Should I quit? Idk what to do!

Nurses General Nursing

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I've been an RN for two years. I've worked two jobs since then. I'm stuck in a dilemma and don't know what to do.

Okay so my full time job is in critical care, 2 miles from my house making a little over $26 an hour base plus differentials so in total I get $30 on a weekday and $32 on a weekend. I love what I do but the department keeps getting worse and worse d/t management and we are always short staffed. I have worked at this hospital for a total of 5 years (I was an aide before becoming an RN). I get about 6 weeks pto, but I'm only allowed to use 2 weeks per department policy. The rest we have to use if we call off or we can cash in. I'm almost done with my BSN and our tuition reimbursement is $5250 a year.

My second job is my contingent job at a small county hospital in a geriatric, behavioral unit. I also pick up in med surg and icu if needed. This hospital is small and most people get shipped out to the hospital where I work full time if they have anything remotely serious going on. Even it's something like PN or a NSTEMI because they don't have a cardiologist or pulmonologist on staff.

So at the second job I was offered a ft position in the behavioral unit. My base pay would be $23 an hour with differentials. So I'd make about $27 on a weekday and about $30 on a weekend. It's 20 miles from my house, but I could stay with my mom cause she lives near by if I need to. I'd start out with only 2 weeks PTO, get sick pay and my tuition reimbursement would be $1000. It's state retirement and slightly better insurance. Staffing is always great. It's rare to work understaffed there.

What would you do? Thanks for reading!

Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

I can tell you really want to make the switch to the behavioral unit. I think you should do it. If you can, stay per diem at the other place.

What about taking the small hospital job and remaining prn at the ICU job? They ICU would probably take you back FT, if it doesn't work for you. You would still have your hand in the ICU world.

One word of warning that I don't think has been mentioned. You say that the smaller community hospital is always well staffed. Do they ever become overstaffed, and if so, how do they handle it?

Staffing is such a delicate balance. If you do find yourself in a hospital that is small and well-staffed to the point of being overstaffed, you may find that you have to take several mandatory vacation days if you go through a low census drought. Make sure that you'll be able to afford that contingency after the cut in pay.

Best of luck!

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

I thought it was a dilemma until I read that your coworkers at your full time job are bailing like rats off a sinking ship and asking you why you don't grab the escape route available. That speaks volumes. Your full time place of employment must suck indeed.

I like the advice you got from several others to just switch to per diem at your current job and keep a foot in the door. You are very smart to look at long term goals (like state retirement) and not just run yourself into the ground for the fast money. I've said this many times: you can't buy your life back.

Only one thing: did you say you were in the process of obtaining BSN and your current employer was covering tuition for you? What would happen to that?

I think you should take the pay cut and get your BSN while you are staying with your Mom (cheap rent haha). You never know, after graduation you may receive a promotion with a better salary - along with that sweet retirement. Go for it.

One word of warning on the appeal of a 'state retirement' .... not all states are fiscally sound and that state retirement may not be available when you get ready to retire. I know because I live in IL the state that will be in debt FOREVER to it's retirees - and we're actively renegotiating & reducing benefits. If you stay at the higher paying job, there's nothing stopping you from making 401k contributions (assuming you have one) or Roth IRA contributions (if you don't have a 401k).

Specializes in Critical Care.

Money is important, but it is not the only consideration. If you are happier at the second job I would highly consider making the switch. See if you can negotiate the pay rate. When you switch jobs is your best chance to negotiate on pay! If they really like you as they seem, see if they will match your pay. While you say you like your first job ICU has a very high rate of burnout and is by definition stressful, and to top it off you are being forced to work short staffed. Stress adversely affects our health, the increased cortisol can raise BP, HR and even lead to weight gain. Add to that the wear and tear on your back & body in a critical care job, is it really worth it?

The state retirement benefits are a plus, but investigate how sound the states finances actually are in general and in relation to the pension fund. For example CA & IL are very underfunded and IL is having a financial crisis and not making payments even to hospitals and other care providers. Michigan has been having problems and the city of Detroit has even cut back its pension payments to current retirees, unheard of till recently. Pensions are going the way of the dinosaur. If you have them consider yourself lucky, but still save just in case. Many have been frozen and many of us have "church" pensions which means they don't pay into the federal pension insurance so you literally could find yourself with little or no pension if the hospital system went bankrupt! Keep saving at least 6% in a retirement account, ideally 10-15% but don't count on your pension alone!

Where I work we are perpetually short staffed to increase profits for the corporate CEO. The stress is very high and over the years I've witnessed several nurses literally have nervous breakdowns and end up losing their jobs. I've been reduced to going on medication to cope with the stress, feel trapped, and am just counting down till retirement!

Seriously your happiness and emotional health matter as much as, if not more than just money! If the second job makes you happier go for it! You can always work extra at your old job for the money and keep your foot in the door just in case; but I bet you'll thank your lucky stars you are no longer short staffed and stressed out all the time. I wish I had that choice. The best job I ever had was as a secretary, but the pay would not support me, let alone pay my mortgage. How I wish I could go back to that job and not deal with the stress and the corporate BS I deal with now!

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Life can change in the blink of an eye. If you can live on the reduced pay then take the lower stress job and enjoy life more. Maybe stay per diem at the current job to keep your hand in and skills up in case you want to do ICU again at some point.

That sure seems like low pay though. What state are you in?

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