How long is your commute?

Mplsnurse · Nov 6, 2015

15 min each way this last year. 17 min each way for 13 yrs before that.

Girl1912 · Nov 7, 2015

I'm kinda feeling the same way...I am interviewing for day shift weekends + Monday's position at a large hospital in a huge city 50 miles away but with traffic on Mondays, I'm sure it'll be an 1.5hrs at least one way, not to mention the parking situation will probably be wonderful :roflmao: But we'll see...there are two hospitals where I live but ....nah!!! I'll take the commute!

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Nov 7, 2015

Fifteen minutes.

Nienna Celebrindal · Nov 7, 2015

Mine is 20 minutes . But I am lucky. Most of the nurses I work with commute longer. I know many who do an hour, hour and half+. You do what you have too. I applied to everything within 2 hours of my home. My lease was up 3 months after I got my license and I figured I could move if I had too.

ne0ven0m · Nov 8, 2015

I live/work on the NW perimeter of Atlanta. I picked my apartment after receiving my job offer. Because of my type A personality, I made sure I picked a place that was under 15 minutes to work, with multiple routes in case I need it. Most days, I'll get there in 10 minutes

Mia415 · Nov 8, 2015

60 miles one way/ This is usually 50-75 minutes.

Libby1987 · Nov 8, 2015

I made a mid life career change and graduated from nursing school in 2009 - the height of the recession. Over 100 job apps out and only one offer - 3.5 hours away from my established home in Colorado. For my first year (11 months, actually :), I drove to Wyoming to a critical access hospital near the border of Nebraska. I drove in on Thursday evening, I had a little garage apartment, and I would work Fri, Sat, Sun day shift. I got off at 1730 and was on the road by 1800 to return home. Getting a new job as a new grad is tough already, the recession made it near impossible.
I live in the mountains of Colorado in a town with a critical access hospital that is always in administrative turmoil, so my next job was a transfer to a hospital in the system I worked in Wy. It was 55 minutes to the parking lot from my house. I worked there for 1.5 yrs (1 yr on nights) and I did take a PRN position at the local hospital 7 (walking) minutes from my house.
Then the dam broke and I have been fortunate to work in my home town with 5 minute commutes for the last 3.5 years! I am so grateful.
I don't do acute care work anymore (first job was home care management and now working in addictions recovery), and I do miss the more intense cases. But as an older nurse, I feel fortunate to work close to home, make my own schedule, and to be appreciated for what I do.

I'm sorry about the rough luck of the timing of your graduation but I love your story. I think it's a testament to those who can make it despite the tough times by doing what it takes to get where you want.

(sorry for the hijack!)

nynursey_ · Nov 8, 2015

Currently? 50-55 minutes door-to-door (including shuttle time). At my first job? 1 hour and 5 minutes in the summer/fall and 1 hour and 20 minutes in the spring/winter. It's not unheard of to travel far and wide for that coveted post-graduate first job.

FieryPsychRN, BSN · Nov 10, 2015

7 minutes!! I love my sleep, so that is perfect for me!! :sleep:

Larry3373 · Nov 12, 2015

1 hour with no traffic. Wanted to work in a higher acuity icu so it's worth it for me. Plus I get paid more and the benefits are great.

Nonyvole, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2015

About an hour for my first job. 15 miles...second job was 15 minutes and current job is 45 minutes.

However, it's all about where the jobs are.

featherzRN, MSN · Nov 13, 2015

I do about an hour each way, more going home if there's an accident. But it's worth it to me. I moved into a new area of nursing that isn't available at the smaller hospitals near me and my new job has put in considerable time and effort to train me. So I bought a new car and will suck it up.