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Discussion

Job change

i need a little advice. I'm in the process of pursuing another position to achieve more money. Im doing this to try and get out of a financial hole we have fallen into. I love my job where I currently work however they are the lowest paying hospital around the area. I will need to give up my day position and work nights for a while, which has its perks of shift differential, but I also have 3 very young kids at home. How do you nurse professional mothers juggle kids and night shift? I am having some anxiety about working nights and either sleeping all the time missing my kids or being completely exhausted from no sleep....

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    • Featured Replies

    Adjusting to night shift is not easy. I have never consistently worked nights personally, but many of my co-workers spent years on night shift while their children were young. For some, it is the best schedule. You work all night, get the kids off to school, then sleep. Wake up when the kids get home from school, have dinner, and leave for work. Of course, if you have children who are too young for school, you'll want to have some form of child care available in the mornings so that you can get adequate rest. This may be difficult for some couples who don't have family nearby to help. Many people find it helpful to cluster their shifts together- work 3 nights in a row, then have several days off to recuperate. After the first day off, you should be well rested enough to enjoy your children for your remaining days off. Self-care will have to be a priority while you adjust to the schedule, though, and that can be difficult with young children. I would make sure you and your partner have a discussion about this, with clear expectations that you will need additional help with the children and household chores- and this will either have to come from your partner, nearby family/friends, or paid help.

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    There are many other ways to make additional money. Disrupting your circadian rhythm and family life is not worth the night differential.

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    • Guides

    I would seriously reconsider giving up a job that you love, AND

    going to night shifts, which take a very, very long time to get

    used to. Some people never get used to them.

    There are always opportunities out there for a nurse to make

    extra money. There is a company, I can't think of the name

    of it right now... but they hire nurses just to go and work flu

    shot clinics in Wal Mart stores. There are nursing agencies

    that you can work for PRN. I worked for an agency once, and

    all I did was flu shot and cholesterol check clinics.

    You gotta do what you gotta do, but sometimes time and

    careful budgeting are truly the best ways to get out of a

    financial hole. My husband and I have been married 21

    years, I've had jobs with varying salaries, and we are just

    NOW feeling really comfortable.

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    Having worked several years on nights with young kids I'd never do it again if given a choice. Always sleep deprived, always tired which made me short on patience and tolerance for things that didn't bother me on normal shifts. And its not easy to jump back In to a day shift. I have a memory of trying to sleep after a twelve hour shift and my youngest playing with my face, moving my mouth and eyebrows around saying "happy momma,sad momma, mad momma". Funny story now, but not so much then. I didn't have the energy to tell him to quit. I'd work a second part time job first or pick up overtime before nights

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    • Experts

    I am lucky in that my better half is able to stay at home with the kids while I work nights. It actually works out pretty well for us. I work 8s, so I work while they sleep, I sleep while they are in school, then we're all awake and together in the evenings. I actually spend more quality time with them than when I was working day shift.

    But then again, not everyone has the advantage of their partner staying at home, or working 8s. Both of those are the main reasons that I can make night shift work for us.

    The night shift diff is nice, but it may not make that much difference in your paycheck--play around with the numbers and see. If it makes a minimal difference...is it really worth it?

    If nights isn't the option for you, perhaps look at a position at a better paying facility. Or pick up an extra shift here and there, either at your current facility or go PRN elsewhere.

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    I do not think that going to nights will be worth it especially since you have three kids. Those things only work out if you have family who can babysit them during the day for free while you sleep.

    I would look for other options including picking up shifts somewhere else on the weekends get a side gig where you can add hours if you need to. Perhaps also look into what your partner can do and if there is an option of saving money otherwise.

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    • Author

    Thank you for your advice!

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    • Author

    Thank you

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