I'm interested in a new graduate program at a large level I teaching hospital. If I got the position I would take it in a second. I live in MA and there's a big glut out here...I've been job hunting since May with nothing on the horizon, so this a huge opportunity to work my dream position in a level III NICU straight out of college...I would get to go out on deliveries and transports, the nurse-patient ratios are excellent, and they have all the technology I want to work with. 34 days off/year with a cashout option and great benefits are the icing on the cake. The only downside is that the pay is a few dollars less an hour than MA, however there's no state taxes so that helps. The main issue I have is that it's a little over 129 miles/2 hours and 15 minutes each way and the unit has 12 hour shifts...That would be a minimum of an 18 hour day when you figure wake-up time, the commute, and staying a bit extra to complete tasks and give report...that leaves oh about 6 hours to eat, unwind and sleep if I have to do serial 12s. I don't mind because it would only be for two out of the three shifts, but I'm worried about being unsafe in practice and falling asleep at the wheel during a long drive on little sleep. Relocation is not an option at this point.
Has anyone ever made a commute like this and if so how did you work it out? I don't know anyone in the area to stay with overnight, and I was thinking about staying in a motel room if I have to do serial 12s...the thought of doing that skeeves me out though and I'm not sure it's really financially intelligent when I factor in all the gas it's going to cost to commute plus paying for a room for two nights. I'm afraid to bring it up in an interview because I don't want to be difficult about scheduling and I worry the commute will work against me in their decision-making.
So for those that made a huge commute like this, did you get used to it? How did you cope and how did it affect your marriages/relationships? (I don't have children so that's one less concern).
I am obviously willing to work hard for what I want but I don't want to be completely unrealistic in what I think I can handle.
I did 1.5 hour commutes and hated it and my job with a passion. After working 12 hours (nights at that) and then driving home, my days were quickly becoming nothing more than a fog. I was miserable.
I would weigh the costs of gas vs. the cost of staying there for your 3 shifts. I might be cheaper to just stay there and work your 3 shifts in a row.
Check around at the hospital - perhaps there are several staff that share an apartment or a motel room and you could stay there.
Check the facility itself. Several facilities in my area have rooms they rent to staff and/or family members for like $15 a night.
Right now my commute is 35 mins from front door to time clock and it gets old after awhile and I dream of living 5 mins. away from work........ But I also have a great unit with 4 on call rooms just in our unit alone and in a worse case scenario, I can always crash there at the hospital if I needed to.
Okay, chores done, I'm back. I just quit a job that was about the same commute. The only difference is that I am unmarried and I was able to stay with my parents who treated me like a queen (except when they had to hammer something in the middle of the afternoon). The drive never bothered me, it was the being away from home for 6-7 days part that was the pits. I'd come home to a yard that needed mowed, a house that needed cleaned and bills to pay which normally wouldn't be a big thing until they start to pile up. Sometimes the weather wouldn't cooperate and by the time it was good enough to do yard work the lawn was 8 inches tall and had to be mowed 2 or three times in one shot. It sounds like you will be working nights. Night shift will make you a zombie so even the smallest task takes on an entirely different personality. Even your day "off" won't really be a free day because you will have to sleep. I'm sorry but 6 hours ain't going to cut it. You will be a walking time-bomb. Even staying up where your job is will be a pain. You won't be able to do anything with anybody (including your husband) because you will be either out of town, just getting back into town or getting ready to leave town. Your relationships will suffer. The money is a big deal. Gas is going to cost you an amazing amount. Add to that the wear and tear on your vehicle. You will have to get your oil changed every 3 weeks!!!!! Your tires will wear out in a much shorter time period and you are greatly increasing your chances of being in an accident. Oh, your insurance rate will be higher as well unless you lie to your agent about the length of your commute. Don't count on your DH to do a good job keeping up with the housework. He'll try but your idea of clean and his are likely to be vastly different. Trust me! You will not be guaranteed that they will schedule you three days in a row. You will be low man on the totem pole and they won't appreciate demands on the schedule. You will often find yourself scheduled two days on, one off then 2 or 3 days more (in most places saturday night is on the next week). You'll miss your own bed! Then when winter rolls around the big fun starts. Just because you live far away will not be an excuse not to show when the weather gets bad because you chose to do this commute. So you have to pay attention to the weather and decide to go up a day earlier to avoid storms or at least leave hours earlier to get there on time. So your 2 hour commute may be more like 4 or 5 followed by a twelve hour shift. Are you getting the idea that I'm not going to be positive about this idea in any way. Seriously, this will be the biggest mistake of your life (at least so far). No job is worth risking your marriage and your life!
OP, please don't commute. If you want this job go to http://www.craigslist.com and look for a cheap room or something. However, I agree with the above poster about your marriage. I couldn't imagine having my family time split in the week.
Specializes in Pediatric Psychiatry, Home Health VNA.
Okay, chores done, I'm back. I just quit a job that was about the same commute. The only difference is that I am unmarried and I was able to stay with my parents who treated me like a queen (except when they had to hammer something in the middle of the afternoon). The drive never bothered me, it was the being away from home for 6-7 days part that was the pits. I'd come home to a yard that needed mowed, a house that needed cleaned and bills to pay which normally wouldn't be a big thing until they start to pile up. Sometimes the weather wouldn't cooperate and by the time it was good enough to do yard work the lawn was 8 inches tall and had to be mowed 2 or three times in one shot. It sounds like you will be working nights. Night shift will make you a zombie so even the smallest task takes on an entirely different personality. Even your day "off" won't really be a free day because you will have to sleep. I'm sorry but 6 hours ain't going to cut it. You will be a walking time-bomb. Even staying up where your job is will be a pain. You won't be able to do anything with anybody (including your husband) because you will be either out of town, just getting back into town or getting ready to leave town. Your relationships will suffer. The money is a big deal. Gas is going to cost you an amazing amount. Add to that the wear and tear on your vehicle. You will have to get your oil changed every 3 weeks!!!!! Your tires will wear out in a much shorter time period and you are greatly increasing your chances of being in an accident. Oh, your insurance rate will be higher as well unless you lie to your agent about the length of your commute. Don't count on your DH to do a good job keeping up with the housework. He'll try but your idea of clean and his are likely to be vastly different. Trust me! You will not be guaranteed that they will schedule you three days in a row. You will be low man on the totem pole and they won't appreciate demands on the schedule. You will often find yourself scheduled two days on, one off then 2 or 3 days more (in most places saturday night is on the next week). You'll miss your own bed! Then when winter rolls around the big fun starts. Just because you live far away will not be an excuse not to show when the weather gets bad because you chose to do this commute. So you have to pay attention to the weather and decide to go up a day earlier to avoid storms or at least leave hours earlier to get there on time. So your 2 hour commute may be more like 4 or 5 followed by a twelve hour shift. Are you getting the idea that I'm not going to be positive about this idea in any way. Seriously, this will be the biggest mistake of your life (at least so far). No job is worth risking your marriage and your life!
Wow, FlyingScot. Thank you so much for putting it in perspective. I won't think about it any further. I just got blinded by the incredible opportunity. I am so frustrated with not being able to find a job that I'm willing to put myself at some risk to do it, but not the risk you describe.
When I first read your post, I thought "are they serious??". So, my answer is no way would I do such a commute. I wouldn't even commute 1 hr. 12 hr shifts are long enough as it is. We have someone who comes up for weekends a couple times a month and stays in a hotel. Even he says it really isn't worth it and he is sick of it. I would not even consider such an option. IF this is your only job option then move to the job. You will be living there anyway.
Specializes in Emergency, Nursing Management, Auditing.
Are you talking about living in MA and working in NH? If you still live in MA you will have to pay income tax regardless... It stinks, I know. I used to live and work in NH and took what I thought was a big pay cut to work there instead of in MA... but it ended up evening out. So yeah, as others have mentioned, the commute definitely is not worth it, what with insane gas prices and lower pay from state to state. Good luck to you in whatever you choose!
I just gave up a one year stint at a one hour commute. It was OK. If this is a large hospital you do have another option. If you work days you should be able to sleep at the hospital in someones office, at night, on a cot. If you work night shift you can usually can grab one of the sleep lab beds during the day to sleep. They are just like a hotel room, complete with shower and TV. I used this option when bad weather made it not worth the risk of driving home to sleep, just to come back in when I awakened.
Two plus hours is a serious commute. Wanted to give you another prespective.
That is a very long commute. I think you would get tired of it fast. Also, it would be very dangerous to commute so far when tired. You said you don't have children. You should consider moving to where the job is. If thats not possible, I would keep looking for something closer to home. Good luck in your decision.
Specializes in pedi, pedi psych,dd, school ,home health.
October Bride; I have to agree with the others. another thing to remember is traffic around here... as you know the slightest rain or snow and it doubles. so your one hour commute easily becomes at least 2. Depending where in NH the place is, could you move to Northern MA ...on the NH border. that would probably cut your commute in half. good luck; I hope your find something soon. mary
I would go to a local college/university and look for student rooms for rent in the area....try even craigslist or other similar boards. Even just to have a small room in a house nearby, with a futon, a tv, and a mini-fridge will make this situation work, and be cost effective (much better than gas probably). And, its not all the time, just before/after shifts, or for napping. Not your home, just a place to stay.
I drive 1 to 1.5 hours to work some days, and its AWFUL. Don't forget that in bad traffic (think accidents!) and bad weather (think slow!) that that 2hr 15min drive could possibly become 3+ hours.
Please don't think about taking this job without getting yourself a place to stay nearby. In a year and a half of work I've fallen asleep on the drive home from work once, and it scared the hell out of me. Happened only one block away from home, and could easily have killed me. Fell asleep at a red light......out cold. And my drive is HALF of yours. 2+ hours each way will leave you no time to sleep.
Specializes in Pediatric Psychiatry, Home Health VNA.
Thanks everyone. I am not going to pursue the job. I found a position I'm really interested in at South Shore Hospital here in MA and I'm going to try really hard to get that one.
mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP
1,168 Posts
I did 1.5 hour commutes and hated it and my job with a passion. After working 12 hours (nights at that) and then driving home, my days were quickly becoming nothing more than a fog. I was miserable.
I would weigh the costs of gas vs. the cost of staying there for your 3 shifts. I might be cheaper to just stay there and work your 3 shifts in a row.
Check around at the hospital - perhaps there are several staff that share an apartment or a motel room and you could stay there.
Check the facility itself. Several facilities in my area have rooms they rent to staff and/or family members for like $15 a night.
Right now my commute is 35 mins from front door to time clock and it gets old after awhile and I dream of living 5 mins. away from work........ But I also have a great unit with 4 on call rooms just in our unit alone and in a worse case scenario, I can always crash there at the hospital if I needed to.
I wish you luck in whatever you decide!!!!