I'm in a pickle!

[mondkmondk]

I have to be careful here because nurses I know may also be members here...

Anyway, long story as to why I quit/resigned my LTC job of 2 years but am now seriously needing a job. I receive disability, but can make up to $940/mo. before they will consider taking it from me. So, depending on what I make an hour, that will determine how many days or hours I can work per month.

Plus I am still trying to complete enrollment to attend further education to complete my BSN, MSN, then NP school....which I plan to take years to do this since I have 2 children and one is just a tad bit above a year old. My long term goal is to get off of disability and work at least 32 hours/week as an NP.

Anyway, I digress. My dilemma now is that there are 3 potential jobs for the taking...2 of which I have done before so I would need little orientation. Then there is a PRN position open at another that I've never done before. I think it would be interesting to try the PRN one, but my interview with them didn't go too well because I had not submitted a resume due to computer problems. During the interview, I was asked 5 pages of questions that reminded me of RN state boards. I knew I was nervous because of my extremely dry mouth (thankfully they let me bring in my water bottle) but closer to the end of the interview, the nurses interviewing me were joking around and they seemed more personable to me then. Anyway, I am going to use my mom's computer and go ahead and submit my resume. They said it would take them a couple of weeks before they decide anything, so I called the DON and told her she could expect my full resume sometime beginning of this week.

So...should I hold out for the PRN job with an orientation time of 30 days and higher pay or should I go with the LTC job which would require little orientation, weekend option, and a slightly lower pay...or go with an agency for a weekend hospice nurse with also slightly lower pay and lots of travel connected to that.

I SO don't know what to do. I told the LTC DON (whom I love to death) that I wanted to wait to see if my weird interview ended up getting me the job that I would be doing something new at and if not, I would definitely go back with her to that particular LTC job.

I'm nervous about doing something I've never done, but yet excited at the same time. From reading all I wrote, what would be your impression of what I am wanting to do?

Thanks for taking the time to read this and support/advice!

Blessings, Michelle

[mondkmondk]

No that doesn't seem like abuse. Now if you would have said that 3 years ago you hurt your knee then that would be abuse. I think it would be a good idea to check on how they will work with you to see if you can handle the stress of work without some sort of relapse. School, family, work is a lot of stress so take it slow, but also realize that as an NP you will have even more stress than as an RN. So testing the waters a little might not be a bad idea. What does your psychiatrist think about trying to finish an NP program while managing the rest of life?

I actually told her when I first decided to go back to school that I thought I might enjoy teaching clinicals, which I'm still interested in as well. The NP thing would be a very long term goal, as I try to work up to full time RN. I love to help people and patient teaching is something I love doing, which is why I'm basically toying with the idea of being an NP...plus I have other nurse friends out there who have told me our area needs NP's desperately and they think I'd be good at it. It is not a definite because as it is, I have years of schooling ahead of me.

We adopted a newborn last July who is now 14 mos. old. My hubby is an over the road trucker but is home every weekend and so if I can work mostly weekends, we have no need for outside sitters. My "plan" is to work at least 4 days a month, go to online school and set my own pace and then try to ease myself up to part time then full time when the baby starts all day school. Then if I do get my BSN/MSN and can teach or make it to NP school....to do that, and bring my hubby home to a local truck driving job so he won't miss out on things like soccer practices/games, teaching our older son how to drive etc. When hubby and I first met, I was working full time as an RN and when we moved in together, I paid a majority of the bills while he attended truck driving school. Soon after he graduated, I had my first episode and subsequent suicide attempt. I suffered dissassociative disorder for the first time and to this day, I can't remember anything that happened during my first episode. Anyway, that is a long story of my own....

Thank you for understanding....believe you me, I KNOW people who indeed are abusing the system right now as we speak, and it really infuriates me too. I never dreamed I'd be on the "other side" so to speak, but in a way my disorder/MI has helped me understand mental illness so much better and I feel I'm more compassionate with those who are like me and just want to live a more normal life...

Blessings, Michelle

[Cherry2000]

I just wanted to say good luck with the job. My opinion is to take the job that 1-you want and 2-seems to be least stressful to start. I commend you for moving forward and reaching for your goals. Good Luck!

[MN BigJ]

Good luck, PRN jobs are a great way to earn money, just remember that they are not gaurenteed hours either.

[teensmom]

it is so encouraging to hear that someone with bipolar disorder is getting better and trying to get off disability eventually. My daughter just started getting disability for her bipolar disorder, she's been hospitalized many, many times. I don't want to think she may never be a functional adult but her therapists are telling me that. So you have given me hope! thank you for posting your whole story.

By the way, I think you should hold out for the prn job, it sounds like that's what you really want.

Teensmom

[mondkmondk]

it is so encouraging to hear that someone with bipolar disorder is getting better and trying to get off disability eventually. My daughter just started getting disability for her bipolar disorder, she's been hospitalized many, many times. I don't want to think she may never be a functional adult but her therapists are telling me that. So you have given me hope! thank you for posting your whole story.

By the way, I think you should hold out for the prn job, it sounds like that's what you really want.

Teensmom

Teensmom: How old is she? And which type does she have? I have type 1 with psychotic manias. I've been in half a dozen different psych hospitals so I can definitely identify with her. Currently, it has been 4 years since I've been hospitalized. The med that became my miracle drug is Thiothixene aka Navane. Whenever I go without sleep, I become manic quickly and suffer horrible hallucinations. It has been 4 years since an episode for me. Tell her to not give up because there is always hope. She may just have to try many meds until they find the right "cocktail" for her. She is very lucky to have you for encouragement and support. I am lucky too in that my family and especially my hubby, is so understanding. PM me and I can give you a couple of websites that she could join if she would like.

Blessings, Michelle

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Somebody, anybody take a flying leap at how much that SS Disability check is. I made in the low 70s when I was disabled. I'm 64 now but was 55 when I was injured and it was 2002 before the first check and then 6 months before Medicare.....which you pay for out of that huge check. Take a guess. Believe me every day of my life I wish I could jump into my scrubs and go to work.

[Farmer Jane]

Good for you!

I personally would go for the LTC job and this is why: it is "safe" so it's a smaller step to be taking, which in your situation is probably a good thing. It's also predictable and reliable, and you can work your way up. But that's just my personal opinion--you have to do what's right for you. :)

[mondkmondk]

Update: My old LTC boss's son is on the same football team as my son, so we sit together at games. I told her I was like 98% sure I was going to take the LTC job; she sounded really happy because they badly need a night shift weekend nurse. She even said "Name your pay" but I just thought I'd go with $20/hr...that way I can work more than just 4 days a month if she needs me too (my dad is here during the week and can watch my 15 mo. old during the night while I can work weeknights) before I reach the SSDI limit.

While the money is nice, I just really enjoy working and being around people (gets kinda lonely here with just my 2 boys and my dad).

Thanks for all the responses everyone; you are all wonderful!

Blessings, Michelle

[ZippyGBR, BSN, RN]

again a rightpondian perspective, some disability benefits are meant to replace income others are meant to account for the higher costs that someone with a disability will incur (as does disabled person's working tax creits etc) so depending exactly what kind of disability benefits the Op is on ...

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

Thanks for explaining your disability, I was wondering the same thing. It does make sense to try to ease your way back into the workforce like that. I'm glad you're doing better!

Maybe it would be wise to take the job that would be the least stressful for you...