Whether you want to pursue a different nursing job, spend more time with your family, or travel the world, quitting your nursing job can be a bit tricky. Luckily, we’re here to help. If you’re in the process of quitting (or deciding to quit) your nursing job, keep reading. Below are some effective tips for quitting your nursing job in a professional manner.
4 Tips for Quitting Your Nursing Job
1. Making the Decision to Quit
Before you leave a job, you first have to make the decision to quit. This is a huge decision, and it’s not something that should happen in a day or two. The decision to quit your nursing job should take a lot of careful deliberation and consideration. It’s important to weigh out the consequences of quitting your nursing job, and how it could affect you professionally, financially, and emotionally.
Next, you must evaluate your reasons for wanting to quit. Whether your decision comes from internal or external factors, make sure to carefully weigh out all of the advantages and disadvantages of quitting. You definitely don’t want to make a spur of the moment decision that you’ll end up regretting.
2. Giving Your Employer Notice
Once you decide that quitting your job is what’s best for you, you’ll need to give notice to your employer. A general rule of thumb is to give a two week’s notice, but some healthcare facilities may require longer. Try to give as much notice as possible. That way, your employer will have time to find a replacement if needed and follow through with any paperwork. Whatever you do, do not quit without notice. Not only will this put your employer in a difficult situation, it may also put your patients and coworkers in jeopardy. Unless there are extreme circumstances, quitting your nursing job without notice is one of the worst things you can do! We recommend giving a notice of about four weeks. This will allow you to maintain a positive reputation with your employer and coworkers.
3. Telling Your Manager
Choose a date to tell your manager about your resignation. This should definitely be a face to face meeting – no phone calls or text messages! Make sure to schedule an exact date and time to speak with your manager about your resignation. It’s not smart to pull your manager aside on their lunch break and expect to have a conversation right then and there. Once you have a set date, plan what you’re going to say ahead of time. When talking to your manager, you should be concise and upfront about your decision to quit. Be professional; truthfully tell your employer your reasons for leaving and express appreciation for the experiences that you’ve had. You’ll also need to submit a formal resignation letter.
One of the most important things is to have respect. You don’t want to burn any bridges with your manager or your coworkers. Express heartfelt gratitude for your time at the position, and explain how the job changed you for the better. If you show respect and appreciation, most employers will be supportive and understanding!
4. Leaving Professionally
After you’ve made the decision to resign, spoken with your manager, and submitted a resignation letter, you’re not off the hook quite yet. It’s necessary that you keep your commitment as an employee and nurse during your last few weeks at work. Do not use your final weeks as a chance to slack off and do the bare minimum. Be professional, and put as much effort into your job as you did before you decided to resign. If you have an exit interview, make sure to give honest feedback about the job, and share some constructive criticism. Do not be petty or hostile – this may cause you to leave a bad reputation with your employer. Not only that, but you probably won’t be able to use them as a reference for another job if you resigned from their company in an unprofessional way.
At the end of the day, quitting your nursing jobs all comes down to doing what’s best for you and your future. Do you have any tips for resigning from a nursing job with grace? Let us know in the comments below!
October 24, 2018
When the resignation letter is submitted, can the employer tell the nurse to not come back, not work the two notice and NOT pay the nurse ?
February 3, 2019
I highly doubt we could be so lucky that they tell us not to come in those last two weeks. Maybe you could request it? I’m keeping my fingers crossed but knowing my place it’s probably not happening. We already have to beg if we want to use pto. Not even holidays, like just random days with two months notice get denied.