Nurses with families...how do you manage??

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi...I'm just curious how you manage working and family, especially if you are working full time? I ask because I'm single, and I find myself exhausted after working 12 hour shifts. That got me thinking today...what would I do if I had kids? I know many of you do. I work nights (which I like) and sleep most of the day. My first two days off, I'm recovering. If I had a family, I would not be able to work as many hours. That, or be tired all the time. How do you do it??

To be honest my family loses out on a lot. Due to the schedules a lot of us have to work, 12 hr shifts that become 15 or 16 hr days with commutes and having to stay over, in my case 8 hr shift that becomes over a 12 hr day with commute. I am utterly spent and exhausted and irritable when I get home and my family is on the losing end of things.

Then on my days off one day is for recovering and finally I have one day a week where I feel like a human being and can actually spend quality time with my family.

When my daughter was younger arranging any kind of childcare was a nightmare...where is there a daycare that opens so early and stays open so late and doesn't mind if you're late picking up your kid every single day? Few and far between, at least in my rural area.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It is tough! I worked third for a year...I only got about 4-6 hours of sleep on any given day. With a 3 and 4 year old it was hard. Looking back I realize how miserable and grouchy I was...my poor boys didn't deserve that. I currently work second shift 3 days a week. One boy is in school the other is still home. It is still tough, but much more doable. I don't think I could do full time right now.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
To be honest my family loses out on a lot. Due to the schedules a lot of us have to work, 12 hr shifts that become 15 or 16 hr days with commutes and having to stay over, in my case 8 hr shift that becomes over a 12 hr day with commute. I am utterly spent and exhausted and irritable when I get home and my family is on the losing end of things.

Then on my days off one day is for recovering and finally I have one day a week where I feel like a human being and can actually spend quality time with my family.

When my daughter was younger arranging any kind of childcare was a nightmare...where is there a daycare that opens so early and stays open so late and doesn't mind if you're late picking up your kid every single day? Few and far between, at least in my rural area.

I work three 12s, night shift, and it still feels like I work 6 days a week :(. My family is getting the shaft, I am my best only at work right now. I haven't figured out how to balance my sleep/home time to get the most out of it when I am sore and tired from working :confused:. My husband is very helpful and does most of the child related stuff besides laundry, but that doesn't help me with how I feel physically or mentally from doing this job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
What job do you have that's 8-4? Just curious :)

Looked for and applied to M-F RN hospital positions several years ago. Non-bedside opportunities are out there but they are not glamorous, usually the same or less pay than bedside (no shift differential or holiday pay)-usually need several years of bedside nursing to be qualified as well.

Not sure what position the original 8-4, M-F poster had though.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Office, Home Health, School Nurse.

I'm in an easier situation than most, but it still seems tough sometimes. I'm a school nurse, so I work 8a-3:30p (M-W I work til 5:30p). Hubby works 4 10's. We have a 2 year old daughter and I'm 3 months pregnant also. Our "typical" day looks like this:

5:30 am- Daddy up and getting ready for work. He leaves at 6:00.

6:30- I'm up and getting ready for work. I wake our daughter up at 7:15, wrestle her into some clothes and we are out the door by 7:30. I drop my sister in law off at high school at 7:40 and I'm at work by 8:00. My daughter's babysitter meets me at the school where I work to pick her up before I go in. I work til either 3:30 or 5:30 (depending on what day it is) and my daughter's babysitter meets me in the parking lot. If I get off at 3:30, we head home. If I have to work til 5:30, my daughter plays in one of my friend's classrooms until 5:30 then we head home. Hubby/Daddy gets home around 6:15. He's is great about helping around the house, so is 16 year old sister in law that lives with us. Since this pregnancy has been really hard on me, I'm usually collapsed on the couch, watching Dora with my daughter, fighting all day "morning" sickness and no energy, while hubby and his sister handle chores and dinner. We all head to bed around 10:30, and get up and do it all again! Hubby is off on Fridays, so he spends Fridays handling the outside chores and stuff. I'm looking forward to summer break, 2 months off will be a blessing, except for the whole chasing a toddler while pregnant thing haha! My job is definitely wonderful when it comes to the schedule and stuff---but the pay stinks. But it's a trade off that my family and I are able to make---I'm home with my daughter more than most nurses would be, but money is pretty tight for us.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment