Am I crazy??

Nurses Career Support

Published

  1. Should I stay or should I go?

    • Stay where you are, the benefits are too good
    • Leave, you never know unless you try

4 members have participated

I currently have a Mon-Fri job. 8-5. Flexible schedule, if I need to be late or go see a kids school program in the middle of the day or even take half the day off, I still get paid the same because I'm on salary. As long as the work gets done- it doesn't matter. I get along great with my boss and my coworkers. I have weekends and holidays off unless I choose to take call. The pay is one of the top in my city. It is almost the same schedule as my husband works and is great for my kids.

So...why would I even think about going back to the hospital?? Why would I take less pay, start out on nights and have a rotating schedule with weekends and holidays and no flexibility? I'm considering it just for the job aspect. I miss working in that environment and I'd be working on a floor that I believe would be awesome. Eventually, I'd like to consider travel nursing and I need more hospital experience for that.

But I am also one that tends to think the grass is always greener on the other side. I get restless after being in a certain place for too long, rather that place is a house, a city, or a job. I've left this job once before, for another similar job, and regretted it.

I don't know what to do. And I know you all can't tell me what to do but I just want to hear your thoughts. PLEASE let me hear your thoughts so I can bounce them around in my head and try to decide what to do. Is it stupid to leave the perks of where I am at now?

Thank you

peacockblue

293 Posts

Yes, you are crazy. That being said, that is my opinion for what would be best for me. Only you know what would work best for your family and career. Perhaps make a list of pros and cons of each job.

Clara38

16 Posts

The first step stop thinking and analyzing so much. Take a deep breath and just stay in 1 area.

These decisions should never be done abruptly and fast. No one is firing you, hospitals aren't disappearing and money will not always be the same.

This decision is not something to be impatient about. Kids grow up and their needs change.

Money is never unless you are about to be homeless the reason to do or not do something.

Will you have more kids?

if you work nights are your kids covered?

I personally wish I could work nights. The daily mon to Fri sucks for me. I loved the night schedule but you know best the needs that must be met.

just dont rush. Why make a decision today, or tomorrow. Give yourself no set time but do think of you 1st. The rest falls in place.

Good Luck

Thank you both for your replies. Interesting how different they are from each other. :) I do think I need to make a pros and cons list. And I was really surprised Clara38 that you wish you could go back to nights instead of the M-F job. I don't wish for nights, but M-F does kick my butt in that I feel like I am ALWAYS working (40+ hrs per week vs 36+) I guess it's not that much different other then it's consolidated with more days off in between. I feel like I would look forward to going to work a lot more. My kids would be taken care of because my husband still works Mon-Fri 8-5. No more kids, mine are young teens. Ugh..decisions, decisions. But you're right. I don't need to rush anything. Its just I have a job offer I need to decide do I take or turn it down.

Lucky724

256 Posts

You will see a lot of posts on here about the benefits of 12 hour shifts versus 8 hour shifts (M-F). I've worked both and frankly depending on where I was in life at the time, it's why I worked one or the other. Maybe the job you have now fit a year or so ago but now your vision of where you want to be in another year has changed..If travel nursing is your ultimate goal most agencies require at least a year current in a hospital setting unless you are looking for a home health type assignment then that is required.

That being said, if flexibility is something you absolutely have to have you will not have it working in a hospital - as I'm sure you know it would not be possible to leave early/come in late for childcare issues or anything else (excluding an emergency of course). If you want to stay working day shift but only work 3 or 4 days a week and still look at traveling dialysis nursing is another option. And also, the weekend option is something a lot of hospitals still offer but w/kids I don't know if that would work for you.

You can also think about going back into the hospital setting on a PRN basis at first, to see what you think before diving in.

Ndy-RN

106 Posts

Specializes in Psychiatric nursing; Medical-Surgrical.

Yes! Certified crazy! The grass is not always greener on the other side. Take a vacation or something. Do something to get your mojo back. This is a good job you have love. Dont do something you will regret.

caliotter3

38,333 Posts

Based on my personal experience, I would say that you should stay in your present situation until the cows come home by way of Moscow, Russia, with braided rainbow-colored hair and ridden by the most handsome men on Earth, next century, in the first month, thirty-second day that starts with a P.

There is something to be said about job stability, especially when that job reads like pure heaven on Earth, in this economy. Don't go chasing the unicorn. He always runs faster than you.

RNbubu

72 Posts

Keep your job. Get a per diem job to work on a hospital floor on weekends and/or holidays when you are off. That will give you your hospital "fix". Usually per diem positions only require a minimim of 4 shifts a month.

Well, it appears I'm crazy. I've decided to leave my job in Geriatric Management for a position at the hospital on the Mother Baby unit. I'm scared but excited for all the new things I'm going to learn and the completely different direction I'm taking in my career. It will be 12 hour nights to start. Hopefully I can get on dayshift before too long.

Thank you all for your input.

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