Leaving a job for another...

[Shanny246]

Hi everyone! I graduated in May 2013, took my NCLEX in the end of June, and started working in December 2013 (I had a baby in September, so took a couple of months with my baby!). I was working in a pediatricians office. My husband got a new job so we moved to Boston, and I had to leave my job (I did give a 2 week notice). I was sad to go, but excited to see where I would end up. My absolute dream job is L&D/postpartum. I have been a lactation counselor for 19 months, and I took an online class through AWHONN for electronic fetal monitoring to make myself more appealing. I have applied to so many L&D and postpartum jobs in the boston area, and have been turned down for all of them. I have not even got an interview for 1 of them. I not only do an online application, I also call the floor directly so I can speak to the nurse manager! No luck!!

Anyway, right now I am working 2 days a week doing triage in a pediatricians office. I have been there for just over 3 months. I recently got another job that is 3 nights a week (10p to 6a) for a company that does private overnight postpartum home care. I will go to the families house and take care of the baby at night. I will have to do baby assessments, help with breastfeeding, assess the mom's recovery, among other things. I start this week with a 1 week old baby! My concern is how tired I will be during the day with 2 jobs. I am at the pedi office Tuesday and Thursday from 8a-5p and then I will be working Monday, Tuesday and Thursday night from 10p-6a...I will go days without sleep. I have 2 kids, a 5 year old and 17 month old. Do I leave my day job? If I do, will it look bad on a resume? I had my 1st job for 6 months before moving, and if I leave this job, I will have only been there a few months...will that make me look flakey? I just want to do what I can to get closer to my dream job!!

Thanks

[caliotter3]

You can do this if you make certain you keep strict sleep hours and stop skipping sleep. You need to address the care of your children. I would make the situation work until at the day job long enough to show stability, (the golden year), or you just might find out that the night shift job does not work out. If that is the case, you will be lucky that you did not leave the day job prematurely. Good luck.

[Shanny246]

My concern is that I will work all night Monday, all day Tuesday and then all night Tuesday night...there is literally no time for sleep :)

[caliotter3]

Ehh, you need to adjust that one. Asking for trouble to try to go that long without sleep at all. You don't want to fall out at work or fall out behind the wheel. Then you would be really up a creek. I would try to adjust with the ped office. Maybe you could come in four or five hours later after a nap or better, trade days?

[~Shrek~]

Do you need the money? Are you okay with night shift hours?

if you need the money try to adjust your schedule so that you can have adequate sleep and time with your family.

If you can afford to take only one job and don't mind the night hours, the night job would help you gain experience for L&D.