Career advice please!!

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I have been an RN for over 4 years and I recently switched from working a full time 7a-7pm job (now twice a month PRN) at a nursing home to 3p to 11pm full time at another nursing home. I had made it clear at my new job that I wasn't crazy about working evenings since I do have 2 children at home (1 to start school in a week). She had told me that evenings where usually what new employees had and that maybe something might come up in 6 months.

Also my husband is starting a new job in a couple weeks that will most likely be nights or evenings.

At the 7a-7p job I wasn't treated very professionally my DON a couple of times, hadn't had a raise the 2 years I worked there, and there were times I felt unsafe :(. Plus I was sick of working 12 hour shifts. I did however have some great coworkers, knew the job very well, had every other weekend off and I like working days just hated not seeing my family in the evenings.

At my 3p-11p, the place is very well kept, state owned, and has won awards for being an overall good place to work. Everyone is very nice and professional, and have been very patient when it comes to learning my new job. Plus I got a raise :). I am just usually too exhausted to wake up at the time that my oldest would start school (even though I would of course) and I (& my husband) wouldn't be able to help with homework or anything in the evenings. Plus I would only have 4 weekend days every 2 months.

My dilemma is should I go back and beg for my whole job back so I could have more days off but not see my family at all on the days that I work, even if it means taking night shift since my position is more than likely filled.

Or stick it out at my current full time job and work 2nd shift and hope that something comes up soon?

I appreciate any advice and I apologize for having such a long post.

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bump, some major changes have happened since I wrote this a few days ago. My husband's new job will be working evenings or nights 8 hours for 5 to 6 days per week. My youngest also got into a preschool/head start program in our area so both of my children will be in school. I am still very torn about what I should do or which would be the lesser evil so to speak. I'm sorry if I sound like a spoiled child, I just hate to quit one job to try to be near my family due to lack of time with them and then go to another job where I'll have even less time with them :(.

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I worked at a ltc that the DON was completely unprofessional, the ratios were horrendous, but the other staff was amazing. I then got a different job in home health. I have had so much less stress. I work 4 days instead of 5 and am relaxed. I work nights now and when my child goes to preschool u sleep. I think you need to weigh the stress of the previous job but the benefit of working 3 days vs the unstressful but 5 days at the other job. Since you stayed prn at the other job it shouldnt be too hard or unprofessional to ask for a full time job back if thats what you want. If you never told them you were leaving for another job they could just think it was for personal reasons. If you like the new job better then id say stick it out fkr the six months and as soon as a different shift opens up then apply for it

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Dialysis, Hospice.

For me, the best possible option for working full-time and still wanting to have time with your family is to work 7p-7a three nights a week. I do that right now, and what I really like about it is that on the days that I come home and don't have to go back that evening--which is a lot, since I have four days a week off--I can sleep for a couple of hours, get up and get a snack and some coffee, and still have my day with my family. I couldn't/wouldn't ever want to work five days a week and only have two days a week off, even if it is eight hour shifts. Personally, I don't feel a big difference between eight and twelve hour shifts, because by the time you drive to work, work your shift and drive home, eight hours isn't eight hours anyway, so why not have four days a week off instead of just two? I work full-time and feel like I work part-time. I don't care for 7a-7p though, because when it's your weekend to work, you get almost zero time with your family because they sleep at night when you're home, but when you work every other weekend on 7p-7a, you can still have most of Sunday with your family if you don't have to go back that evening.

I admire your devotion to your family, and your love for them and desire to put them first really comes through in your post. I wish you the best and hope you find the best solution so that you can be at home as much as possible. :)

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Thank you both so much for the advice! I still feel a little torn but not as distraught as I was when I first wrote this. I think for the time being I will stick with the jobs that I have until things settle. I knew one of my kids was starting school but never dreamed my youngest would qualify for head start. Also my husband had been looking for a job and is starting his not long after I started mine! I just feel overwhelmed with so many things going on in our family but thankful for everything that has happened so far.I would love to work 7p to 7a but I would need someone to stay with the kids at night and right now it wouldn't be possible since i dont have very much help both I and my husband worked nights:(

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If both I and my husband worked nights*

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