Life and ED Nursing

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So how do we do it. How do we all balance life and family and nursing. I feel guilty all the time. I feel like I am constantly being pulled in different directions. I was pregnant through nursing school so now I feel guilty for not spending time with my son and husband. No that I am a nurse I feel like I need to learn more and take classes and keep studying because I want to be a good nurse. I also feel like I need to be at home with my family. My son and husband always seem to be neglected in some area. What to do. Who to please. I love nursing and I love my family. How to make it all work. I work 3 12hr shifts on nights so that I can have more days at home. But then my sleep cycle is screwie and I wind up on the couch on some of my days off. How does it work. If I making a mountain out of a mole hill let me know. But I feel like ugghhhhhhhhh!

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Specializes in Trauma/ED.

Can you afford to cut down to 5 shifts every two weeks? How about looking into another shift? Sounds like your son may be young...it helps when they get a little older because you can sleep while they are in school and wake up when they get home. How does your husband feel? Maybe he can pick up the slack until you get a different shift?

Explain to him that he is important but right now you have to concentrate on your work until you get more confident, if you have a supportive husband he will understand and be there for you. My wife is very understanding and actually likes me to work OT so we can save for vacations and have extra money to play when I'm off. Working 12's is nice because you do have more days off and can take little "mini-vacations" without using up PTO...

I wish you well,

Larry

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Specializes in Emergency, ICU.

Maybe shift work isn't for you. I know some people who need to work nights because they have kids and they need to be home during the day but their bodies never adjust. Some of them decided to get other jobs, 7 - 4, 5 days a week for example and they love it.

I try to schedule my 3 shifts all in a row. That way, I only need one 24 hr period to crash and recover and then I can have up to 5 days off until the new 3 start. See if that's a possibility at your place.

Also, I highly recommend that you take time to become a nurse while you are at work and forget about it when you're home. That's the beauty of shift work.

I know as a new nurse we often feel like we must play catch-up because of the huge learning curve, but believe me, all the reading you do will not make your bedside experience from novice to experienced nurse go any faster. It takes time, and the time to learn is when you're getting paid for it :wink2:

good luck!

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Specializes in ER, ICU, cardiac.

I feel ya sister :) I have 2 kids, work 32-36 hr/week, and am in school. It is tough!!! It took awhile to find my area of comfort though, that did not happen straight out of school. Does someone keep your child while you sleep?? It would be impossible to work all night then not sleep. I agree with above posters, bedside experiance is way more important to you right now. Once you get comfortable, then maybe pick up one class at a time. As nurses, we feel the need to be superwoman. We can't be :) It seems to me that only working 3 twelve hour shifts a week gives ample time for you and your family, but you cannot feel guilty about it. You are doing this for your family. Some women have to work 2-3 jobs a week just to make it. Be thankful you have what you have, pat yourself on the back, get some rest, and take a deep breath. You will be fine!

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Specializes in Emergency.

So, some people in my neighborhood have the water people deliver these big huge containers of water. I guess they have water coolers in their house and the people deliver big jugs of water. The Budweiser man comes to my house. His truck is bigger than the water guy's. I think he and the water guy are becoming friends. They wave a lot to one another.

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