Advice please

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello all, I may not be seeing something here, but I need a little advice. I have been a respiratory therapist for around 10 years now and have recently become a registered nurse in the PICU. I have always liked working in this unit as a respiratory person. I am about to finish my training/orientation for this facility and now they are having myself and another move to nights. I do not want to work nights and have done my share of nights as a respiratory person. Now, here is the thing....I am getting paid more than a new grad nurse because of my experience and time with this facility, but it is the same as my respiratory pay, in fact, I would be getting paid a dollar more an hour for getting assigned to the units as a respiratory therapist. So, I would be actually making more money as an Respiratory therapist and I would get to stay on days. I am not sure what to do because I went to nursing school to get ahead, not move backwards. I could go back to the resp. dept. and stay on days or try and stick it out. I try and tell myself that it will be better in the long run, but I am not sure and I hate doing nights. Plus, I work much harder as a nurse. I also got offered a position with a hospice care which would be better pay than both of the above mentioned, but it is out of my element. I feel kind of stupid because this hospice thing "sounds" great. No weekends, no holidays, better pay, PTO accumulation is great, mandatory 2 week vacation per year (my buddy had put in a good word for me), but I am not sure as what to do. All my experience has been in the hospital setting. I have tried to weigh the pros and cons, but I guess I need a little advice. RY

Specializes in ECMO.
Hello all, I may not be seeing something here, but I need a little advice. I have been a respiratory therapist for around 10 years now and have recently become a registered nurse in the PICU. I have always liked working in this unit as a respiratory person. I am about to finish my training/orientation for this facility and now they are having myself and another move to nights. I do not want to work nights and have done my share of nights as a respiratory person. Now, here is the thing....I am getting paid more than a new grad nurse because of my experience and time with this facility, but it is the same as my respiratory pay, in fact, I would be getting paid a dollar more an hour for getting assigned to the units as a respiratory therapist. So, I would be actually making more money as an Respiratory therapist and I would get to stay on days. I am not sure what to do because I went to nursing school to get ahead, not move backwards. I could go back to the resp. dept. and stay on days or try and stick it out. I try and tell myself that it will be better in the long run, but I am not sure and I hate doing nights. Plus, I work much harder as a nurse. I also got offered a position with a hospice care which would be better pay than both of the above mentioned, but it is out of my element. I feel kind of stupid because this hospice thing "sounds" great. No weekends, no holidays, better pay, PTO accumulation is great, mandatory 2 week vacation per year (my buddy had put in a good word for me), but I am not sure as what to do. All my experience has been in the hospital setting. I have tried to weigh the pros and cons, but I guess I need a little advice. RY

RRT and BSN.........ICU and airway/vent knowledge. the choice is obvious. CRNA school!

You kept your seniority within the hospital because of your years there, so your benefits don't change, but you're starting at the bottom of the totem pole as a nurse. Most new grads end up on nights or eves, and you move to days as positions come open and you gain seniority as a nurse. The only way you could stay on days is if a position is open and no one else wants it, which is unlikely. Part of paying the dues.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

I know you don't want to hear this but if you want to keep days and make more money, you're going to have to step outside of your comfort zone and leave the hospital setting. I would advise that anyway, you've paid your dues in the hospital. You know that aside from hospice you could try home health, look into LTAC (still hospital-like but perhaps you'd have more success with getting days) and have you looked into a non-clinical job? With your background maybe you could try sales and/or consulting for companies that make ventilators and respiratory equipment, etc. (Yeah I know those are hard to come by).

Your experience would make you an attractive recruit for home health

or hospice either one.

Even though you feel like it would be out of your element, it would not

take you long to learn the paperwork, etc.

You would be a great resource person for the team.

I would also think about contacting other facilites, even though you

like this one.

Another facility might jump at the chance to give you day shift.

Specializes in Pulmonary, Cath Lab, Float Pool.

I was a RRT also when I went back to school for my RN. I was expected to start nights after orientation even though I had always been on days as a therapist.

I'm working in a Pulmonary Clinic as a nurse. Really nice fit!

Hospice and Home Health is also an excellent position for our skills. You have some very unique skills to offer to patients.

Good Luck!

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