How lengthy is your commute?

Nurses General Nursing

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How far do you travel for work?

I accepted a position in another state, its 100miles one way...3 days per week...Am I crazy??? lol Salary, opportunity and benefits far outweigh what I can get locally, or I would have never considered it......

So, how lengthy is YOUR commute?

Indy, LPN, LVN

1,444 Posts

Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

Good heavens. Thirty minutes and there are people I meet who think that's too long. I like the time to get ready mentally on the way in, and to relax a little on the way home- not too much though!

Specializes in ICU/ER.

less than a mile. I could walk to work in 12 minutes, since I work 3rds I drive. I have to clock in at 6:38 and I pull out of my driveway at 6:35.

I could make 2.00 more at a hospital 30 minutes away, but the value of working so close to home out weighs the extra $24 per shift I would be making.

I can run home on my break, I have teenagers and a husband who has to travel out of town. Knowing I can pop in any time on a Friday/Saturday night keeps my teenagers on their toes!!

TexasPediRN

898 Posts

Specializes in Pediatrics Only.

Im going to have to say yes, you are crazy!

Unless you are planning on working every other day, you're going to become exhausted!!

So its a 12 hour shift. Assuming 100miles should take 1 1/2 hours, you need to get up by 4, leave by 5:15 to be there for 6:45 when you shift starts.

Then you leave at 7:15, are home by 8:45/9 (assuming you get out on time), and then you need to eat, shower, etc, and do it all again the next day? ....

This doesnt account for traffic, change of shift codes, or staying over your shift.

I would think 2 days in a row would be unbearable, but thats just my opinion.

Unless you work 3 in a row and get a hotel room for 2 nights..

My commute is 15 minutes. Somedays thats incredibly long and I just want to get home as im exhausted..

Personally, I know I wouldnt be able to do it. However, that doesnt mean it cant be done.

Good luck!!!

Quickbeam, BSN, RN

1,011 Posts

Specializes in Government.

I'm a commuter. I drive 104 miles round trip every work day. It is about 55 minutes going in and 1 hour 15 minutes coming home. I've done this for 9 years.

I do this for a job which gives me very low stress and a 4 ten hour day work schedule. No weekends, nights, on call or holidays. The pay is very good and the benefits/pension are excellent. The drive is very easy and only about 5 miles on the way home is traffic-y.

Very few people in my state commute and I'm often called crazy. Back in my home state, commuting is the norm and no one would bat an eye at my current travel.

Only you can decide if it is worth it to you. I've got a paid off house in a town I love so for me it is almost no sacrifice.

kristenncrn

138 Posts

Specializes in Peds (previous psyc/SA briefly).

Wow! I personally can't imagine it, but...

My commute is 35 minutes and I work with several nurses who think I'm nutz for going that long!

I echo above... I hope that you are able to stay over and do your three in a row, yes??

Our hospital has a hotel in it and I know of one nurse who stays with a coworker on the opposite shift due to her long commute (her's is over an hour.)

Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.

I am a traveler, I request an apartment close to the facility. Right now my commute is about 12 minutes. I work 12 hour nights.

My longest commute was 1 hour 10 minutes and I did that without a problem.

PMHNP10

1,041 Posts

How far do you travel for work?

I accepted a position in another state, its 100miles one way...3 days per week...Am I crazy??? lol Salary, opportunity and benefits far outweigh what I can get locally, or I would have never considered it......

So, how lengthy is YOUR commute?

My commute is ~25 mi., and it takes me ~ 1 hr to achieve :madface: I hate it.

AprilRNhere

699 Posts

Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

I drive an hour to work every day. I don't mind it..but it's my limit. Really...about 10 miles from home everyday I wish I were done driving. I wouldn't drive 1 more mile- even for extra $$

diveRN

135 Posts

Specializes in ER, PCU, ICU.

Personally, I drive less than 3 miles. I'll take my motorcycle in good weather, mainly because my truck doesn't have time to warm up when I drive it to work and because motorcycle parking is closer to the hospital entrance than even MD parking.

There's a smaller town in the hills east of here that many nurses commute down from. Total drive time is at least 75 minutes, more if the weather is bad. Five RNs got an inexpensive apartment together just down the street from the hospital and will stay there during their stretch of work days. Since they all work different schedules, there's usually not more than 1 or 2 others in the place at any one time. A friend in that group says that the place costs her about $200 a month with utilities.

With gas approaching $4.00/gallon, I can imagine that it's cheaper to have the local apartment than to drive home every day. I've considered going where bigger money is, but I've done the commute thing before and couldn't stand it. Plus, when I factored in the real costs of gas, wear & tear on my car, windshield time, increased taxes, and the increased risk of driving that far, I could actually work three extra shifts a month where I'm at and make the same money. I do that anyway.

YellowFinchFan

228 Posts

How far do you travel for work?

I accepted a position in another state, its 100miles one way...3 days per week...Am I crazy??? lol Salary, opportunity and benefits far outweigh what I can get locally, or I would have never considered it......

So, how lengthy is YOUR commute?

That is a very FAR commute!!! Do you have a family? Is it days / nights? I would worry abuot commuting home after a long shift (12 hours?)

The money must be outrageously good to take on such a commute....you might as well become a traveler nurse and make more $$$

I only commute 7 miles from my home, and I would consider driving 15 miles if I had to (several good hospitals within that range for me if I had to) ......

My husband used to commute 50 miles to work one way and it took a toll on him and his CAR(s):twocents::nurse:

allnurses Guide

NurseCard, ADN

2,847 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.
How far do you travel for work?

I accepted a position in another state, its 100miles one way...3 days per week...Am I crazy??? lol Salary, opportunity and benefits far outweigh what I can get locally, or I would have never considered it......

So, how lengthy is YOUR commute?

Yikes, that's a long commute! If that were me, I would try to find accomodations where I am going to be working, for at least one day. For instance, if I were going to be working three nights in a row, I would try to find somewhere to stay for at least one day of sleeping, between two of the shifts.

My last job, I had an nearly-hour long commute, and that was mostly interstate highway along the way. Right now I have about a 40 minute commute, and that's on 55 mile per hour state highway. I love it. I get some much needed "me" time, I get time to psych myself out for working the long twelve hour shift... I get lots of time to "transition" from being in the warmth and coziness of my home, with my husband and kids, to being at.. yuck!.... work! :)

Anyway... whatever floats yer boat. If it's a great job with awesome pay and great benefits, go for it! Have fun! :yeah:

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