“An expert opinion on professional behaviour of nursing cadre related to procedure of resignation, retirement, and changing departments” followed by a nursing staff appointed in selected hospitals and selected working areas”.

INTRODUCTION: Professional behaviour in nursing is essential for delivering quality patient care, fostering effective teamwork, and upholding the integrity of the healthcare system. Nurses are expected to demonstrate high ethical standards, positive attitudes, and moral values in their interactions with patients, colleagues, and the workplace. This study investigates the impact of career transitions—such as resignation, retirement, and departmental changes— on the professional conduct of nursing staff. It is guided by theoretical frameworks including Benner’s Competence Model, Rest’s Ethical Decision-Making Model, Socialization Theory, Role Theory, and Transformational Leadership Theory. These theories help explain how experience, ethics, leadership, and social roles shape professional behaviour. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: A quantitative descriptive approach was employed using a self-reported attitude scale distributed via Google Forms. The study involved 30 graduate nurses—comprising administrators, leaders, and practitioners—selected through stratified random sampling in a metropolitan city. Expert-validated tools were used to collect data, which was analyzed in four sections: demographics, and perceptions of professional behaviour during resignation, retirement, and departmental changes. RESULT: The study found that 82.7% of participants reported unprofessional behaviour during resignation, while retirement (94.5%) and departmental changes (94.4%) showed even higher concerns. Key issues included abrupt resignations, duty violations, poor handovers, absenteeism, and blame culture. Despite some positive feedback on documentation, the findings emphasize significant gaps in maintaining professionalism during transitions. CONCLUTION: The study reveals a strong need for structured guidelines, ethics training, and policy reforms to enhance professional conduct in nursing, especially during career transitions, ensuring consistent standards and improved patient care.