How to Resign Well as a Theatre Nurse: Notice, Handover and the Reference You Keep

Nov 2

3 min read

Knowing how to resign as a theatre nurse is part of planning your next step. A good resignation protects your references, your relationships and your reputation in a small specialty.

Start with notice. The Western Australian Government publishes the minimum notice periods that follow the Fair Work Act when an employer ends employment: one week for up to one year of service, two weeks for over one year and under three, three weeks for over three years and under five, and four weeks for over five years. Employees over 45 with at least two years of service get one extra week.

Those periods are for notice an employer gives. They do not set the notice you give when you resign. Yours comes from your contract, award or enterprise agreement. Read it before you do anything else.

The situation: you have accepted a new role

You have a start date. Now you need to tell your manager, finish your lists and leave well. The order matters, and so does the tone.

What a recruiter sees from the other side

A resignation is the last thing a manager remembers about you, and it is often what they act on first. A reference is usually checked after you have left, so how you resign becomes part of what the referee recalls.

It also helps to remember that theatre is a small world. The people you leave behind may work with you again, or may be asked about you by a future employer.

Three steps to resign well

Step one. Check your notice. Find the notice period in your contract, award or enterprise agreement. Work out your last day and check it against your new start date before you speak to anyone.

Step two. Tell your manager first. Ask for a private conversation, in person or by phone, then confirm in writing the same day. Tell colleagues only after your manager knows.

Step three. Hand over. Offer to help the team through your notice period. A short handover makes it easier for the person who inherits your lists.

A simple handover checklist

The lists you are rostered on during your notice period.
Any equipment, keys, passes or devices you need to return.
Competencies or education you have started and not finished.
Any preferences or set-ups for the lists you cover regularly.
Where documents such as your own records and certificates are kept.
Who to contact with questions after you have left.

The exact words to use

In person: I have accepted a new role and I want to tell you first. My last day will be [date], in line with my notice period. I would like to help make the handover as smooth as I can.

In writing: Dear [manager], I am writing to resign from my position as [role], effective [date], in line with my notice period of [length]. Thank you for the opportunities and support. I will do everything I can to hand over my lists during my notice period.

Keep it short and professional. You do not need to explain why you are leaving.

If you are offered more to stay

If your employer responds with a counter offer, give yourself time before you answer. Ask what has changed beyond the number, and whether it will still hold in six months. It is fine to say you will come back to them.

A note on the fine print

Notice, leave payments and final pay depend on your contract and employment law. Check your contract and the Fair Work Ombudsman website. This is general information, not legal advice.

Where this leaves you

A good resignation costs little and keeps a lot. Before you resign, make sure your next step is set. Our guides to theatre nurse CVs and theatre nurse interviews will help, and our look at four career tracks from Scrub Scout to Director of Nursing shows where a move can lead.

You can also browse live roles on our theatre nursing jobs page.

What is the one thing you always do in your last week on a list?