Career vs family

guest64485 · Mar 2, 2007

I'm just getting ready to start nursing school, and at risk of sounding like an idiot, can I ask--- what is PRN? Is it pool? I keep hearing about pool, but I'm not exactly sure what it is. Thanks!!

PRN means as needed. So, for example, if one of the full time staff nurses is planning a vacation, you may be scheduled to fill in for them. Basically you just fill in the holes in staffing.

PRN is also used for medication, such as you may have a PRN medication for nausea.

Float pool helps varying units; you can be a full time employee of the float pool.

vamedic4, EMT-P · Mar 3, 2007

Any suggestions on how to have a fulfilling nursing career while spending enough time with your children? I have been contemplating returning to an area in nursing which I enjoyed but offered less flexibility. My current job has the best flexibity,location, and pay for my needs but I still long for my specialty area. I have two young children and want to spend most of my time with them. Is it wrong to seek career fulfilment at this point in my life?

I once made the mistake of working a lot in my own "specialty", and I paid for it dearly in my relationship early on with my wife of (almost) 13 years. There was no "career fulfillment" in my chosen field for me. You speak of less flexibility in a job you long for. I understand your love for a specialty area...so it's all about what is important, ultimately, to you.

If you know that this specialty is going to cost you time with your children and you are ready to accept that - then go ahead.

To me...a job...any job, is a means to an end. That end is to provide the best life possible for my wife and my two little monsters. Does that mean I won't find a cure for cancer? Probably. I just find that (right now) spending time with my family is what's important. I'll leave the cancer curing to the truly analytical minds and pay homage to their intelligence later.

And as others wrote, no one ever puts "I wish I had been able to go to work one more day" on their tombstone.

Will I regret not going for my "dream job" in the ICU? Maybe, maybe not.

Will I regret having to work the day my child has his final play in fifth grade? You bet.

It's a difficult decision, I'm certain. Only you can answer your own question. Good luck.

vamedic4

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Mar 3, 2007

Maybe it's just me, but how does going to work affect time with children? How old are yours?

Kids have to go to school during the day anyway. Mine go from 8:30 to 3:15. I'm sure most children go during this time as well. So, you work 7-3 Mon.-Fri. So, you'll miss breakfast with them, but you'll be home most days and you;ll be there on the weekends. Or you work 11-7 and you sleep during the day and then leave after they go to bed and they never miss you.

Better yet, work three days a week and you're off four. Or work, two 16's on the weekend if they aren't school age and you are there everyday almost.

The flexibilty of nursing is one of my main reasons for choosing it initially.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 3, 2007

Some places have only 12 hour shifts available, so as you can see, working these can definately affect time spent with your family.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 3, 2007

OP: All jobs effect time you spend with your children, even Stay-At-Home jobs. I don't EVER see the SAHMs on my street outside watching their terrors! Once in a while they come out to stare at the lawn and go back into the house (sometimes birds forge for grass seeds). :uhoh21:

My advise to you is to find the balance that makes you and your family happy. Don't let anyone guilt you into a job you won't like. By the way PRN won't satisfy the bills for everyone, especially not my family. So, you may end up with a job in nursing that is NOT flexible at least in the beginning. GL.

PEDSVA · Apr 3, 2007

This has been an on-going dilema for me, thank you all for your insight. The decision is now up to me.