Commute!

[chacha82]

I am seriously considering a job at a hospital 70 miles one way.

Seeking the wisdom of anyone who's done a super commute for 12 hour shifts.

It's a position I am very interested in on a well-staffed unit at a Level II hospital. I am getting frustrated with no parking available for staff where I work; we are bussed in daily and I have to leave my house an hour early to catch or miss a crowded bus where I am smushed like a sardine.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

Whether that commute is sustainable or not depends on how time consuming the drive is. If it's low traffic, mostly highway and generally decent weather it might be fine. If you'll be facing rush hour traffic either direction then that commute will be a lot longer than you want. If it's mostly side roads and 2 lane highway it won't be as fast or as safe, especially if the lighting is poor or you live in an area were wildlife on the road could be a danger. If you live in an area where winter weather driving is an issue your commute could be seriously slowed if not impossible in times of poor road conditions.

[Accolay]

I will always advise to either relocate closer to a job or find a job that's closer to where you live now. Long commutes should only be a very temporary inconvenience and otherwise good for nothing.

[Kitiger, RN]

I have worked a 12-hour shift that is 55 minutes from my house (in good weather) for years at a time. I found that I could not keep up doing 3 in a row, but I could do two in a row without distress.

I work private duty home care, and my scheduler kept assigning three in a row. Finally, I told her that if she wouldn't stop doing this, I would restrict my weekly availability in such a way that I wouldn't have three in a row available. Then, finally, she stopped the three in a row scheduling.

A 12-hour shift with an hour's commute on either end becomes a 14-hour shift. And that's assuming that you do get off on time. In the winter, it can easily become a 15 or 16-hour shift, counting time to clean your car and to drive slower in the snow.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

For an 8 hour shift, I'd consider it.

For a 12 hour shift, no. You're looking at about 15-16 hours of your day eaten up right there.

[MelEpiRN]

I know people who did it...they managed by renting an apartment closer to town and scheduling their shifts in groups (so 2 people would work MTW and the other 2 worked ThFS or something). They'd then be able to be home the rest of the week.

Seems tricky.

[Medic_Murse, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Forgot to quote post...my B!

[Medic_Murse, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I used to commute 89 miles each way in the Northern VA/DC area, back when I was a desktop publisher/graphic designer. It wasn't that long of a commute until my company sold its building and moved our office, resulting in 1.5 hours (if I was lucky) each way. I thought I was going to lose my mind. I like driving if it's an open road, but not in that kind of traffic. I killed a couple of vehicles rather quickly with all those miles, too. I ultimately left that industry for an ER tech job (I was a volunteer paramedic while working full-time in publishing) and had a 70-mile round-trip commute three days a week, which was much more tolerable. But even that was still tough in NOVA traffic after 12+ hours, and knowing I'd have to be back the next morning. I hope you find something that works for you that doesn't require a long commute!!

Ah...485, 95, 395, Rte 1, 207, FFX/PWC/GW PKWY's. You can checkout anytime you like, but you can never leave!

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

It took me an hour and forty minutes to drive 19 miles this afternoon. If any part of this 70 miles involves driving into a city, I wouldn't do it.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Ah...485, 95, 395, Rte 1, 207, FFX/PWC/GW PKWY's. You can checkout anytime you like, but you can never leave!

Lol! And Rt. 7! Or Rt 50. And I-66!

[unknownjulie]

I've done various long commutes. Part time is no problem but fulltime is too hard without a place to stay over. I had a job with a two hour commute each way where I took a ferry for part of it. I currently have an hour and 10 minute commute each way if I speed. You can do it for awhile but long term would be tough. I only worked part time with the really long commutes, but there are some posters on here that fly back and forth to CA and do it fulltime, so it must just depend on the person!

[Night__Owl, BSN, RN]

I've been commuting 65 miles on night shift for two years. My commute takes me the opposite direction of rush traffic, so it is an hour and ten minute drive.

I second what Kitiger said, you will find it very hard to work three in a row. I have flatly refused to work four in a row, ever, at this hospital. But I have made it work just fine. Wouldn't want to do it for the rest of my life, but it's not the worst thing in the world.

70 miles can be 70 miles of straight road, or 70 miles of crowded stop lights. Big difference there. What would yours look like, if you took this job? How much traffic is in your path during what would be your commute times?

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

It took me an hour and forty minutes to drive 19 miles this afternoon. If any part of this 70 miles involves driving into a city, I wouldn't do it.

I know! I drove through Chicago twice last week. 1 1/2 hours to go maybe 10 miles or so. How on earth do people that live there do that every day without losing their minds?