Best RN jobs to have more time for children/family

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I feel like I have little quality of life. I only work 3-4 12 hr shifts a week, but I have a 2 hr commute tagged on to it. I work every other weekend and get 2 -3 days off in a row between work. I feel like I never see my 6 and 7 year old children. I work days. My husband and I are considering have a 3rd child. So I'm trying to figure out how to cut back my hours so I can stay home (mostly) with the baby and just work per diem or part time. I have student loan debt (like most other people) and some other debt. We have no family nearby to watch a baby and newborn childcare is expensive.

Any ideas what I can do as an RN to still have time w/my children and make some money too?

Thanks!:redbeathe

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Look at school nursing. It's the same school schedule as your kids, with the same days off. You can also work camps in the summer for extra $$$$, and take your kids with you.

Home health maybe another option. I used to cram all my pts. in between 8am-2pm, then chart in the evenings after the kids went to bed.

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Thanks! I'd thought of school nursing, but with all the budget cuts here in California there rarely seem to be jobs in the schools. Appreciate the advice though! I've thought of becoming a Lactation Consultant in order to work per diem and possibly be able to schedule around my own schedule. That would mean some more schooling though.

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Specializes in L&D/Postpartum/Newborn, Home Health.

I second the home health suggestion. I did it for awhile and the scheduling was a definate plus!!! I would do the same~start at 8 am (occasionally I'd even have a patient that would request 7 am!) and be done by anywhere from noon-2 I'd do as much charting as possible in the home but if I did have some paperwork to do I'd do it while the kids did their homework or after they went to bed.

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I work 2 shifts/week at 8 hrs each. This is excellent for family time, but harder to find these days...maybe a 3 day a week 8 hr position would work for you? I work swing shift and find it is excellent for our family. I get to be home all morning till early afternoon with the kids on work days. I work in a hospital setting. I do the every other weekend thing too, but my commute is only 1 hr tacked on. Good luck! I hope you find a better match for you!

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Hospice in the home is also good if you are a case manager who has minimal call. I set my schedule each day, and it's flexible if there are emergencies with the kids.

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Specializes in Psych, Onco, ED, Tele, Med/Surg.

I've tried home health (racks up alot of miles on your car and you spend alot of time at home completing paperwork, seven days a week - no matter what they tell you your schedule will be), travel nursing (work six weeks take six off), and now to avoid the cost of a sitter or daycare, I'm working PRN 16 hours on Saturday and Sunday and am exhausted by Monday. But I gotta tell ya, I'm home Monday through Friday and I love that part!

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I work per-diem just on one unit (IMU) on weekends only. It seems to work out great with having 3 kids at home. I'm only obligated to work 4 shifts a month so I can work every other weekend or one day a weekend x4. I can work more if I choose. I love it....for now.

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Do you need insurance? If not, why not go PRN and work two days a week? Honestly, school/clinic nurses make so much less (in my area anyway) it might be the same amount of pay to go part time and keep the insurance, only working 2 days a week. I looked at a school nursing job this last year, and I'd have taken a $12/hr pay cut if I would have taken the position (and I've only been an RN for 2 1/2 years; imagine the pay cut a 10+ year RN would take!).

If your husband works during the week, once you have another baby, you could just work weekends. Cuts down on the "all together" family time, but you can't have it all if you need to work.

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awsmfun said:
Look at school nursing. It's the same school schedule as your kids, with the same days off. You can also work camps in the summer for extra $$$$, and take your kids with you.

Home health maybe another option. I used to cram all my pts. in between 8am-2pm, then chart in the evenings after the kids went to bed.

Great advice

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I'm not a RN yet, but I always thought a RN's schedule was family friendly b/c of the flexibility. This is something I worry about, since I have a little one and plan on having another after school. Right now, I work a flexible 9-5 type job and feel like I do get adequate time with my family except I hate having only 2 days off.

Is it the 2 hour commute that makes it tough or does that just add to it?

Just curious, b/c I'm wondering how it all works :)

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, M/S.
mks1014 said:
I'm not a RN yet, but I always thought a RN's schedule was family friendly b/c of the flexibility. This is something I worry about, since I have a little one and plan on having another after school. Right now, I work a flexible 9-5 type job and feel like I do get adequate time with my family except I hate having only 2 days off.

Is it the 2 hour commute that makes it tough or does that just add to it?

Just curious, b/c I'm wondering how it all works ?

I consider it a double edged sword. It depends on how your SO and other family feels about you working holidays, weekends, ect. My DH works a reg 9-5 job and I work Eve and nocs shifts in a LTC - overall it saves alot of $$ cand we have family nearby so that helps too.....but he gets ##@# sometimes if I have to work overtime or if he wants to go do something the weekend and I have to work, but then he aint complaining about my paycheck.

I find LTC to work best for me......I work 4 shifts a week (8-10 hrs) they are flexible with me. I previously worked m/S Noc shift and that was hell - 12 hr shifts and then needing to get adequate sleep.

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