Request imput regarding long commute to work.

renerian, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2003

I have done long commutes twice in my career in Ohio. I would say No only due to crappy road weather and it usually doubles your drive time in the winter plus you can get stranded which happened to me several times. If you do decide to persue it keep blankets, toothbrush and extra clothes in your trunk. On many occasions I could not get home and had to rent a hotel. By the time I would get home and back to work it would be 4 hours of driving which with the price of gas I would say an extra no.

Ohio has poopy weather for long commutes. In home health I had to buy a new car every two years due to high mileage. The wear and tear on your car for long commutes it not so good.

renerian

huggietoes · Sep 18, 2003

I too thought 'hey, if it is only 3 12's or 4 10's how bad can it be?', well, it can be bad, very bad. It extends your work day considerably. You feel like you are working 60 hours per week for a 40 hour pay. Not to mention my blood pressure was skyrocketing and I figured out it was due to the stress of driving, I would get home and my legs would be cramped and I was so wiped out I could not function. And then there were the days I would get home and not remember the drive because I was zoning, very scary. If you can avoid an extensive commute do it!

BadBird, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2003

I can't handle a long commute, after my 12 hr. shifts I am lucky to drive the 11 miles home.

renerian, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2003

I agree on adding time to your day. When I was commuting I spent no less than between 55 to 60 hours per week. My hubby commutes and that is what he easily puts in for work.

renerian

Bailey1 · Sep 18, 2003

Well, my gut instinct goes right along with the replys. My head was hoping for the opposite. I definately don't want to get into something I will hate. I just feel so unsettled not working and with that comes some pretty conflicting thinking. The only other option I have is a part-time LPN instructor at our local community college. I have been away from clinical nursing for 10 years and don't have classroom teaching experience. I will say that education has always been appealing to me. Looking back, patient education and mentoring others has always been one of the most rewarding parts of my job. Any thoughts about nurse educators?

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Sep 18, 2003

That's what i kinda thought when i read the 3 12's or the 4 10's part. You're looking at an additional 3 hours total on the road that day which can make a 13-15 hour day. You might spend your days off very exhausted as well.

redshiloh · Sep 18, 2003

It's not easy, but it can be done. Make sure you have a charged cell phone with you. My commute is 45 min BID; not nearly as bad as yours. And make sure your car is in good condition!

SirJohnny · Sep 18, 2003

Bailey1:

- If you can take a bus/train - then that's the way to do the commute. Hopefully can get work done while commuting.

- If not, then look at this as a very short term solution -- with the goal being to adjust your employment situation such that your commute is shorter.

- I used to drive 60 min (55 miles) each way from PA to NJ when I worked for Lucent Technologies. After 6 months - was sick and tired of the drive.

John Coxey

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Sep 18, 2003

Originally posted by huggietoes
And then there were the days I would get home and not remember the drive because I was zoning, very scary. If you can avoid an extensive commute do it!

That is one of the reasons I stopped doing home health. I remember doing 12-14 visits on a Saturday...and between # 12 and 13, I suddenly found myself on a stretch of road...and unable to remember how I got there! I had to pull off the road, for I was really fearing for my safety...as well as others. It's not worth it.

Currently my round-trip commute is 110 miles, 40 of those are completed on the train. If it wasn't for this, I guess I'd be working at Wal-Mart, for there are NO job prospects anywear near where I live, either.