Calling all working Moms or Dads!!

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a mother to 3 young children, starting the process of Nursing School.... I'm wondering how you have made your career as a Nurse benefit your children/family by taking advantage of all the different hours you can work. Are you finding that you can still attend school functions, sports, etc... as best you can, working off-beat schedules as opposed to say, a 40-60 hour 9-5, M-F, corporate job?

Interested how you make things "work" with a family....

thanks!

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

It's hard I can tell you that. Going to school from 6am til 5-6pm and working 3 jobs I hardly saw my family for the year it took to finish my RN. Long story but it took 11 years.

Mainly I worked days (7-3) and then 12s (7a-7p) and their father worked 4-12 or 12-8a. He was the one who went to the school functions and we both helped with homework etc.

I'm retired now and in hindsight I wish I had stayed part-time instead of going for the extra income as I think I missed a lot. Good luck.

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

When my kids were small and I was in nursing school - I worked full-time nights as a unit clerk and went to school days and hubby worked days. However, the Gulf War intervened, he got deployed and boy that was very hard! I worked nights once out of school up until Jan 04 - now I work evenings. Not sure I like them or not. Kids are adults now.

believe you me it is hard. i work shifts. on days i do 14 hrs a day 3 times a week and i still seem to miss some things boys do at school. I get tired very quick. On nights boys at school husband picks them up from their nans at around 6, i see them for 2 hrs then off to work.

I also have 3 children and am thankfully almost done school. my view on this is that no matter what shift I work I will see my children more than I do now. With all the homework, papers, tests and who could forget group projects, I have little time for them and can't wait for this to end!!

Erin

When my kids were growing up, I was fortunate enough to be able to work part time. I worked the 11p-7a shift. I was able to go to their school stuff , ball games etc ~ even if it was in the day time. Or if they were sick, I could be with them and not have to miss work. Sometimes I ran on not much sleep, but I was young then and it all worked out. The only thing working nights kind of messed up holidays a little bit, and the kids didn't always like that, but all in all ~ I was glad to be able to work that shift and be part time, and got to go to the majority of their stuff through the years. I guess for the most part I was happy with it, the kids might have a different opinion.

Gayle

Working pool or agency is a great way to insure that you are around for important events.

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