Nurses Helping Nurses
allnurses Network: Central | Jobs | Books | Newsletter
allnurses: A Nursing Community for Nurses
Home General News Blogs Articles Students Region Specialty Degrees F.A.Q.
Retired Nurses or Inactive Nurses /

Thinking of becoming inactive for a while. Am I nuts?



Did You Know?
allnurses is the largest community for nurses on the web. We now have over 388,586 members! Join today to network with other nurses, laugh, share, and much more.
Page 1 of 3 1 23 >

Dec 01, 2008 03:21 PM

Thinking of becoming inactive for a while. Am I nuts?

by Vtachy1

My Grandma is having a fit and thinks I am nuts. In the middle of a bad recession and such. She really chewed me out for this, but I want to be a full time mom, and I am so stressed out with the ICU nursing for 11 years, before that I was a med surg nurse in the same hospital for 7 years.

I have been doing per diem for 6 years, and its usually 24 - 40 hours a week at least. I just want to be a mom. My husband really feels the need for me to be home too with my two kids. Do you think I'm nuts?


Share

Search Tags
None
Top

 
Advertisement
Sponsored Links
 
Page 1 of 3 1 23 >
Reply
26 Comments
No. 1
from traumaRUs
Old Dec 01, 2008, 03:26 PM

Default Re: Thinking of becoming inactive for a while. Am I nuts?
Not if this is what you want to do. However, I do think Grandma may be right: I wouldn't let my license lapse or stay completely out of nursing: maybe cut down to 24 hours/week or 16 hours per week.
Top

1 Reader Gave Kudos
 
No. 2
from GooeyRN
Old Dec 01, 2008, 04:15 PM

Default Re: Thinking of becoming inactive for a while. Am I nuts?
You are not nuts. I am currently a SAHM. I keep my license active. I took 14 months off after having dd, then worked 8 hours a week until I had ds. I am now home a year, and will go back in ~ 3 months on a very part-time basis. Nursing will be around forever, kids are only young once IMO.
Top

2 Readers Gave Kudos
 
No. 3
from Cindy_A
Old Dec 01, 2008, 05:12 PM

Default Re: Thinking of becoming inactive for a while. Am I nuts?
I'm not a mom, but I don't blame you for wanting to stay home with your kids, they are only young once. I also think that if that is what you and your husband agree on, then it's nobody else's business. It would probably be a good idea to keep your license active though.
Top

1 Reader Gave Kudos
 
No. 4
from caliotter3
Old Dec 01, 2008, 05:30 PM

Default Re: Thinking of becoming inactive for a while. Am I nuts?
If you want to stay at home with your kids, now is the time. But you should keep your license active and you should be acutely aware of the job situation in your area. Are jobs plentiful? Even if they are, you would probably be better off if you attempt to maintain 16 hours a week to keep your foot in the door. You don't want to give prospective employers any excuse to exclude you from employment consideration.
Top

1 Reader Gave Kudos
 
No. 5
from traumaRUs
Old Dec 01, 2008, 05:37 PM

Default Re: Thinking of becoming inactive for a while. Am I nuts?
And...maybe I'm an old lady who should be ignored, but no job is safe and secure during this recession. I wouldn't want to "count" only on your husband's job with the economic situation being so unstable.
Top

2 Readers Gave Kudos
 
No. 6
from Vtachy1
Old Dec 01, 2008, 08:03 PM

Default Re: Thinking of becoming inactive for a while. Am I nuts?
Husband's job is as recession proof as you can possibly get. We have never borrowed money our entire marriage, we bought everything with cash so that helps. My Grandma was one of the feminist pioneers (she's 90 years old) I am her POA, and I take care of her too, she can't drive and she broke her hip a year ago, but was able to return home. But she has no clue what it takes nowdays to raise kids. I only have a tiny little window in my life to actively be there mom and be there for them.

I dunno maybe something less stressful would help. In the last 11 years, I've had enough adrenaline to last a life time. I'm burned out, and I desperately want to be a mom and wife. I think that motherhood is a valid career. Its just scarey to quit what I've done for the last 18 years. I LOVE being a mom!!! And DKS are at the age that they still like mom (7 y.o. and 9 y.o.) THeir activities are insane and the homework is crazy, what they expect out of those little tykes. We live in an extremely competative school district we were number one in our state for the state achievement testing. Geesh, My sister and I didn't have homework until 6th grade!

All I can think about while I'm at work is how I'm trashing them and my heart is not in it. My heart is at home with them.
Top

2 Readers Gave Kudos
 
No. 7
from caliotter3
Old Dec 01, 2008, 08:10 PM

Default Re: Thinking of becoming inactive for a while. Am I nuts?
Have you considered home health? You can be as flexible as you want in that area. If you only want to work one shift a week or one shift a month, that can be arranged. You can arrange hours so that you are home when the kids get home from school. Just discuss your desired work schedule with the staffing coordinators and they will work with you to provide a schedule that gives you what you need. I knew a nurse who worked seven hour shifts and got home for her kids each afternoon. Other cases are only six hours a day, or even four hours. Think about it as an option.
Top

1 Reader Gave Kudos
 
No. 8
from GooeyRN
Old Dec 01, 2008, 09:42 PM

Default Re: Thinking of becoming inactive for a while. Am I nuts?
Originally Posted by caliotter3 View Post
Have you considered home health? You can be as flexible as you want in that area. If you only want to work one shift a week or one shift a month, that can be arranged. You can arrange hours so that you are home when the kids get home from school. Just discuss your desired work schedule with the staffing coordinators and they will work with you to provide a schedule that gives you what you need. I knew a nurse who worked seven hour shifts and got home for her kids each afternoon. Other cases are only six hours a day, or even four hours. Think about it as an option.
A lot of places are totally flexible if you did not want to be totally inactive. My last place of employment (where I will be returning to soon!) let me work twice a week from 7pm-11pm. It was perfect, it was around my dh's schedule so I did not need daycare and I was not away from my dd for long. Maybe you can find someplace that will let you work 1/2 shifts during your kids school hours. It is just a thought, you don't know what is out there until you look around. A lot of agencies let you pick your hours, and a lot of places hire per-diem. It does not have to be all or nothing. I think it is nice to keep a foot in the door, but if you don't want to, I don't see a problem with taking some time off.

I say do whatever your heart and wallet tells you to do. If you know your dh's job is secure, that is wonderful. Once I return to work, I don't plan on being full-time until the kids are out of the house or something happens to dh. I do want to work some just to keep a foot in the door, though.
Top

1 Reader Gave Kudos
 
No. 9
from Vtachy1
Old Dec 02, 2008, 08:52 AM

Default Re: Thinking of becoming inactive for a while. Am I nuts?
Its so weird that you mention this! I just got a call 5 minutes ago from a home health agency that I sent my resume to. I had no idea if they were needing nurses or not but I have an interview. Wow! This has to be a God thing!

So what do I need to ask in my interview, I know nothing about home health? Will they give me a car to drive or do I drive my own?
Top
 
Page 1 of 3 1 23 >
Reply




Thread Tools


Who's Online
362 members
3,402 guests
3,764

13

lawsuit - But don't most RN's work through breaks/lunch...

0

Patient Evaluation of Retail Clinic Care

1

The hard to reach on-call doctor, and its effects on...

5

Woman charged with passing off prescription drug as...

13

Man in "Vegetative State" was conscious for 23...

2

Interesting article on ThedaCare's Collaborative Care Model

12

Possible breakthrough regarding MS

63

16th Philly area hospital to stop delivering babies: Mercy...

10

Really interesting article on Indian open hearts

10

High-Tech Pump Does What Her Heart Can't



38

Dear preceptor

1

Society Needs Care Too

13

Why am I doing this, anyway?

2

Nurse Heal Thyself

9

My Papa, why I am the nurse I am today.

17

I made it through

11

An angel's gaze

16

A Sister Never Forgets

16

Ruby's Marbles

38

What Do Operating Room Nurses Do?

14

My Little Old Jedi

20

I love this job......

23

"I hear voices"

19

Preventing FRUTI (Foley Related Urinary Tract Infection) in...

24

Error and Attitude





Sponsored Links

Currently Reading This Page: 1 (0 members & 1 guests)

Interested in the hottest topics of the week? Subscribe to the Nurse-zine Newsletter.
Enter email address: