Tough it out, then look for a job in the U.S. or Canada by which time the economy will have recovered. A that point you can then tell your current employer to go puck themselves, though not out loud of course.

Sorry, but one thing I failed to say was that I planned on resigning anyway. The only question was when. Like I said, I already have a new employer lined up and I'm only waiting for my documents to come through (visa, sponsorship letter, etc.). I was hoping to resign one month before I am to leave to spend that time with my family. To be able to resign one month before I am to leave, I have to submit my resignation another month earlier, or TWO months before I am to leave.

The confusing part there is that the agency could not give me a definite time when the deployment date is. He said the employers want us there by the end of January, so if that's the case, I should pass my resignation letter now and spend Christmas with my family. However, the agency guy says there are always delays. It's so confusing, and I was "holding out" with submitting my resignation to see how things turn out with the agency.

However, with the recent turn of events, it seems that I'll be submitting my resignation anyway. My thanks for all the show of concern, I'm really grateful, and I'm even more stoked that yes, I do have a next employer lined up (Sauron, the new job is GBP21K per annum, and no, I can't afford those books at the moment, with a US$128 per month salary).

Like I said, I'm just so mad at being pre-emptively struck at. Here I was, waiting and watching, and BAM! They hit me anyway.

Also, another reason why I'd rather resign than work at the ward: I don't want to dirty my record any more than I have to. I haven't worked in the ward for close to 2 years now. A lot of ways have changed by now. If I do go back, I won't be treated as an orientee, but rather as a full time staff nurse. With a 10:1 ratio, how likely are mistakes? From one who hasn't worked there for so long - Very. Heck, the staff nurses commit more than TWICE the number of mistakes as compared to other special areas, and those nurses WORK THERE day-after-day! And this hospital is very fond of memos, suspensions, and such. So no, I won't subject myself to any more disciplinary action due to errors, the errors due to sub-optimal working conditions.

Enough is enough. This job barely pays enough for all the stress it has me going through (though money is still money, but my wife tells me I talk in my sleep about my problems), and the MAIN reason I'm in it is for experience and I got that. Two years of it plus change. Time for a rest, me thinks, and hit the books again in preparation for my UK job.

In that case, I'd be very tempted to bail out before they could tag me with anything that might stick, as you say. But save those books for later and pick them up in the UK, LOL!

Cheers!

Rick...

Hahaha, I'm glad you see it my way, Sauron. Yes, I'd like to "maintain" my current record, I'll be damned if I'd add anything more to it just before I leave.

The current policy for resignation is a month's notice, so that'll mean I'll be out by December 21 or 23 (the folks who I submit my resignation to won't be at work until Monday, so the actual date at which I submit my resignation may be a factor). I'm scheduled to transfer to the ward on December 1. I'm planning to submit my resignation now, then file for a leave starting December 1 up to the time my resignation becomes effective.

If it weren't for the money/salary I'm losing, I'm really looking forward to spending the holidays with my family on a very relaxed atmosphere. I haven't been able to do that since my first son was born, 6 years ago. After that, the pressure of school, then of work, meant that I had to be at the hospital even during holidays, at first to earn credits for graduation, then it became part of my job working even during holidays.

I'm thinking nothing happens by accident, and maybe behind this dark cloud, God has neatly placed a silver lining.

Hopefully Ice. The jail fired me for not showing up for shifts that they purposely scheduled during school hours knowing I'd miss them so they could create a paper trail. I had no previous disciplinary action taken against me, they just singled me out like a few of my former co-workers predicted. And this was AFTER the head Supt and I had a verbal agreement that I would work on the weekends when they obviously have a harder time staffing. I thought it was win-win but they ended up not seeing it that way in the end and canned me. I filed my termination letter away in a drawer as inspiration during school but I never needed a self pep-talk I was so happy to be gone from there. Only job I've ever been fired from, and it's the one I'd have picked if I had a choice.. Other than the fact that you're already doing something that it a good career we're sort of in the same boat. Trust me, it's worth it. Good on you for making the huge jump, I hope you have the same feelings I have now two years afterward.

Your doing all that without the actual visa and contract in hand, that takes some cajones.

Dude, I've had to work for less than the US minimum wage many times lately, for the FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.

This is the new world order, get used to it.

I am fortunate that there's another side of this coin to my job - I also have days where I'm making ten times the minimum wage.

But in the former world any day less than minimum wage meant my instant "resignation".

Well, nowadays you take crumbs off the floor at times....

tomcat, hate to know that happened to you. Since there's a paper trail, can't you complain? If you hated that job, well, at least they made it easier for you to get out.

Nodak01, I agree. I guess I've grown some brass ones lately. I was hoping to be in a "safer" position before resigning, which is exactly what you suggested, having my Visa and contract on hand. However, they jumped this on me so things have to come up a little faster than expected. I hope my employer doesn't bail out on me, then again, I'm hired to work at their operating room, and there are only four of us for that area, so I don't think they want to lose 25% of their new manpower. Oh God, let it be so!

Vulgarity, what is the US minimum wage? Your advantage is you have good days to make up for the bad. For me, I can make an additional 10-20% of that from overtime, but that means just going home to sleep! Note that the salary I quoted was for 6-days-a-week work, with a double-shift at the end of that week (so it's basically 7 shifts a week)! Most of the time, I just spend my day off making up for lost sleep!

Reality nowadays is there is no such thing as a US minimum wage.

Most jobs nowadays here are "part time, on call, no guarantees", and that goes for the wages too. You don't find much in the way of "employment" these days, far more common is being classified as an independent contractor, EXCEPT that you will be treated just as if you were an employee.

Business knows it can get away with it because people are so desperate and/or afraid of not having work at all.

Like I said, this is the new world order, this is the new normal.

Business finally has everyone right where they want them.

Well, the beef here is, I am a REGISTERED NURSE. That means 4 years in college, taking a board exam, and passing it. That means I am a PROFESSIONAL. Not a smart high school graduate (no offense meant).

I treat my work seriously, I treat my patients professionally. I expect to be treated as such by my employer as well.