I'm working TWO full time jobs, crazy??

ONCRN84 · Sep 4, 2009

If you can do it safely, more power to you. I wouldn't do it long term though. I'd do it for a while, pay off debt, save a lot, then drop down to 1.5 jobs again.

I WISH I had the stamina to do that. Financially it would help us a lot. However, I learned when I was working 12 hour nights that 4 night 12s in a row is my limit. On night 5 I started throwing up so i got sent home. I slept for a few hours and woke up feeling fine, just tired.

carluvscats · Sep 4, 2009

I've been working 54-63 hours/week the past few weeks and am becoming increasingly grouchy and depressed (only doing it for the short-term since we are short-staffed). I've never worked this much since having kids and will try to never volunteer to do it again! To me, work is just one piece of the pie........

But, everyone is different. Two full-time jobs???? I would quickly become one-dimensional, tired and......... old.

ChristyRN2009 · Sep 4, 2009

More power to ya. I know a nurse who worked about 60 hours a week and is pursuing her masters. Did I mention she has a husband and two school aged kids? Yeah, she was a workhorse (I no longer work with her). And as far as I could tell she was a very competent if a little scatterbrained nurse at both jobs and her patients didn't suffer for her lofty aspirations. I know personally that unless it was completely necessary I could not do it. As it is, I only work one job, 24 hours a week and I'm tired all the damn time, and it looks like I'm immunocompromised to boot.

SunnyAndrsn · Sep 4, 2009

Just be careful that you don't wear yourself down, k?

I've been working long hours 60+ since about February out of necessity. Until we can pay down some of our debt and refinance our house, this is what I'm stuck doing. I have noticed that I really have to be careful about my nutrition or I get sick very quickly. I've been taking extra vitamin C and a multivitamin since I noticed the increased illness.

Also, if you notice you're getting tired, please take time off so you don't make any mistakes due to fatigue from working too much.

A while back I picked up a part time nursing job at Kaiser hospital because I found myself bored with my days off, so I thought to myself what the heck, i'll get another job. A while back my manager at the part time job said that she really needed the extra help and asked if I could switch to full time there, too. She said she would work around my other full time job schedule. I eventually gave in. So now here I am, working 6 nights a week (oy vey), and I'm averaging about 80 hours per week between both jobs. It's actually not that exhausting as long as I go to sleep as soon as I get home and get ready to go back to work. The only problem is the only thing I do is work, sleep, and eat. That's about all I have time to do now. I don't know how much longer I'll last only having time to do those 3 things. But I will say this.... the positive part about all of this is that my income has more than doubled and I'm bringing home more money per month than any person should be allowed. I sure as heck work for it, though! More bad news is that Uncle Sam is taking out more than twice the amount of taxes with my new income, too

november17, ASN, RN · Sep 4, 2009

The whole reason I became a nurse was so I would never have to work more than 40 hours a week for the rest of my life. You're crazy.

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Sep 4, 2009

I don't think I could...I know what I get like when I work 6/7 days in a row....between my two jobs...However, I'm thinking about applying to some PRN float flu clinics...on top of my LTC job, and my hospital job...just gotta get some extra bank.....

november17, ASN, RN · Sep 4, 2009

just gotta get some extra bank.....

Gotta or Want To there is a huge difference between the two. I'm not saying this to you in particular, but too many people are slaves to the almighty dollar.

Conqueror+, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2009

1. YES you are crazy

2. SO WHAT ? Work while you are young and strong, pay off debt, pay off property and vehicles, QUIT working earlier in life and enjoy.

3. I too have done this. THATS how I know

kids · Oct 13, 2009

I've found that working that many hours because you want to rather than doing it because you have to makes a huge difference in burn out, fatigue, etc. Having and keeping a good routine is a must.

I work an average of 70 hours a week between 2 jobs (ER and home health) for a year now with no problems. Because of the way I arrange my days & hours I still have plenty of time to annoy the husband, chase the grandkids and play WoW.

FlowerbuddRN · Feb 7, 2010

I am about to start two jobs too. I work FT at one hospital that I worked at for 3 yrs with my LPN in renal, which though busy is for the most part easy and routine for me since I know all the paperwork and everything, I start the 15th at the other hosp in town full time in ICU. I am sooo nervous. I don't really know the system, or anything about critical care, but I wasn't being challenged on renal, and I want to get all the certifications and advanced stuff. I will be making awesome income, which I really need, but I just want to make it all work so much, any tips on doing it all together appreciated. I also have 5 kids, 16, 14, 12, 10 and 8 and thank goodness they are good kids and manage quite well w/o me. I chose nights because that way I can sleep while they are in school or do errands I need, and then still be able to eat dinner with them every night. When I worked days I never saw them but 15 mins before bedtime or such.

DoGoodThenGo · Feb 7, 2010

A while back I picked up a part time nursing job at Kaiser hospital because I found myself bored with my days off, so I thought to myself what the heck, i'll get another job. A while back my manager at the part time job said that she really needed the extra help and asked if I could switch to full time there, too. She said she would work around my other full time job schedule. I eventually gave in. So now here I am, working 6 nights a week (oy vey), and I'm averaging about 80 hours per week between both jobs. It's actually not that exhausting as long as I go to sleep as soon as I get home and get ready to go back to work. The only problem is the only thing I do is work, sleep, and eat. That's about all I have time to do now. I don't know how much longer I'll last only having time to do those 3 things. But I will say this.... the positive part about all of this is that my income has more than doubled and I'm bringing home more money per month than any person should be allowed. I sure as heck work for it, though! More bad news is that Uncle Sam is taking out more than twice the amount of taxes with my new income, too

You Go Girl!

There is no shame in what you are doing,long as your health (both mental and physical) are not suffering and you are able to practice safely at both jobs, in this economy why not work both those jobs?

Take that money and pay down/off debts and invest or save for a rainy day.

In my time have worked two jobs often as a NA (though not RN), but do know RNs who did and still do. Yes, working both jobs because one wants to versus needs to does make a difference IMHO, but the bottom line is the same; should you ever feel yourself slacking off on one or the other job out of fatigue or burnout, then reconsider things.

Until then find yourself a good accountant and investment advisor, and keep on keeping on! :yeah:

vanlo001 · Feb 7, 2010

It's an excellent way to buy a house or save up for a dream vacation. I've worked two fulltime jobs and it is doable but you do sacrifice. I found after a couple of years I need time for me even if it's just cooking a nice meal, taking a walk, and watching my fav shows on the DVR. I stopped when I returned to school for my BSN. I'm not ruling it out though for the future. *warning* though. The more you work the more you spend. I was never home so I went out to eat or bought take out alot. I'd buy that $200 purse cuz I could. Have a plan for why you're doing this or else the money just slips away.