The Moral Dilemma

As it turns out, waiting {even if not so patiently} for the right opportunity to come along is worth it. Soon I will start a new adventure at a higher acuity hospital getting paid more and and slicing my commute time to nearly non-existent. This is the job I have been hoping for since before I started nursing school. It is the epitome of a dream come true.

So where is the problem that is causing me to test my moral fortitude? That, my friends, would be in the leaving process.

I thought that I was doing the right thing and giving ample notice, but as it turns out, it isn’t sufficient. That means that I am going to be blacklisted at an entire hospital system… no if, ands, or buts. This in itself isn’t that big of a deal but it still kind of sucks. Now when you add on the fact that during this timeframe I cannot use any of the paid time off I have accrued, but will also have family who I see only a few times a year coming visiting, you have a perfect moral storm. {When coming out of a pandemic where seeing family and friends face to face has been almost impossible and highly frowned upon, it is really important to actually be able to spend as much time with them as possible.} Now let’s think about this… I’m already blacklisted for this hospital system because I cannot give them their entire (outside of industry standard) notice, why oh why would I show up for all of my shifts? There is zero incentive for me to do the right thing and continue to go to work other than the fact that I try to live my life doing the right thing regardless of what others are doing around me. {I really like sleeping at night.} There are other issues that have made it very clear that this organization punishes employees for leaving, but I’m leaving those out for the sake of maybe still staying somewhat anonymous. I thought I was okay with it since it would only be calling out for one shift, but because I am a moron and scheduled my pre-employment physical for another day I am supposed to be working {5’s and 6’s look a lot alike when you’ve just woken up and don’t have your glasses on} the guilt has doubled. I tried rescheduling it but they don’t have anything available until the following week, which will most likely delay my start date and impact my offer for employment.

What should be a happy, fun, and exciting time has turned into an ulcer-inducing, morals-testing, mess. I hate feeling like I have let someone down or not done what I said I was going to do. It’s not right and it isn’t fair to those that I have given my word. Everyone around me has stated that it is obvious that the company does not care about me {they are unwilling to budge on the black-listing based on a few days} so why should I turn myself inside out for them? But that isn’t the point. “Do unto others”, right?

Now I need to decide between spending an extra day with my family or going to my scheduled shift for a company that has made it very clear they don’t value me as an employee and/or jeopardizing my employment at my new position. I don’t like burning bridges, but I feel like this situation tests my boundaries and priorities to the max. I honestly don’t know what to do or really what the “right” thing to do is. Take care of me and my priorities or honor the commitment I have already made?