Seeking New Nursing Employment: When Is It Time to Move On?

Have you ever thought about leaving your current job? There comes a time for most nurses, when they have accepted the fact that it's time to move on to something different, something better, or just plain something else. The question that is never easy to answer is when do you know it's time? It becomes harder when there are so many factors to consider; the stability of your family, the great team of nurses/health care professionals you work with, the job/retirement benefits, the job is comfortable and you know your role/responsibilities, or the thoughts/stress of starting a new job is just too much. However, the older I am, the more I believe that as a nurse my best work is when I am the most happiest. I believe that every job is a prerequisite or stepping stone to that "dream job", but sometimes we can become too afraid to step out of "our routine" and follow our hearts. So I found the following list to be very helpful factors, for me, in deciding when to seek new, nursing employment:

You:

• Dread going to work
• Can't wait for the weekend/vacation/a day off
• Have no desire to learn anything new and no longer take the initiatives to learn new things
• Feel like your job is a dead end and has no room for growth
• Don't feel like you are not making a difference or are not appreciated
• Get upset over the small things at work
• Feel like you are always overwhelmed
• Begin looking a other job opportunities
• Talk/think about quitting {even when you don't have other options lined up}
• Can't make financial ends meet
• Are okay with getting laid-off or a severance package
• Begin having anxiety attacks or health problems related to stress

I believe it is always best to make a list of pro and cons when considering if it time to look for another job, but the reality is you have to be happy in your role to make the greatest impact in patient outcomes and maintain your own job satisfaction. Ultimately I believe we have the answers on when it's time to move on, and once we trust ourselves the decision becomes so much easier. If you are seeking new, nursing employment or your time is now; GOOD LUCK, YOU CAN DO IT!

Please share other factors that alerted you of the need for a job change?