Fear vs Gut instinct...need advice...

Nurses General Nursing

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Here is my dilemma. I left my worker's comp case management job in January b/c I could not take the traveling, esp to unsafe cities at night, etc...

Since I had never resigned my Home Health job, I was able to simply go back to doing per diem. Since I have been back working in the HH job, the nurses got a $4/hr raise, and per diem rate went up to $30/hr weekdays and $36/he weekends. They also made an effort to streamline the admit paperwork AND we now never get more than 6 visits a day. HUGE changes.

I am still not happy to be back. This is why. I admit it I would like to someday not be a staff nurse. But, I am pretty sure, b/c of my outspokeness, I will never be considered for anything but a staff nurse position here. So, if I stay I know it will be for that reason. I do not want to do management, but I would love to do nursing ed in HH or quality, and would be happy to make some visits w nurses or to even carry a small case load of HHA sups or something that only an RN can do, chronic cases that would be easy to case manage while doing another job. But, like I said, it ain't gonna happen where I am.

So, I went on an exhaustive job search. Got an offer, and now, the week before I start, I am having these huge feelings of trepidation. I have job hopped quite a bit, and I can't explain this. I can't say it is about the job, it is more like I shouldn't do this b/c something bad will happen w my kids if I do. MY new job is 35 min from home, 8a to 6p 4 days a week, no w/e no holidays, no nights. But, there is this nagging feeling that I will lose all control of my teenage dtr if I go through with this job. They would get home from school at 3:30 and my hubby gets home at 4pm, but next yr she will be in HS and get done at 2:30, and hour-and-a-half is plenty of time to get itno trouble when you are 14 (And God help me if she is anything like I was at her age...let's just say I was no angel and leave it at that!)

Of course, the article in the paper my hubby pointed out to me this week did NOT help. Some perve is parking his truck near to the bus stops for my dtr's school and is taking pics of the teen girls. Nothing else, just pics, but I mean isn';t that creepy??? Scared the shyt outta me it did. Now I worry iif I am not here, will someone abduct her on the way home?? I have always been a severe worry wort when it comes to the kids. I hope someday I will be able to stop worrying about them to the degree that I do now.

Anyway, I have a hard decision to make and have to do it in the next 24 hrs. Do I go w the job or not?

I am leaning towards not. I mean as much as this present job has me totally depressed and feeling like I am trapped forever due to my kids or more specifically my dtr's shananigans, I have to admit, it is sooooooo flexible. I can be here when they get home from school, I can be done w my last visit by 2pm mpst days and go straight to the supermarket, then do my charting later.

And last but not least, my sweet doggie won't have to learn to hold her bladder for eight straight hours and be at the mercy of two teenagers who couldn't care less how long she has been holding it. Plus in the summer, I can check in w the brats often for suprise inspections or just work weekends 12 hours again.

Am I nuts to give up this opportunity? I just need to hear I am not being foolishly overprotective.

I discussed it w my husband, and he just says, You have to do whatever you think you need to do. Sweet, but not much help. Something to the effcetc of Oh I am sooo glad you decided that ,would be helpful, or WHAT? Go for it hon, I'll take care of the kids issues (Yeah, I know I am dreaming now!)

OMG, I can't believe I am thinking of passing up this great job w free health bennies and UNLIMITED tuition reimbursement. Help!!

Is this just a fear of change? Or do I go w my gut which is screaming this is not going to work! ???

Hoolahan, way off the subject, but I love your 'make love not war' - thank you!!!!

Specializes in Home Health.

It is very important to me, so much so that I removed my sweet doggie avatar.

If anyone else wants to use the pic as well, feel free, I didn't design it. I have a funny anti-Bush one, but didn't think that would go over too well. I may decide to use it at some point anyway! :D

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Glad to hear you've come to some sort of decision.

(Tell them to call me, I'll take that job, sounds wonderful!)

Specializes in Home Health.

If you can get to south jersey pm me and I'll tell you where it was!

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Jersey???? Sorry, it has to be south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Just kidding. I would never ever leave Florida. But it did sound too good to be true.

Hoolahan,

What about having someone at home,to 'babysit' or even to pick up from school to mind until you or hubby get home. That way the supervision thing and the dog are taken care of.

Teenagers might not like it...but hopefully they will see the positive...happy mum, job with bennies etc.

?If the 'babysitter' were a [responsible] college student, then they should be OK.

or a local single mother in need of some income.

Now, Hoolie! You know that you really need to get serious about your own agency! Deep down in that sweet heart of yours is a self employed nurse just waiting to happen!

Good decision--good for you and good for your daughter.

Peace,

Lois Jean

I wish for you to have a wize decision and rightous way to y0ur goals. You are a great person, but I have little/no knowledge about agencies or the like. Best to you.

Specializes in LDRP; Education.

Hi Mario. Just wanted to say it's good to see you posting.

Specializes in Home Health.

Lois, you are haunting my thoughts! I AM still giving it very serious thought. Did you get my e-mail? I told you how excited I am about the upcoming video release!!! Can't wait, I am serious!

No, a "babysitter" for a 14 & 16 yr old is going ot go over like a lead balloon. I don't have enough strength in me to fight that fight!

Thank you Mario, and yes, it is noce to see you popping in!

Hi,

I am a 15-yr. old and I thought that you might like a teenager's opinion. Now I know that you are probably thinking that I am going to side with your daughter and tell you to take the job just because I am a teenager but that is not neccessarily the case. I think it all depends on how much you trust your daughter. My best friend and I are homeschooled and my best friend's mom works as a full time pediatric home health RN. She is gone all day ( 7:30 - 3:30 ) while we are home by ourselves at her house. We have had this situation for 4 yrs. and it has always worked out fine. She truly trusts us and has good reason too. We encourage each other and wouldn't even think of getting into any trouble. So maybe it can work out that one of your daughter's friends that you trust can come home with your daughter for that hour and a half. It has really helped my friend and I to have each other there. Just thought you might welcome my insight. I hope it works out ok.

l don't know if this will help. but l have just graduated and started in the work force, l'm doing casual.

l have two children, younger than yours, that at the moment if l have to work end up home alone after school, while they wait for their dad to get home as there is a bit of a laspe between me leaving for work and him getting home.

So far so good, but l'm not completely comfortable with the idea myself, so l ring them a couple of times from work just to check on them. Have you thought about ringing her from work just to check on things. plus she knows she has to be home to answer it.

Well l'm still trialing this but if its doesn't work out, l will get in a babysitter, you could do that too.

But then some of the babysitters l get from time to time are usually about 14 years old, so maybe you should give her a bit more responsibility and see how she handles it, as l am with my daughter and as l said she is younger than yours.

l also had the gut feelings you are having but l think that is because l was always there when my children get home from school, but l'm finding that they have been unfounded.

l still worry about the kids when l go to work, but l think l will no matter how old they are, part of being a parent.

Also stick contact numbers for you and your husband near the phone so she can contact you if need be.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

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