There comes a time in every nurse’s career when it may be time to quit a nursing job. It’s rarely a fun decision, but we all must go through it, even when it’s uncomfortable or scary. Uncertainty can throw us off balance, personally or professionally, and life can feel a little less safe when we lose that sense of security.
It’s often said that the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t, but then again, there are times when you know it’s time to go, no matter what. So, how do you decide?
Take a Good, Hard Look
There are many ways to look at a job, an employer, and your general work situation, and all are worthy of consideration. The following list is not exhaustive, but it provides a place to begin when taking a good, hard look at your situation.
Feelings: One way to know if a job still works for you is by assessing your feelings about it. Nurses’ intuition and gut instinct are generally pretty strong, and when we learn to trust those feelings, we generally can’t go wrong. Consider this:
- When you’re home and thinking about work, do you feel queasy, nauseous, or unwell? Does your stomach churn just thinking about it?
- Do you feel unusually resentful about work?
- Are there any other feelings that point to the fact that it’s no longer a good fit?
Relationships: Since healthcare and nursing are generally very centered on people, we have to think about relationships when examining how our job is fitting or not:
- What are the team dynamics like?
- Would you characterize the workplace as functional or dysfunctional?
- Is there bullying, teasing, intimidation, harassment, or other aberrant behaviors?
- Is leadership strong, solid, healthy, and effective?
- If your work has interdisciplinary aspects, how is that working out? Is there positive collaboration and teamwork?
- If your job is clinical, what are the patients like? Do you feel connected to the patient population? Are those relationships satisfying?
- Do you feel seen, appreciated, and acknowledged by others?
Tasks and responsibilities: You may also want to look at what you actually do on a day-to-day basis:
- Are the tasks that you perform every day interesting and engaging for you?
- Do you feel that you’re learning and growing in your job?
- Are any of your position’s manual or physical tasks hard on your body? Is there a significant risk of injury, whether it’s from transfers, lifting, or repetitive injuries like typing?
Safety, staffing, etc. We can’t say too much about the importance of workplace safety.
- Are there safe staffing levels?
- Are you in a milieu where you feel potential threats from patients or their loved ones?
- Do you feel safe about general practices, equipment, PPE, etc?
Learning and professional development: It generally feels good to be growing professionally. What about your job contributes to your growth?
- Are there opportunities to learn on the job?
- Do you feel that you’re growing in your role?
- Are there grand rounds and other ways to learn?
- Is there the possibility of a promotion or other type of upward or forward movement?
- Does your employer provide opportunities to expand your knowledge or skill?
Perks, salary, and benefits: These are important issues that cannot be overlooked.
- Does your job pay a fair wage for the work you do?
- Is the benefits package satisfactory?
- Are there perks like tuition reimbursement, free CEUs, etc?
- Is there recognition and reward for a job well done?
It All Comes Down to You
In the final analysis, whether you stay or go is up to you. Aside from the factors listed above, many other things may contribute to whether your current position is worthy of your remaining on board.
Quitting a job is rarely pleasant, and we can easily fall into the trap of feeling guilty for “abandoning” our colleagues. But the fact is, you have to make the best decision for yourself, your career, and your family, and sometimes the facts add up, and you know it’s time to go. Your colleagues have to take care of themselves, and who knows? You may inspire them to leave, too.
If you’re having trouble deciding, you can consult a loved one, a friend, a colleague, a mentor, or a career coach for advice and feedback. You’ve worked hard to get where you are, and making your next move should be a positive experience, no matter how scary it may seem.
Whether your current position works for you or not, it’s always a good idea to remain open to possibilities and know that new opportunities are often just around the corner.
Many of us work much of our waking lives, so feeling good about our professional situation is essential. Your career is yours to mold and shape; thus, knowing when and if it’s time to go is crucial to positive career management and forward-thinking personal and professional development.
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