Leave my permanent job for a temp position?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in New Grad.

I am a recent career change grad and I have been working my first RN gig at a pediatrics clinic about an hour away from my house 2 days a week for the last 7 months. I'm not in love with it and quite frankly I am getting pretty sick of the drive. Some days it's takes me almost 1.5 hrs to get home because of traffic. I also really hate making the babies cry. It just isn't my thing. I enjoy triage though and speaking with the families. I have 2 small children under 5 so these clinic hours work for me and my family and I don't have to put them in daycare FT. 

I have been in talks with an agency to take a temp position as covid vaccinator with our county at pop up clinics around the area. It pays a lot more than I make now BUT it is 37.5 hrs a week. Some weekends but varying hours.  Some days 11-4:30 other 8-5 and so forth. I only work 16 hrs now. I am also working on my BSN online.  Am I nuts for thinking of leaving my current job for this? It would mean more time away from kids but the money would be nice. However, would it be worth it? I'm torn. 

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

Have you mapped out the pros and cons on paper?  If this job is through an agency could the hours be negotiable?  Could it be a temporary gig while you look for something more suitable long term?  Wishing you the best, whatever you end up doing.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Remember, you will be travelling to clinic sites WHEREVER they may be, as in daily 'floating' sites (?). Maybe 1 site for some short time but then off you go to another site (?).

Also, is there any guarantee how long is the agency's contract? Could you be released just as quickly if the contract gets nullified?

Any other benes? Like some PTO? If you need a day for something urgent, you'll most likely be off payroll.

If you're willing to take a risk an go out on a limb ....  Just be looking elsewhere in the meantime.

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Specializes in school nurse.

If I were you I'd tough it out in the clinic until at least the one year mark while picking up some other part-time work on the side. (Perhaps doing vaccinating as well, just fewer hours...?)

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Specializes in retired LTC.

^^^^^  This

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Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.
3 hours ago, GOAL2BRN said:

However, would it be worth it? I'm torn. 

It really depends on your personal goals and situation at this time. If it is a pop up covid vacc clinic it will be a short gig, then what. Does the agency place you elsewhere or thats it, you are done, then what. If you are looking for something temp to get out of your current job and make a little money then yeah, might work. But then (if you need/want) to work you are job hunting again and what does your resume look like to potential employers. Also you could end up working farther away than you expected. This happened to me once, hired for out pt clinic 20min away and next thing you know you are required (assuming you want the job) to drive 1.5hrs away (Oh, didn't we tell that that could happen) without traffic and over a mountain pass. Just depends on your situation and risks you are willing to take.

Good luck!

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10 hours ago, GOAL2BRN said:

 

I have been in talks with an agency to take a temp position as covid vaccinator with our county at pop up clinics around the area. It pays a lot more than I make now BUT it is 37.5 hrs a week. Some weekends but varying hours.  Some days 11-4:30 other 8-5 and so forth. I only work 16 hrs now. I am also working on my BSN online.  Am I nuts for thinking of leaving my current job for this? It would mean more time away from kids but the money would be nice. However, would it be worth it? I'm torn. 

Stability, in exchange for varying hours on varying days at varying locations, sounds like an awful trade. Throw in the temporary nature of the job, and that makes things 100 times worse.

I say look for a permanent position, closer to home, and tough it out until you find one.

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Your post reminds me of the time I hired on with a vaccination program and spent a lot of time and effort to get on board only to not work one day, not one measly hour. Now that is what I call temporary. Stick with your permanent job and make the effort to find something closer. That will benefit you in the long term.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice, Wound Care.

I've been working COVID vaccine clinics this Spring, and they are drying up, at least where I live.  I have been called off every shift for the last 3 weeks.  I'd be worried that you would be unemployed pretty quickly if you took a vaccinator job.  I would look for a job with a better fit when you hit your one year mark.

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.
On 5/1/2021 at 4:18 AM, caliotter3 said:

Your post reminds me of the time I hired on with a vaccination program and spent a lot of time and effort to get on board only to not work one day, not one measly hour. Now that is what I call temporary. Stick with your permanent job and make the effort to find something closer. That will benefit you in the long term.

Yup, this happened to me, too. Was it for seasonal flu and/or travel vaccines? 

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