When do you know it's time to move on?

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I am a new grad, got a job at the station I was an aide on, a very busy BIG unit (which was a plus for me) high acuity patients (another plus- experience) opportunity to learn a lot.

I have been on my own for 3 months. There are some really great co-workers. However, there are some really bad oens too (see my recent previous posts). Like the one who ha worked there 8 years and is a drama queen, and now that I am a nurse am discovering that she expects perfection from all her co-workers, and if this isn't so, she emails the mgr. She emails the mgr over everything (in the name of Florence Nightengale). there are either non-existant aides or aides who if you ask them to do one thing, it's asking a lot. I am discovering the few float aides we get are a God-send.

The unit is undergoing a lot of physical changes, and everything is topsy-turvy for at least another year. We have to hunt for stuff thats wherabouts keep changing.

The job is stressful and busy enough without all this, d/t the high acuity of patients.

I work hard and am very conscientious, but go home stressed and worry because my co-worker is critical about something.

Is it a clue to find a new, less stressful unit, with a generally more supportive staff to a new person? Should I stick it out? would I have trouble finding another job since I have only been there as a nurse for a short time?

Thanks for any guidance! I am sick of coming home dejected.

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There is no harm in looking around for a better position. Some people will advise you to stick it out a year. But if you can find something you like better and they will have you with only a few months experience GO!

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Specializes in Home Care, Hospice, OB.
i am sick of coming home dejected.

this is usually your body and/or god's way of telling you to move on. i put up for craziness for over a year.....and can't fathom why i didn't get out of dodge earlier!!!:bugeyes:

when you first thought on awakening isn't "good morning, god." but "good god, morning!!" its time to look elsewhere!:twocents:

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Time to move on from there. This place sounds toxic. Especially when you stress at home. Good luck to you.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

It wouldn't hurt to look around, but the way I see it, moving to another unit/facility, you might just be trading in your current problems for a new set of problems.

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Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

You'll know when it's time to go. A sense of dread will rise up inside you every time you start your shift that will get harder and harder to push down. You might begin calling off because you just can't face it. Oh yeah, then you gotta go.

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It wouldn't hurt to look around, but the way I see it, moving to another unit/facility, you might just be trading in your current problems for a new set of problems.

So true! I left my unit and went per diem on another step-down unit. While my previous unit had its problems, things were set up at least so that it could run somewhat effeciently. Plus, on most days, the teamwork was good. My new job sucks. There is so much paperwork that has to be done by each nurse on each shift. The teamwork sucks, and the paperwork is horrid. The way things are set up makes it very difficult to get even basic nursing care done. I wasn't looking for greener grass, just wanting to explore other hospitals, see what's out there, see what more I could learn, since I've only been a nurse for 2 years. But that inquisitiveness or whatever you call it is starting to fade rapidly.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I had been looking for a new job (which I have now) since July. I received a performance review that I didn't find fair nor did it really evaluate my bedside skills. The management is a joke. Asking them to do anything is like asking them to pull a tooth. For example, we were very short. We usually have 8 nurses because the are critical care step down and one night we were down to 6 RNs, 1 aide and no secretary for 24 patients. On our sister unit, they were also down two nurses and had no secretary. Our manager was on that night and refused to help us stating that they had "their own work to do". Yeah thats a nice excuse, hiding in the office. Whatever. What bothered me most was when I was busy with a patient in resp. distress and they would start pointing out things that I haven't done. So now I work at another hospital in SICU but work contingent on my old unit for extra cash, but as soon as orientation is done, i'm outta there. When I gave my two weeks, they just said "well, you have been unhappy". I'm not the only one though, others are but are dealing with it and I'm not gonna take it up the butt when my license is on the line and they don't care. So needless to say, i've very happy that I left and to managements dismay others are leaving too but they refuse to listen to staff.

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I Changed Units 4 And Half Mos Ago. Had The Urge For About A Year Before That. Previous Unit Was My First Out Of Nursing School And Was Good For Most Part. Lots Of Reasons For My Change, But I Am Very Glad I Stuck It Out On First Unit For Almost Three Years. That Experience Is Priceless!! I Would Advise To Take Your Time To Think What You Like About Where You Are And Maybe If Any Other Dept Would Be A Better Fit. I Also Agree That A Lot Of Times You Could Be Changing One Set Of Problems For Another!! If Toxic Co Workers Are An Issue Try Your Best To Ignore, Hold You Head Up, And Do The Best You Can. Maybe If It Continues, An Email From You To This Mgr Re: The Negativity Is In Order?! Oh, And I Knew It Was Time To Move On When I Dreaded The Repetitive Madness My Unit Became To Me ( Rather Than A Stimulating Challenge!)good Luck To You!!

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My standard advice is that unless you are so unhappy you cannot function, are being mistreated or being pushed into unsafe practice stay where you are and start looking around at what is out there.

Morale is often low during that first year out of school; ask me how I know.

A plan to consider is to start looking around at what is available in nursing. Find a better job, and leave your current job without burning any bridges.

In nursing there are few options for escaping stress. If patients are low-acuity, then you get more of them to be responsible for. If you get fewer, they are sicker.

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Specializes in Case Management, Home Health, UM.
You'll know when it's time to go. A sense of dread will rise up inside you every time you start your shift that will get harder and harder to push down. You might begin calling off because you just can't face it.

That's what happened with my last job. I began feeling literally sick to my stomach at the thought of having to go back to that place. One day I got up and said aloud: "I can't do this anymore. I called out and gave my two-week notice the very next day. :o

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So true! I left my unit and went per diem on another step-down unit. While my previous unit had its problems, things were set up at least so that it could run somewhat effeciently.
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