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A nurse resignation letter is a short, formal note that tells your employer you are leaving your nursing job and names your last day. Start from our resignation letter template, then adjust the wording to fit your unit, your manager, and the date you plan to leave.
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A nurse resignation letter formally notifies your employer that you will stop working at the facility on a specific date. In typical occupational areas, two weeks’ notice is required. However, it is best to adhere to the hospital-specific deadlines in a medical facility.
Usually, the required notification period here is six to eight (6-8) weeks. It takes such a long time for management to find a new nurse and bring them up to date. In addition, it is impossible to take just any person to such a position, so additional time is needed for checks and additional training.
By submitting a nurse resignation letter to the office, you begin the procedure of resignation. In the letter, you should specify the reasons for your departure, thank your superiors and colleagues, and also express your willingness to help the new employee with adaptation.
A nurse resignation letter has no fixed form, but it reads best when it covers the same few points every time. Check that your letter includes each of these items before you hand it in:
Leaving a nursing job takes more than a letter, and the order of the steps matters. Work through the four steps below, from sorting out your feelings to handing in your notice and starting the administrative process.
Leaving work is hard, and emotionally it feels much like parting with a person, which makes it stressful whether you love your job or not.
In nursing, emotions run even higher because the work centers on helping and caring for people, so it can be difficult to leave your patients and the hospital. But if you have made a clear decision to quit, put your emotions aside for a moment.
It would be best if you do not share the news with everyone. First of all, you must communicate your decision to your superiors. It will not be very nice if your boss finds out about your departure through a third party. Therefore, before sharing with colleagues or even patients, inform the management.
It is best to communicate such news in a personal conversation, accompanying it with a notification letter supporting your words.
The earlier you tell your employer about your resignation, the better. In the professional community, it is common to give at least two weeks in advance. This may not be enough in a nurse’s job, as your superiors need to find a qualified worker who meets strict requirements and has sufficient experience.
In many healthcare settings, the employee also has to undergo special training, which takes time. Therefore, the ideal time to tender your resignation is 6-8 weeks in advance. Inform the employer about the expected date of your last day of work and specify whether this date can be flexible.
After submitting the letter, you go through the administrative procedure at your medical facility.
Keep the letter short, professional, and positive. It will be attached to your file, so avoid negativity. A complete letter has four parts, from the letterhead at the top to your signature at the bottom.
The purpose of the letter is to inform the administration of your departure, set a date for the last day, and express your willingness to help train a new employee. This is your chance to make a good last impression and prove to be a true professional who can be recommended for other positions.
Start to create this document just like any letter. Then, in the upper corner, write your name and address, date of writing, addressee’s name, position, and address of your establishment.
For example, Anna Baker, RN, would put her name and her 123 Main Street address at the top, add the date, list the name and address of the Director of Nursing at her hospital, and finish with a formal greeting.
Include a formal greeting and write one or two sentences about the purpose of your letter. For instance: “I am writing to inform you that I am leaving my position as a nurse. My last day of employment will be July 6th, 2021.» That is, you must report that you are quitting and indicate the date of your last working day.
In the body of the letter, you can briefly describe the reason for your departure, such as personal circumstances, furthering your studies, or changing your place of residence. However, do not write about negative aspects of work as reasons.
A resignation letter is not a place for complaints. Instead, this letter summarizes the time spent in your position and should end on a positive note. Plus, this letter will be referenced by your former supervisor if you need recommendations.
Be sure to thank colleagues and management for the experience you have gained and the position you have held. Then, you can fill in a few details to summarize your stay here.
Express your willingness to help with the training of your substitute. Helping in an employee’s adaptation will speak highly of you as a professional employee.
Insert a formal end of the letter, put your signature and a printed name.
These tips explain what to do and what to avoid when you write a nurse resignation letter, and they all serve one goal: leaving on good terms, so that your manager and colleagues are glad to recommend you later.
Below are two sample nurse resignation letters you can adapt, so replace each blank with your own details and trim any line that does not apply to your situation. Sample 1 suits a nurse who is moving to another state, and Sample 2 suits a nurse who is going back to school.
_________________
(Your name)
_________________
_________________
(Your address and telephone number)
_________________
(The date)
_________________
(Director’s name)
_________________
_________________
(Establishment’s name and address)
Dear Mr/Mrs _________________ (Director’s name),
This letter is to inform you of my official resignation from the position of a nurse. My last day at the position will be ________________ (your last day).
My life circumstances developed in such a way that in six weeks, my family is forced to move to another state. I want to thank our team, management and you personally for the wonderful years I have worked in _________________ (Establishment’s name). During this time, I have received invaluable experience and support from everyone.
Over the next month, I will be happy to help train a new employee for my position. I will gladly try to convey all my experience and introduce the employee to our rules if that would be helpful.
It has been an honor to work with such an incredible team.
Sincerely,
_________________
(Your name)
_________________
(Your name)
_________________
_________________
(Your address and telephone number)
_________________
(The date)
_________________
(Director’s name)
_________________
_________________
(Establishment’s name and address)
Dear Mr/Mrs _________________ (Director’s name),
I am writing this letter to formally resign from my position as Nurse at _________________ (Establishment’s name). My final day at work will be ________________ (your last day).
Primarily due to my experience as a nurse, I realized that I want to continue my education as a professional doctor. I will need to devote all my time to studying, so, unfortunately, I will not be able to continue my work here.
During the _________________ (insert number of years here) years that I have been working here, I have learned the importance of each team member in hospital work and how to do my job quickly and accurately. I am very grateful to the entire nursing staff and other colleagues for the invaluable support they gave me while working here.
In the meantime, let me know if you need my help in selecting and adapting an employee to my position. It will be an honor to help.
Thank you again for all that you have done.
Respectfully yours,
_________________
(Your name)
You may feel sad to leave your work because a nurse’s job is focused on helping people. This is one of those positions in which people put their heart and soul. But if you decide to move on, you need to make an action plan and implement it.
Our top tip, which we would like to repeat, is to leave on a positive note. It would help if you don’t quarrel with colleagues or bosses or tell them what worries you. Resignation is your chance to be remembered as a professional and polite employee. Please do it for yourself.
You will need recommendation letters. Also, your life circumstances may change such that you find yourself wanting to come back. You are unlikely to be welcomed if you leave with a scandal. Therefore, be polite and grateful.
Start with your name, address, and the date, then add your manager’s name and the facility address. Say that you are resigning and give your last day, thank your colleagues, offer to help train your replacement, and sign the letter. Keep the whole letter short and positive.
Keep it short, because a greeting, one or two body paragraphs, a closing, and your signature are enough for most nurses. Save longer stories and complaints for a conversation with your manager, and keep the letter itself polite and positive.
Keep the reason brief and positive. Personal circumstances, furthering your studies, or moving to a new place all work well. Leave complaints about the workplace out, because the letter stays in your file and may be read when a former supervisor is asked for a recommendation.
Tell your manager first, ideally in a personal conversation, and hand over the letter to support your words. Wait to share the news with colleagues or patients until your manager knows, so that nobody hears about your decision through a third party.
Yes, the same short format works for registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), nurse practitioners, and travel nurses, so change the job title and the facility name and keep the rest of the letter polite, brief, and positive.
Yes. Use the same short format and thank your employer for the opportunity, give your last day, and keep the reason brief and positive, because a polite letter helps you leave on good terms.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
