Help! I am very close to giving up nursing!!

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2005

Search carefully but Long Term Care is probably a better option for you. Do some research locally to see who works where if you can. As employees how long they have worked there and if there are people who have worked there for more than 10 years. A facility that is not large corporate owned might be better most of the time. Dont give up your nursing license. In nursing you can always pick up a new skill with classes or orientation and training.

We have an opening for 7pm to 11pm every weekend for passing meds on a LTC unit. You could also add the personal care unit med pass on fridays from 7pm to 9pm. There are other fill in positions on full time employee days off too. This is just a suggestion, I hope you find something that works for you for now.

weetziebat · Jan 4, 2005

There are always nursing homes, or assisted living facilities. Lots of ads for nurses there. Or possibly doctor's offices. Also prisons. Have you checked the Sunday want ads in the newpaper? There are so many areas you can look into so don't give up. Hope you can find something you like and that accomodate your childcare schedule. Let us know how it goes :)

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2005

Oh yeh and I might add, many nursing home positions are so simular to what the "med/surg" basic GN training used to be in hospitals. Good Luck

live4today, RN · Jan 4, 2005

KimberRN.......can you afford to hire anyone licensed in child care to watch your baby while you work perhaps two days per week? And, why not cut those 12 hour shifts down to 8 hour shifts? It will be easier to find a daycare provider willing to watch your baby for eight hours versus twelve or more each day. Also, check with outside agencies. You've been working as a nurse for almost eight months now, so you have enough experience to work per diem shifts, especially if you received excellent clinical exposure while you were in college. I did it after only being out of college 4 months, and handled it just fine. The situation called for it, and I did what I had to do...went agency. Give it a try and see what you find out. :)

GingerSue · Jan 5, 2005

another idea (from past experience) - work as an nurse in a weight loss clinic.

Karen · Jan 5, 2005

Long term care or rehab are great places to get a lot of med-surg experience. Home care, while usually require/want experience might be something to look into, it can't hurt to ask. In the area I live home care and hospice sometime take new grads. Sometimes the health dept might hire a new grad into an LPN paying job. I am not sure where you are from or what kinds of agencies you have in your area but where I live other agencies like counsel on aging, Association of Retarded Citizens, Healthy Start (Mother baby program) hire nurses and usually because of grant funding don't pay well so its difficult to get someone with a lot of experience.

okie2 · Jan 5, 2005

I have two friends (both new grads last year) that work Home Health. They make good money and can work while their little kids are in school (8:00 - 1:00). During that time they can see 2-3 patients. One of their husband's a news sports man so he works alot- and really late nights- hardly ever home. She enjoys the flexability of home health. Keep searching- there are so many options out there! Good Luck!

Mommy2Katiebaby · Jan 5, 2005

Don't panic yet - there's *something* out there for you. I've worked in hospitals, rotating shifts, self-scheduling, non self-scheduling, agency, home care, home hospice, and LTC. There are advantages and disadvantages to all of them. You might have to hang in for a few more months until you get that precious One Year Of Experience, but registry (or agency as it's sometimes called) is a good way to go. You work when you want to and the money's good. The only disadvantage is if the floor you're scheduled on is not busy, you get cancelled first, so you have to be flexible.

mattsmom81 · Jan 5, 2005

My local minor emergency centers and occupational health clinics advertise they SEEK new grads...so if you have any of these places in your area you might check them out.

I put my baby in childcare for my first year out while I gained new grad experience. it was not an easy decision, but after you get that year in, then you WILL qualify for part time/PRN and agency...if you want to stay in hospital work you may have to bite the bullet and find a childcare center or provider who will work with you.

Best wishes.

kmchugh · Jan 6, 2005

Lot's of good advice, here, Kimber. My advice is don't give up just yet. I am a CRNA, and my wife is an RN. We have two small kids, so only one of us can work full time, and at my salary, there isn't really a need for my wife to work at all. But, she wanted to work. She loves nursing, and is a damn fine nurse, to boot. But, one of us has to be available to care for our kids when they are sick or otherwise unable to go to school. Given the difference in our salaries, it only makes financial sense for her to take the part time position.

So, when we moved to the Memphis area, she started looking around for a job that met her criteria. Those criteria included a PRN position with no weekends, no nights, no more than 3 shifts a week (though she is willing to work more, as other responsibilities permit), weekend call no more than once a month, and above all else, she made it clear she was "mommy" first (she used those exact words in the interview). She has seven years experience, with experience in Burn ICU, Pediatric ICU, Recovery Room, and as a Trauma Coordinator at a level I trauma center. Now, given those qualifications and the nursing shortage, we thought she'd be able to find work pretty quick. Well, in the end it took a couple of weeks to find the perfect positon, but she now works in a special care procedures unit PRN. They agreed to all of her conditions, and were happy to have her when they could. She has had to call off a couple of times for sick kids, and never received a moment's grief about it. In fact, both her co-workers and her supervisor told her "you made it clear that you were mommy first, you just stay home and take care of those babies."

The point is, keep looking. Nursing is a big, broad field. If one area doesn't work out, another might. Don't give up just yet.

Kevin McHugh

stbernardclub · Jan 6, 2005

Good for you on making the decision to be with your child...they grow so fast, one day you can work all the hours you can stand. Yes, look at a good skilled nursing , asst living. Pick one that has a baby grand piano in it..lol...I had to stop in one today, it was beautiful. The staff looked like they loved it there. They say it cost 4000.00 a month! Hospital nursing is terrible today, good luck :)

Hi everyone,
I just graduated in May of 2004 as an RN (ADN program) and started wrking in a hopsital (3-4 12 hour shifts a week). My husband travels alot, so I was having to put my baby in a day care for my whole shift (close to 13 or 14 hours at a time:o ). He was sick constantly and was always tired and cranky, so I decided to quit after only working 6 weeks. Hospital shifts are soooo crappy!! There are absolutely no shifts that I can work out between my husband and day care! I am so frustrated, I have worked so hard to get my degree! Noone will hire me part time in the hospital because I am new graduate. So.... my question to you guys is.....what kind of job can I get as a new graduate that is NOT in a hospital?????School nurse positions are very few and far between!! If I can't find a job outside of a hospital, I might just give up nursing all together. Help!!!!!!!!