Help me choose a shift please! Time sensitive..

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Which job/shift would allow me to have more time with my young kids (2 year old and infant). M-F 8-5 no weekends or holidays (epidemiology position) OR a 2 week rotation, 40 hour work week, rotating weekends on/off (corrections position)

Mon 0030-0630,Tue/Wed/Sat 1830-0630

Sun 1830-0630, Mon 1830-0030, Thu/Fri 1830-0630

I was told the night (corrections) rotation would be bad because I’d be sleep all the time and the kids would never see me but I feel like that way about the M-F schedule especially when you add in rush hour traffic time. Help please!!

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Specializes in ER.

They look the same, pros/cons wise for a single person, but day rotations don't come up that often, and it would be easier to care for the kids. JMHO.

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Days! And then when you see your kids, you will be rested instead of in a constant state of your body always trying to adjust to rotating night shifts. 8-5 means you'll get to see them before work and a couple of evening hours, too. If you find childcare near your work instead of near your home, you can gain precious time talking to them, singing with them, etc. instead of being apart from them while you're stuck in rush hour. This gives your kiddos consistency in when they will see you and routine, too. And they're only little bitty once for holidays... and while sure, you could technically celebrate any day around holidays instead of the actual dates, the day schedule doesn't require adjustments.

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Rotating shifts will mess with your circadian rhythm.. which will mess with the kid's circadian rhythm.

7
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Epi for sure! Much more likely to have flexibility for appointments, sick kid, making quick personal phone calls, etc. In my previous epi job I even worked at home 1-2 days/week.

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I'm having a little difficulty figuring out your hours. I can't believe any hospital is doing rotating shifts if that's one of the options. That's been proven to be the worst.

I worked 64 hours a pay period 11 pm to 7 am every other weekend for 17 years. My youngest had just started kindergarten. I felt mentally and physically fine. I never missed a school play, field trip, etc. I was with them after school every day, etc.

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2 minutes ago, brownbook said:

I having a little difficulty figuring out your hours. I can't believe any hospital is doing rotating shifts if that's one of the options. That's been proven to be the worst.

I worked 64 hours a pay period 11 pm to 7 am every other weekend for 17 years. My youngest had just started kindergarten. I felt mentally and physically fine. I never missed a school play, field trip, etc. I was with them after school every day, etc.

Corrections sometimes does weird repeating 2- or 4-week rotating shift patterns... Like I remember paper mill workers doing when I was a kid. Often six 12s and an 8 every two weeks, to add up to 80 instead of 72 per pay period,.

(Seriously OP, that rotation will kill you unless you're in the very lucky, very small minority of people who can sleep perfectly at any time in any situation)

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1 hour ago, canoehead said:

They look the same, pros/cons wise for a single person, but day rotations don't come up that often, and it would be easier to care for the kids. JMHO.

I’m not single, my husband would be home with the kids during the evening but like most mothers I’d like to be with my kids as much as possible.

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26 minutes ago, laflaca said:

Epi for sure! Much more likely to have flexibility for appointments, sick kid, making quick personal phone calls, etc. In my previous epi job I even worked at home 1-2 days/week.

I was told that I could do 8-4 and work through lunch or do a flex 10 hr day schedule every other week (also telework days when I’ve been there a few months). I guess I’m just really weary of the traffic. It would add 2 hrs to my day away from home. Plus the corrections is $15k more per year.

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24 minutes ago, starmickey03 said:

I was told that I could do 8-4 and work through lunch or do a flex 10 hr day schedule every other week (also telework days when I’ve been there a few months). I guess I’m just really weary of the traffic. It would add 2 hrs to my day away from home. Plus the corrections is $15k more per year.

Holy cow. I think we live in the same place, and I think I know the exact places you're talking to, weirdly....pm me if you like ?

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2 hours ago, laflaca said:

Holy cow. I think we live in the same place, and I think I know the exact places you're talking to, weirdly....pm me if you like ?

I did ?

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Specializes in OB.

Even given the increased commute and lower salary, I would still do days, but I'm a day person.

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