Should I stay or should I go?

[Nurse ABC]

After being a SAHM for several years I substituted as a school nurse for the last 5 yrs. I kind of have a love/hate relationship with school nursing.I love the schedule, the kids, the lower stress but I just felt like I wasn't growing as a nurse, didn't feel respected by the teachers (after all I just passed out band aids and passed some pills-no skills needed for that! Their thinking not mine!), and I was quite frankly bored even when busy! Now that my kids are getting older I decided to try and return to the hospital and have been working there a couple months part-time. I really like it so far. My school district really wants me to keep subbing on my days off but I just can't decide what to do! I know I'm dragging my feet because I'm not sure I really want to. I feel like it would be easy money and it would keep my foot in the door in case someday it became too physically hard to work in the hospital anymore. I guess it's just been my security for the last 5 yrs so it's hard to give up. However, it's also a pain to get last minute calls to work and there's no way I could work the first day off from working a few 12's! Also, I keep thinking if I'm going to work more it should be at the hospital where at least everything is going towards my retirement and other benefits. What should I do? (I know I'm lucky to have this problem! Just so you know they were/are desperate for subs and I applied for a ton of jobs before I got called for this one at the hospital!)

[ladylysis]

I like the idea of keeping some variety there, as well as a potential option for the future. Besides - it gives you joy, yes? What a nice respite and change of perspective to have after those inevitable nightmare shifts at the hospital. ( You know the ones...)

You make a sound argument about the retirement bennies and all, but unkess you are desperate for that money it's not the most important thing in life.

Yes, you are lucky to have this problem. Keep it. :)

[RNperdiem, RN]

It sounds like you have already taken the big step of taking on a part-time job at the hospital.

How is the part-time job working for you? If the job is secure and you are doing well, then don't worry about the school job.

Leave room for some other SAHM to work her way back into nursing.

[westieluv]

Speaking as a middle-aged RN who found out the hard way that I can no longer physically do twelve hour shift in acute inpatient nursing, it might be a good idea to keep your foot in the door at the school system. If you sustain an injury while working in the hospital and can no longer do that type of nursing, it would be a great relief to have something else to rely on. A lot of nurses want school nurse jobs because, as you pointed out, they are usually relatively easy with good hours. If you give it up, someone else will jump on it and you may not be able to get back in if and when you want to, especially with so many school districts cutting their budgets these days.

[Nurse ABC]

Thanks for the replies! They give me more food for thought because they are all good points. I guess I feel like I should keep my foot in the door but I'm a little burned out from it so I don't really want to so maybe I'll just take a few months off from it then start subbing again.