their employees anything (more money, more respect, better conditions), so why should we feel that we owe them anything? It's a two-way street.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Good advice above. Sounds like you've pretty much made up your mind to leave, if not now, then soon.

If perspective employers are short staffed and in need then they'll not worry about you switching out so fast. On the other hand non-hospital jobs like you seek might be hard to come by for a new RN.

Good luck in whatever you do.

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I agree with the poster who suggested to research the job market in your area. Here in the SF Bay Area I've seen many many jobs for people that require 6 mos. experience, and I several of my friends left their positions after 6-9 mos to move onto greener pastures. Good luck!

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Specializes in GI and Telemetry.

I left the tele unit last month, after having found a job outside the hospital setting. Fewer hours, no nights/weekends/holidays, plus the ability to do cognitive assessments which I enjoy very much. My former co-workers do keep in touch with me, and I'm very happy that I made the switch. Most importantly, my family is very happy with this new position, and we are all much less stressed out. Do I miss the unit? I truly miss the people I worked with, but don't miss the politics and stress of working in a hospital. So for now, it was a great move!

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Specializes in cardiac/education.

I am so glad things worked out for you! Sometimes you just gotta take a chance.....and it paid off for you.

Good Luck in your new job!;)

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I went through something similar to this in my first job in ICU. I left the facility after only 10 months and have been working fulltime psych (my passion) for over a year now. I had no problem getting hired at my current facility, but I had also been working here PRN for 4 months when I asked for and received fulltime status.

I know that jumping from job to job doesn't look good on your resume, but frankly. Life is too short to be unhappy. Just my $.02

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