2 week notice guilt. Need insight.

Nurses General Nursing

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Basically got hired back in February for what felt like a dream job in a behavioral health hospital on the adolescent unit. It was to be my first nurse job (I graduated in May). I started in May & was immediately sent to orient & work on the adult unit. I tried to give the benefit of the doubt, I was hired months ago & maybe staffing situation changed, etc. Well on top of an orientation that was full of unnecessary headaches, I found out a good chunk of the hospital (nurses & techs) was hired expecting to work on the kids unit but ended up being put on the adult unit. It was almost a running joke among us all. Anyway, I settled in & enjoyed my co-workers & the overall routine of my job on nightshift. Trying to get to the point: I hate this job. The hospital runs it so people with behavioral are mixed in with people also detoxing. There used to be separation but to save money the 2 units were combined. So now I feel like I'm a detox nurse who deals with the same people coming in every few weeks / months to "detox" (read: get subutex or ativan). And theres homeless people who come in when they run out of a place to stay or money (which I don't actually mind, just mentioning to add to my point later). Anyway, on a whim I applied to a residential adoloesent rehab program. I got accepted, offered day shift, better scheduling options & ill make $3 more an hour base. Current job has plans to move me to day shift in October but that also means a pay cut. New job base pay would be the same pay I make working nights on current job. New job wants to start orientation in a little over 2 weeks. Otherwise I have to wait a whole other month. I know people who work at the new job's facility who speak highly of it & I like that im actually a) working with kids, b) better pay + schecule, c) really focusing in on behavior & mental health versus detox (not knocking people who struggle with addiction or detox nurses but if I wanted to be a detox nurse I could have went to a facility that specializes in such & got better pay than current job's low ball pay). 

There's no doubt I'm going to start in a couple weeks. Only problem is I'd be leaving in the middle of the schedule (still time to give proper 2 week written notice which is hospital's policy). Monday im calling my supervisor to let her know my plan. Two possible outcomes: she allows me to stay PRN & I work new facility's orientation around my current schedule (would be a rough week but doable) & I finish out the rest of the schedule through October while working minimum at new facility then in November go full time at new facility & PRN at current job. I like this option. I like my coworkers, the setting but just can't do this current facility 3 shifts a week every week. 

Option 2: she rejects my desire to stay on PRN & I submit my 2 week notice right there as theres no point putting myself through a week of nightmare scheduling just so I can convienance them by finishing out the last 3 weeks of the schedule.

I'm prepared to walk but hope supervisor allows me to stay on PRN. I always pick up shifts(they are short staffed on top of several planned maternity leaves coming up, 2 people leaving & another going PRN due to personal issues). Im just done working full time for a setting I didn't sign up for. I just feel general guilt for feeling like a job hopper & my supervisor is one of the better ones, usually open to communicate. Hate in general leaving them hanging with their staffing issues. 

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Sounds like classic 'bait & switch' to me. I believe you were being taken advantage of. Like as in bamboozled!

You don't owe them any loyalty as you've been employed only 4 months or so. You state "current job has plans to move me to day shift in October".  I wouldn't hold my breath!!! They've already snookered you once!!

FWIW, I say go for the new job without any reservations and no self-doubting 'what if's' or 'maybes'. And if your old job accepts you as a PRN, they become your #2 job. You schedule & plan your time around new #1, not old #2. That means your loyalty has now changed.

And there's no great lose if all the ties are cut.

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The new opportunity sounds great! 

You accepted an offer for one position, yet you were assigned another position. The hospital made the move that best fit their needs/preferences without considering yours.  Now, guilt free, you can make the move that best fits YOUR needs/preferences.  More money, better schedule, and your preferred patient population- awesome!

Your current employer's chronic staffing issues and upcoming maternity leaves on your unit aren't yours to worry about.  Those issues are for management to handle. Good nurse managers are aware that they may lose existing hourly employees at any time, and they should have a plan in place for hiring new nurses, bringing in agency nurses, offering overtime incentives, etc. to help with staffing issues. They'd be more likely to retain their existing nurses if they assigned them to the units in which the existing nurses agreed to work in the first place.  It sounds like they have a good bait and switch routine going.  I don't think many nurses hired to general pediatrics would be thrilled to realize they were really assigned to adult med surg; I think it's reasonable to assume mental health nurses feel the same way.

I definitely wouldn't ask your new employer to accommodate your old employer's PRN scheduling needs during orientation.  You want your new full time employer to feel like your #1 priority, and that would set a bad impression.

Additionally, I think you should only offer to remain PRN at your current job if that's something you want to do for your own benefit.  Don't agree to work multiple jobs, and risk losing a work-life balance, out of a sense of obligation. If you do truly want to stay on PRN, verify requirements for number of shifts, holidays, weekends, and that they would schedule you according to the availability you provide. They can't schedule you in advance and expect your new employer to accommodate.

Enjoy your nice new schedule and better pay!

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Closed Account 12345 - am clapping your response!!

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Did I mention current job has me assigned 12-14 patients? New job would be 6-8. I agree with you guys, new job will be priority. New job is willing to lend flexibility to the last 3 weeks of October to finish my schedule if I desire / need to. New job nursing director used to work at current job & left for reasons similar to mine. 

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Specializes in retired LTC.

You reeeeeeally don't owe the first job any special considerations. So #2 shouldn't be called upon to make special for #1, which is what you'd really be doing for them. (Altho it is rather generous of #2 to be so accommodating.)

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23 minutes ago, amoLucia said:

You reeeeeeally don't owe the first job any special considerations. So #2 shouldn't be called upon to make special for #1, which is what you'd really be doing for them. (Altho it is rather generous of #2 to be so accommodating.)

I agree. I think ill just put in my 2 week notice & tell them I cant finish the schedule but if they want to keep me PRN they can & not worry either way. Id just like to stay PRN there because I do enjoy it somewhat & wouldnt mind picking up a shift sometimes. Im technically PRN at new job but will be working full time hours. I don't need the benefits, I get insurance through my husband so I opted for PRN. 

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2 hours ago, JulyLeo said:

I agree. I think ill just put in my 2 week notice & tell them I cant finish the schedule but if they want to keep me PRN they can & not worry either way. Id just like to stay PRN there because I do enjoy it somewhat & wouldnt mind picking up a shift sometimes. Im technically PRN at new job but will be working full time hours. I don't need the benefits, I get insurance through my husband so I opted for PRN. 

If you're giving proper notice, there's no need to worry about finishing out the schedule. If that worked, employers would write out schedules a year in advance. Besides, if they no longer needed you, do you think they would allow you to stick around and work a few more weeks anyway? They would not.

You'll want to make yourself aware of weekend and holiday requirements for the PRN positions at each job. Combined, you may find yourself working more weekends and holidays than you care to.

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Stop overthinking this.

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I echo everyone's sentiments here. You need to do what is best for YOU! Obviously, they didn't think twice about baiting and switching you so... BOOM! Best of luck to you in your new position! 

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You are doing the reasonable thing.  

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Thanks guys, I spoke to current job & will be staying on PRN. I like most of my co-workers & PRN here doesn't have a weekend/ holiday requirement so I wouldn't mind working there a couple days a month. I like the idea of having 2 prns incase one job goes through a slow spell, I have the other to fall back on. Which, both are unlikely to go through much dry spells, these type of facilities (good or bad) in this rural setting typically stay well understaffed. 

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