Wanting to quit orientation, new grad, please advise

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2012

The first thing I would do is arrange to get a new preceptor, ASAP. This preceptor has bad habits that you as a new nurse should never pick up. Are you able to speak to the nurse manager or CNS or nurse educator about your concerns? You need to have a preceptor that WANTS to teach you, not one that was assigned to precept unwillingly. Take steps to change preceptors now. You don't want to continue with this preceptor and have her sign off on skills that you have not fully learned. Because once you're on your own, it will show whether or not you can do the tasks required and whether your critical thinking skills are forming. From the sounds of it, she has the ability to lie about anything you did or did not do. Time to make a big change.

bella1234 · Oct 25, 2012

The first thing I would do is arrange to get a new preceptor, ASAP. This preceptor has bad habits that you as a new nurse should never pick up. Are you able to speak to the nurse manager or CNS or nurse educator about your concerns? You need to have a preceptor that WANTS to teach you, not one that was assigned to precept unwillingly. Take steps to change preceptors now. You don't want to continue with this preceptor and have her sign off on skills that you have not fully learned. Because once you're on your own, it will show whether or not you can do the tasks required and whether your critical thinking skills are forming. From the sounds of it, she has the ability to lie about anything you did or did not do. Time to make a big change.

Hi Paco, thank you for taking the time to respond. I have decided that I no longer want to work for this unit but I might want to work for the hospital again later in the future on a different unit. How do I go about quitting without being on the do not rehire list? Arranging for a new preceptor would be a problem because it took them four days to finally convince the nurse I am with to orient me as no other nurses wanted to or already has an orientee.

sckimrn · Oct 25, 2012

Look up the policy on terminating employment and follow it. In my facility, we have to give a written 30 day notice. In your notice, state that you are thankful for the opportunity, but have decided to take a job with XYZ facility and try to cite some vague reasons, like closer to home or something like that. As long as you follow the policy, there should not be a problem. Also make sure you set up an exit interview with human resources. You can give them a little more insight if you wish. But definitely get off that floor. Unfortunately, during interviews, we are often not told the real truth and sometimes it is because the manager does not know the truth. But she obviously should know the nurse to patient ratio. RUN AND DON'T LOOK BACK!!! GOOD LUCK!! Sorry your first experience was a bad one, it will get better.

bella1234 · Oct 25, 2012

Look up the policy on terminating employment and follow it. In my facility, we have to give a written 30 day notice. In your notice, state that you are thankful for the opportunity, but have decided to take a job with XYZ facility and try to cite some vague reasons, like closer to home or something like that. As long as you follow the policy, there should not be a problem. Also make sure you set up an exit interview with human resources. You can give them a little more insight if you wish. But definitely get off that floor. Unfortunately, during interviews, we are often not told the real truth and sometimes it is because the manager does not know the truth. But she obviously should know the nurse to patient ratio. RUN AND DON'T LOOK BACK!!! GOOD LUCK!! Sorry your first experience was a bad one, it will get better.

Thank you, I will look into my employment handbook. I was so excited to be hired at this hospital and on the med surg unit! I had turned down three job offers for new grad residency because I wanted to be able to solidified myself as a new nurse by taking on the med surg position then move to ICU. I do not plan on outing the nurse because I believe every nurse has their own way of working. She has been a nurse for over 20 years and probably knows what she is doing. Her way of prioritizing is different from what I learned in nursing school and clinical. I had a call this morning for an interview at another hospital for a ICU position, I went ahead and scheduled it.

It really sucks that it has come to me wanting to quit so soon.

Ms.MayaRN · Oct 25, 2012

I was seven weeks into my orientation at a busy hospital in Brooklyn and I was fired without a notice. I didn't even see it coming. I posted the thread about my experience. I know you don't want to burn your bridges but if your unhappy is just a matter of time before they(anyone) throws you under the bus.

My advice would be to state .

1.You have a personal matter and need to resign.

or 2. Walk in egg shells protecting your back, do as your preceptor tells you and start looking for another job.

JessiekRN · Oct 25, 2012

I hope you're not thinking about quitting because of one lousy nurse. Nurses are like any other group- all kinds of personalities. It's not easy to find a job these days, and if you're only thinking of leaving because of a bad orientation, I think you'll find out that might have been a mistake. Talk to your education director ASAP. If she doesn't help to find you a new- and MUCH- better, preceptor, speak to the charge nurse about the issues. Way back when I oriented right out of school I had a preceptor who sounds just like yours. Burnt out and lazy. I knew I wouldn't learn anything- or at the least, I'd pick up some very undesirable habits. I spoke to the educational director, who had no idea. I got a new preceptor and a great orientation. Speak up, instead of quitting!

JessiekRN · Oct 25, 2012

Just read where you posted about finding a new preceptor- sorry. I would still talk to them and see what they can do- they should not be hiring nurses if they do not have enough appropriate nurses for training. When I was around on med surg log enough to be a preceptor, we had an influx of new nurses and the new ones out numbered those who were competent to teach. Some of our newer nurses were floated to another, but similar, med surg department to orient, then came back when they were done. Maybe this is a possibility for you. A bad preceptor is not a good solution.

Snowbird17 · Oct 26, 2012

" I do not plan on outing the nurse because I believe every nurse has their own way of working. She has been a nurse for over 20 years and probably knows what she is doing. Her way of prioritizing is different from what I learned in nursing school and clinical."

Really?!?!?!? You do not plan on outing a nurse who lies about assessing patients, gives all meds at once and then changes the times, and sits on her butt surfing the internet while her patients lay in urine.... because she has been doing it for 20 years??? Her way is different from what you learned because it is wrong, illegal, and shows really crappy character.

She is jeopardizing patient safety, care and outcomes. Wow. Don't be afraid to stand up for what's right and report her all the way up the ladder. Regardless of whether you leave or not, don't allow this behavior to continue because you are afraid of burning a bridge or looking bad. Because we all know that is the real reason you would let this slide. You know what they say about Karma....

"I believe every nurse has their own way of working.". isn't fooling anyone.

vickyvic1 · Oct 26, 2012

The first step is to speak with Nurse manager and ask her for a new preceptor. The preceptor you have does not necessarily know what she is doing just because she has been there for 20 years. That nurse gives the good nurses a bad name. She has no respect for her ancillary staff. The cleanliness of your patients is "YOUR" responsibility. The ancillary staff work with you, but the care of that patient fall on YOU. They are not going to call the CNA into court when they get a pressure ulcer, they will call you in.

Moving on to copying someone else's assessment... I can't even believe that she hasn't been caught doing that. That is totally unethical and unprofessional, not to mention dangerous. She is lucky that she hasn't lost her license. Please don't pick up her bad habits. There is nothing worse than following a nurses that doesn't want to be a preceptor. I have been lucky that I have alway had people that wanted to teach. There was one day when I didn't because my preceptor called in sick. They placed me with one of the more senior nurses. It was the worst day. I went ahead did what I knew was correct and then spoke with my manager and the charge nurse as asked that if this situation happened again that I would prefer to be placed with another nurses. I just told them that she appeared not to be interested in being a preceptor. There were plenty of other nurses there that were competent enough for me to follow. They said that it was not a problem and I didn't have to go into too many details. I think the delivery of what you are saying needs to be professional and respectful. It is not your job to oust the bad nurses (at least not when you first step into the facility), but it is your responsibility to preform you duties within your scope of practice and provide safe care to your patients. Has your manager asked you how things are going? She should be checking in with you on a regular basis. If you don't feel that you can approach her call the Nurse educators and speak to them. Both my educators and managers told us to come to them if there were any problems. And you should. You have worked too hard for your license to lose it over a lazy nurse. And trust me, that nurse will not back you up if for some reason, something comes up while you are following her. She will throw you under the bus. As a new nurses you also need to learn to stand up to other nurses as well. Your preceptor is a good person to start with. I would question her on why she thinks its appropriate copying someone else's assessment. Find a patient where the assessment is different and prove her wrong.

bella1234 · Oct 30, 2012

Thank you so much for all the response! As a new grad I believe that I am not in the position of going to the manager and outing the nurse that I am precepting with. What do I know, I'm just a new grad! I am dreading it, literally to go into work everyday. I had become a bitter and angry person since I began. Now I am wondering if I made the wrong choice as to become a nurse. When I decided to become a nurse, I wanted to help people, wanted to alleviate their emotional and physical needs. This hospital made me realize that it's not the case.

I am tired of coming into work hearing the majority of nurses moaning and groaning about all the patients. There is so much negativism going on here that it made me a negative person as well. I do hope that the hospital that I am interviewing does not have this sort of attitude.

There are three other interns I am with and they are sick of it as well. They are looking for some place else to work and had been applying to other hospitals.

Again thank you for responding!

thenursemandy · Oct 31, 2012

I've tried to do the right thing by reporting a nurse similar to your preceptor. Nothing happened. They didn't care. I've learned after 8 years that every facility has at least a few unethical slackers. You can't change them. All you can do is do your job to the best of your abilities.