Leaving Nursing after first year - advice?

merlee · Dec 12, 2012

This is a recurring issue for women, not just in nursing, but overall. Is there a financial need for you to keep working? And what will happen when you have more children? What makes you think that working on weekends will make it different?

Away is away - that motherhood pull is very strong - regardless of the day of the week, time of day.

Only you can answer these questions. Best wishes!

amygarside · Dec 12, 2012

It can really be difficult, the best thing to do is to weigh which is more important at the moment. Ultimately it is still your decision and I wish you luck and hope you will be able to find the right decision on this.

passionflower, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 12, 2012

If you can find a way to cut back your hours and stay home do so immediately. A job is a job and there will probably be many in your life but your baby is your baby only once. If you are able to stay home run do not walk, your nursing career will be there when you get back

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Dec 13, 2012

I respectfully disagree with passionflower. I realize that the lure of being a SAHM is very powerful, and feels so very 'right' for those of us who have small children, but nurses who have completely removed themselves from the workplace usually discover that it is very difficult to resume their careers. Healthcare is a very dynamic environment that advances at a very rapid pace. Technology & practice evolve so rapidly that an absence of even 2 years in some settings (e.g., ICU, OR) means that re-entering nurses are basically 'new grads' again - with all the difficulty that this can mean.

There is also a huge career disadvantage overall for SAHMs no matter what profession or work setting. Unfortunately, the work of motherhood is not recognized in any sort of financial way... although I understand that there is some legislation underway that would allow SAHM (or SAHD) to have IRAs for retirement... this would be a great tax benefit. Unfortunately, I have known an unbelievably large number of women who have suffered greatly from the consequences of deciding to become a SAHM. Especially if the marriage dissolves - becoming completely impoverished because they are unable to support themselves & having to turn over the 'primary custody' to the father because he can support them. This happens on a regular basis. I realize that it may not be a very popular idea, but I would caution you not to become a SAHM without a binding "post nuptial" agreement with your spouse that would prevent this from happening. Just sayin . . .

passionflower, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 16, 2012

Although I can see your point, I had to make that decision 20+ years ago, and it was a challenge! I look back then and remember the struggles of one income - we were poor financially and had to make so many sacrifices, and I remember having a hard time finding a job because i didn't have "experience". Eventually I found a job and many more after that first one.

In my life I regret a lot of things but I never regret the choice I made. I was fortunate enough to be able to stay home with my children the first few years of their lives. I did prn work one day a week here and there to cover some bills but mainly stayed home. Even with all the challenges I never regret it but I know I would have regret missing that time with my children. I am forever grateful and I still say if you HAVE an option and WANT to stay home, choose home, eventually you will get a job but you will never get back those beginning years with your child. I'm sure many women only wish they were able to choose.

NoviceRN10 · Dec 17, 2012

I worked fulltime for a year after starting my first job, and then went to contingent status. I hated being at the hospital's mercy for time off. I hated having every other weekend away from my family and watching my husband go off and do fun things with the kids while I worked or slept. I don't think you can ever go wrong by putting your child first. I am lucky that my husband is the main breadwinner in our house so cutting back my hours didn't hurt us. Being able to pick my days around my kids' and husband' schedule is priceless to me. I figure I can always work fulltime after the kids leave the nest or are more self sufficient.

eCCU · Dec 17, 2012

I have been an employee at the hospital I work at for almost 7 years. I graduated from nursing school last December passed the NCLEX-RN in February and started my first RN job. I worked full time until the birth of my first child a few months later, took my 12 weeks of leave and have been back for a few months at part time. I want to work and I want to stay home with my baby and I'm having a hard time doing both. I have asked twice to work less and have been told those positions do not exist. In fact the only way I got off of full time is because my OB took me out of work for good about 5 weeks before my due date. (I had to beg him to let me go back to work and the only way he would allow it is if it was part time)I would love to work weekends, or PRN, or heck even one day a week less (I currenly work 3 evenings) but they are not willing to work with me. We currectly have a hiring freeze and I'm upset that they would rather me quit (haven't told them) then let me work weekends when that is when everyone calls off! I plan on asking again for a reduction in hours, but if I get the same answer then I plan on leaving in February. I am really torn though. I LOVE being a nurse and have worked SO hard for this. I just want to work less while my baby is still so little. As he gets older I will want to work more. Right now it's too hard and I don't feel like my son or my job is getting the best of me. My biggest concern is about leaving nursing so early into my career and the problems I might have coming back in a few years. I definitely loving working in the hospital and can't see myself doing anything else. My husband is supportive but is getting sick of the back and forth. One day I know I want to stay home and the next I'm sure I want to keep working. I'm just so torn and obviously cannot talk to any co-workers about this and my family is split on it.[/quote']
You can try agency contractor since you are not stressing financially or consider home health or hospice....unless there are some other hospitals around you that do not mind prn nurses.

FLmed · Dec 17, 2012

If you all don't need your income, I would definitely recommend you to be with your baby. I did the stay at home thing for the first 5 years of my child's life. It's the best decision I ever made. They are only little once. You will blink and this precious little boy will be graduating high school. Most employers will understand gaps in employment due to expanding your family or being a stay at home mom. When you interview for your next position you can tell the interviewer that you ate in a great place in your life for a career now. You will have gotten that golden year of experience under your belt, and if you give 3 weeks to a month notice and leave on good terms, this employer might even rehire you. Just as everyone else has said, only you can make this decision. I hope that they will work with you and cut down your hours. I think that's a great solution. Gives you the best of both worlds.

Nurse ABC · Dec 17, 2012

Since you already have a year's experience try applying for per diem positions at other hospitals, home health agencies, schools, etc or even looking at agency work. If all else fails and you're prepared to back it up if need be, tell your manager you either need to go per diem or you're quitting. If they've invested all this time in you they may try to keep you no matter what. I was a SAHM for 10 yrs and although I don't regret it, I do wish I'd kept my foot in the door even just a day here and there. It would've made it ten times easier in every way possible-financial, keeping up my skills, returning and not being at the bottom again, feeling more confident which I lost a lot of being home so long. I have literally felt like a new grad again and everyone knows how crappy that is the first time around let alone going through it again! Good luck!

Chudman · Dec 17, 2012

If you would like to remain in health-care, and stay relevant, you might consider working for the IT division of your healthcare system. Nurses make very good consultants and fill a need where there is a project liaison-type position. Many IT projects in healthcare involve labs, pharmacies, or small remote offices, and a centralized IT support model frequently needs someone with medical background to make things work. It could be part time, or full-time, and you would be making a difference.

RNandMom2012 · Dec 29, 2012

I just wanted to thank everyone for the replies. I have been reading them but have not had time to reply. Thanks again!

About a week ago I had my 6 month evaluation with my nurse manager (late, I was on maternity leave at the 6 month mark!) and told her what was going on and this time surprisingly was able to either cut my hours back or go PRN when before I was told it was not possible. So we talked it over and I told her yesterday my decision that I would be going PRN. I need to get it in writing but she will make the change immediately. I was surprised how supportive she was. I only have to work 32 hours (which is 4 shifts for me) in an 8 week period. The only problem is our census has been really low since September so there would really be no need for me. The unit on the other floor is having staffing issues so I might have to work some of my days there (ugh) its also a med surg unit but they get trachs & have a chemo/oncology unit but I was assured I would just get the "regular" med surg patients. I guess that won't be so bad, but I LOVE my co-workers! I also love that we get ob/gyn patients but anyway....

For all the suggestions, I really appreciate it. I live in a small town and this is the only hospital so going to another one isn't an option unless I want to drive 1+ hours. School nurse jobs and doctors office jobs are hard to come by. The only one I have seen posted this year wanted an LPN. We do have RNs that work in the IT department but as of now there are no openings and I don't think I would like that. The few nurses that work there are full time/day and that doesn't work for me. I also do not think I would like working in home care or hospice. The reason I wanted to work weekends is because my mother watches the baby when my husband and I are both at work and she works days M-F. My husband works on call and doesn't have the option of saying no so it's been difficult having to have grandma "on call" because on the days she leaves work early, he ends up being off, and the days we are sure he will be home he ends up getting called, LOL.

I do also think I'm burnt out already, if possible. I thought I might even hate nursing but I think working med surg is rough... I usually have 5-6 patients at a time, admissions, discharges - I could easily have 8 patients per night to chart on. I love the variety, it's hard to be bored but I'm finding it's impossible to do everything. It's basically a love/hate relationship with med surg and nursing in general. I absolutely cannot imagine doing anything else but it drives me crazy at the same time. The only other area I can see myself working in is OB. I still feel like I don't have enough experience yet so maybe in a few years or so when I'm ready to be part time I'll end up there.