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!!
Even given the increased commute and lower salary, I would still do days, but I'm a day person.
Just a battle between my heart and mind at this point. My heart wants corrections but my mind knows I need day shift and should just take the epi job or stay where I’m at. I actually work from home now and people think it’s crazy that I want to do something else.
Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, Geriatrics, home infusion.
I have been working night shift my children's entire lives. Yes, I've been available for appointments and anything/ everything on any given day, but the exhaustion of swapping your sleep schedule back and forth is unreal. There is also a significant difference between 12hr nights and 8s. 12s you miss family dinner 3+ nights a week. If you can afford childcare take the 8-5 and enjoy dinners and bedtime baths and weekends together. As long as you can survive on the Epi position $ the stability is probably worth the pay cut. I like the idea another poster mentioned of finding childcare near your work. Often times preschools put on little plays or have special events that it would be nice to be able to attend if they were close to your job and you could slip away on your lunch break.
I am a night shifter through and through. I never miss a dinner with my kids even though I work nights. But the commute was short <5 minutes when they were younger. They are high schoolers now, and I have a 15 minute commute. I prefer to go to work at a facility. If I stayed home I would go crazy. But that is me. Many factors come into play when choosing a job. Pick was it best for you and yours. The rest will follow. If it does not work out, it can be changed.
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
I'm voting for epidemiology. A regular normal person schedule with weekend and holidays off really is the more kid-friendly option. It also won't suck you dry emotionally like dealing with the less-than-stellar members of society. You will get varying levels of support from the corrections staff.
I think the epidemiology job with the regular routine, despite the commute, will leave you with more energy for your kids.
I would take the epidemiology position because any time you are dealing with nights, rotating or not, you spend too much of your off time wishing you were asleep or dead tired. A consistent shift is always going to be better for your own health to one degree or another.
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!!
Well for sure don't choose evenings. If your kids are in,school
On 1/21/2020 at 6:25 PM, starmickey03 said:
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!!
Wow. IMO, day shift would be best for you if you can get it. If your babies have to go to daycare or stay with a Grammy, that would help them later to adjust to school routines. On days, you will be with them in the evenings for eveningbroutines, their bath times, evening meal, and bedtimes. Days would just be best . takevehat you can get on dayshift. I had to work so,many evenings and nights, and I had a child too. It's the worst on pm and nights .
I think one of the problems with night shift is that people try to be day shifters on their nights off. You really can't. Like purges have said it will need you up and leave you utterly exhausted all the time.
I'm a night person. Always have been. My husband used to work 3rd shift. He's get up at 2am. When I went back to school that time between him going to bed at around 9p.,and the kids being in bed was my "me" time. It was my study time. My exercise time. It was quiet, and it was all for me. He'd get up, I'd see him off, sleep a couple hours, see the kids off, take a nap and be up when they got home. When his promotion changed his hours to start at 5am, he and I got more us time after the kids were in bed and he was able to stay up a bit later, and I followed the same. I'd stay up, see him off but by that time the kids were up. If see them off, sleep and be up by the time they were home.
That said, my husband and I love completely opposite schedules. He now works full days from 8a-3p. We hardly ever sleep in the same bed at the same time. This works for us because he's a nothing can touch me sleeper and I am an everything most be cuddling me sleeper. That and I want what time I spend worth him to be actual time, not just me sleeping next to him time. I also dying want that time to be a few hours of me being exhausted and miserable after a crappy day. Working nights let's me unwind and rest before anyone gets home.
The most important aspect of this is that this works for our family.
So, even when I am off, I am up till 5am. I sleep till 1-2pm, and then my day starts. I don't try to be a day person. I am miserable during the day. I'm able to make appointments either very early or late in the afternoon with no issues. If it's a night off, I get all afternoon and evening and night with my family. If it's a work night, I get to spend time in the afternoon and evening with my kids and husband before leaving. I'm not exhausted when I see them. I'm not struggling with the stress of the day. I feel rested.
This schedule doesn't change. Never has. Doesn't matter if it's the weekend or not.
One thing I will say is I really liked 2300-0730 far more than I do 1900-0730, just because I felt like I didn't miss anything. Everyone was in bed when I left, and was already awake and heading off when I got home. I slept while they were at work /school, and would be up when they got home feeling like I missed nothing. However, I dont like ltc/Sar and hated working 5 days a week with a horrible schedule and no combined days off. I love 12s because I'm only on 3 and can make my own schedule.
Just a battle between my heart and mind at this point. My heart wants corrections but my mind knows I need day shift and should just take the epi job or stay where I’m at. I actually work from home now and people think it’s crazy that I want to do something else.
WHY would you leave the work from home position? I can see where you would need to bring in day care, but you would have a limited availability for the kids.
WHY is your heart in corrections? Correction nursing adds an additional level of stress . anxiety and documentation. Even with security... I was concerned for my safety.
starmickey03, MSN, RN
643 Posts
Just a battle between my heart and mind at this point. My heart wants corrections but my mind knows I need day shift and should just take the epi job or stay where I’m at. I actually work from home now and people think it’s crazy that I want to do something else.