3 job offers..one psych..don't know what to do.

[sameasalways, ASN, RN]

I have had a traumatic summer. I graduated May from nursing school, am 34 y/o with a 13 year old son and a son who will be 12 in January. My husband is military and we have moved a lot. I am on the east coast with no family members here. Financially I can't afford to move back to the west coast or anywhere now. I am living on credit. My kids had to start a new school due to my seperation and moving this summer out of base housing. I have 3 job offers and I don't know what to do. I have an associates degree in Behavioral Sciences, and when I was 18 wanted to become a social worker or a nurse. I didn't feel smart enough to become a nurse at that age, so i chose Social Work. I love medical issues and learning about them, finding more out about them, helping patients. I know as a floor nurse, I won't have a lot of time to "be there" for the patient, especially as a new nurse who is struggling to get her organization and skills up to par. Financially I need a job NOW. However, with 2 boys and being a single mother who's father is inactive and completely unwilling to help or be civil, I can only depend on myself for the care and responsibility of these children. Therefore, 12 hour shifts are not very conducive to my life right now or my childrens. I am being offered (very likely) a position at the state hospital working in the youth acute unit for ages 12-17. The nurse recruiter was interviewing for an opening in the adult acute unit but when I began talking about my love for empowering young people and young women and educating them and teaching them and feeling that they are an age group that has so many decisions being thrown their way, ect ect and how much I loved teaching Birth control when I was overseas, she immediately kept asking me, "would you consider working full-time?" She told me I would be perfect for this unit and told me they come in with a lot of STD's and other issues that I wouldn't believe. I told her I would believe it, that these things are things people learn to hide or be silent about. My point is, the 3 positions I am being offered are as such: A Neuro-Med Center for MR and spinal cord injuries (longterm facility) that is state run and great hours (8 hour shifts), The psych position I just mentioned which is great hours (730-330 each day) and a nurse residency program at the local hospital where I would be inevitably stuck wherever I was needed at my completion (with contemplation/consideration given to my preference out of the available openings). However that position would entail 12 hour shifts. I don't think I can handle coming home to my children at 8pm and leaving in the work before they are even up yet and putting that responsibilityon them right now after all the other changes occuring in our family and lives, not to mention their age. I will likely NOT stay in this area for the rest of my life, and I am concerned about future job opportunities as a nurse if I were to choose the psych nursing position. Does anyone have any opinion on this or advice? I think I would be an excellent psych nurse, but I need to know I can do other types of nursing at some point as well. How difficult would that be? Right now this position does seem perfect for me and I think it would be. My other interests are Hospice nursing and of course the all time popular postpartem/labor/delivery. Thank you very much. I will add that the people who work at the Neuro Med Center and the psych hospital tend to stay there for years, and I have heard many good things about the Neuro Med Center. Most of my fellow students are scared of the psych nursing though. I think I would enjoy either place, but I know working with that age group is my passion (the 12-17 y/o).

[caliotter3]

Rule out the 12 hour shift job. You end your post by saying your passion is working with that age group, so I would guess, you should go for that job. Good luck, and congratulations on having three job offers to choose from.

[sameasalways, ASN, RN]

Thank you for your advice! My life has been a strange path and somehow I ended up here with this position that has opened its doors to me. It would be wonderful if this could be a job that opened more doors for me in the future as well as being something that I truly enjoy and allowed me to have a normal type of lifestyle with my children. It seems too good to be true!

[kittykatty]

HI I would go for whatever you feel would make you happy and fulfilled. Can I ask where on the east coast you live? Good luck with your choice and how lucky to have 3 jobs to choose from.

[sameasalways, ASN, RN]

Hi I am in North Carolina between Raleigh and Greenville. I hope that helps, I'm not sure if you are familiar with the area? Its hard for me to decide for many reasons, like I said, my kids involved/impacted, being a single mother here I can only depend on myself, and also I am a brand new nurse, and my worries are that I will pigeonhole myself into a type of nursing when I have so many interests I know I want to pursue. So far my favorite type of nursing is Public Health nursing and Hospice care nursing. The truly wonderful Hospice center here that I did a clinical rotation through prefers to not hire new grads. I still put an application in however, as when I went in they told me they are in the process of getting a new center openned up because the hospice center here has a waiting list of months. I have always had an interest in psychology, but I love working with ages 12-17!!!!! It is the age group that has been the kicker for me, as it is my favorite age group to work with, and I hope someday if I am in Public Health nursing that I can work around this age group. I have so much to offer them and I know it is a difficult time for them in their lives. There are so many choices thrown at them that can significantly alter the course of their lives, ect ect. There is a medical acute unit here at the state Psychiatric Hospital (which by the way is only about 9 minutes from where I live)!!! I am considering doing the Mollen immunization clinic to broaden what I am doing if I work at the psych facility here/get hired. If I don't get hired here then hopefully I will get hired at the Neuro Med Center which is only 5 minutes away from me. Like I said that is long-term care patients that are MR or have severe spinal cord injuries from either genetic/developmental issues or car accidents/ect. The patients live in the center and some are functional enough to do basic skills, ect while many can't talk and some are hooked up to a respirator, ect continuously. I think I would be great at either one of these places, and regarding the hospital, I know I would learn a ton there, but the hours concern me because I don't think it is right (if I can help it) to have my kids ages 11 and 13 get themselves up and to school and back home and have them do their homework and dinner and get ready for bed all by themselves on the days I work due to the 12 hour shifts the hospital wants me to work. If I don't have a choice of course I will do what I have to do. The bills need paid.