Appropriate time to apply to other positions?

[aeris99]

Hello all! Looking for a bit of career advice from those who have a few more years experience than I do. I'm currently working nights on a tele floor. My one year hire date is coming up.

The schedule is really having negative impact on my family life and emotional state. My child is falling behind in school due to not having support at home with school work and winds up having to sleep over at the sitters some weeks due to my ever changing schedule.

I am constantly exhausted from trying to flip flop my sleep schedule. And frankly I am becoming depressed. I feel like I just can't keep up with the demands at home with this work schedule.

I had thought about asking to switch to day shift on my unit, despite my misgivings about working on such a chaotic shift. It looks like there won't be a day opening for quite a while.

There are spots open for days in some of the external physician offices, within the same organization. I'd like to apply for them but I'm hesitant to do so as I haven't been there a year yet.

So what do you think? I appreciate the input!

[brownbook]

I assume you're a single parent? If so that is really tough. Working nights was great for me when my kids were young, but my husband was home at night.

There is nothing to lose, and a lot to gain, by applying for days or the physicians offices. There is no magical number, "one year" before you can change jobs

Do you work a 40 hour week? If you don't get the positions could you cut back to 32 hours a week, or 3 twelve hour shifts? I had a friend who worked every weekend Friday to Sunday, 12 hours just so he could be home week days with his children.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

I assume you're a single parent? If so that is really tough. Working nights was great for me when my kids were young, but my husband was home at night.

There is nothing to lose, and a lot to gain, by applying for days or the physicians offices. There is no magical number, "one year" before you can change jobs

I'm going to politely disagree, Brownbook - if you want to get back into hospital nursing, many positions (even the case management ones) require a year of acute care experience. If I never see the inside of a hospital again it will be too soon BUT I encourage anyone (especially someone close to the year mark) to stick it out.

The other suggestions are great - some hospitals have a "weekend package" where you work 3 12s over the weekend and are paid at full-time rates. It is possible you'll take a pay cut to go to those doctor's offices. You have a good solid year in telemetry - do you like this specialty? Do you want to go further and look at cardiac care? What other day shifts in your hospital are open?

Good luck!

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Certainly time to apply. It takes awhile to process any application.

Best wishes, midnight shift blows.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

If the office positions are in the same corporation, check the company/HR policy about internal transfers. Maybe that will settle your one year question one way or another.

[aeris99]

I am not a single parent but my husbands schedule can be really hard. He is often called out of town on short notice, works days sometimes, nights others. It's easier to just not factor him into my schedule so that I don't get caught without childcare.

I currently work 3 12's, which is considered full time. Occasionally I pick up an extra shift here and there.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

No harm in applying ... depending on your area. I left my first hospital job just shy of 11 months and moved to another hospital job (I got the job very quickly). It worked out well (for me).

Good luck!