Limit on Distance From Work?

pokey sn · Aug 16, 2004

The choice to drive a long way is your choice ultimately. I drive 45 minutes each way three times a week. When I interviewed, this did come up but I informed my manager it really was not a problem for me. As long as you take into account traffic, snow in order to make work on time there should not be a problem. Though I do have to admit, on the way home it's very hard to stay awake after 12 hours.

Anyway, good luck to ya!

Winknme · Aug 16, 2004

The only other thing to consider is if you are in any type of on call position. Most places I've worked want staff 30 minutes away at the most if you are on call. Otherwise, how far away I've lived hasn't mattered at all.

elkpark · Aug 16, 2004

It's really none of the employer's business how far away from the hospital you live as long as you show up for work when you're supposed to, unless, as winknme noted, it is a position with call responsibilities that requires you to be able to get to the hospital within a certain amount of time.

Even in that case, I have known of people who just stayed over with a friend or got a cheap motel room on the nights they were on call ...

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Aug 16, 2004

I am a BSN student and I drive 1 1/2 hours to school one way. I live at least an hour from every major big hospital around. When I graduate, can i get a job at one of these hospitals even if I live so far away? Do hospitals have a distance limit for their nurses? I figure if I"m used to driving that far everyday for school, driving 3 or 4 days a week for work would be a piece of cake. I would love to work at one of the hospitals my college uses for clinicals, because they do excellent orientatins for new grads. There are two rural hospitals nearby me, but I am worried they would not give me a good enough orientation as a new grad. I am 2 years from graduation, but I was just trying to think ahead. Anyone have a similar situation of living back in the woods?

i would look at driving conditions, at how the weather is at its worst in your area, ect. i would also think about how long the drive is for you, how tired you'll be after working 12 hour shifts, how much sleep you'll be able to get when you get home, ect. also, how much time will you have with your family if you are driving that far? i would also think about the cost of driving to the hospital, wear and tear on your vehicle or any new vehicles you have. also how much they are paying you is important.

what i mean is this: if you can make 16.00 an hour there and 16.50 at home, i wouldn't even consider going that far. also, it might even pay to stay closer if the place closer to home pays less... due to the cost of driving that far every work day. it would take some math. but i would seriously consider the pros/cons of going to the "bigger better hospital." you never know... if you talk to the hospitals close to home, they might have a great GN orientation and they might retain more of their nurses.

i did see that some of my classmates while i was in school driving 90 minutes one way just to go to a "bigger and better" hospital. i think thats silly... at least in the beginning. you'll learn as much in a small hospital as a big one your first year... you'll be thrown either way.

now, if you want to get more experience eventually, you could, i guess, find yourself wanting to go to a bigger hospital. but you have to also realize... in smaller hospitals, everyone knows everyone... which can lead to promotions and increased responsibility if you play your cards right.

good luck!

Gompers, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2004

All good advice! Most people who live long distances from the hospital by me work longer shifts (12 and 16 hours) so they don't have to drive in so often. But the flipside to that is that you are losing out on sleeping time with all that traveling plus it's hard to stay awake for the drive home after such a long shift.

One nurse by me lives on a farm about two hours away, but rents a small, cheap apartment a few minutes from the hospital. She works three nights in a row (16, 12, 12 hour shifts) and stays at the apartment in between.

Katnip, RN · Aug 17, 2004

If you want to work in a unit that has regular call, such as PACU or OR, then time matters. Most only give you a 1/2 hour show up. At least those around here had that 1/3 window when I interviewed. No way could I make that.

If distance and traffic are going to cause you problems being on time regularly, then it matters.

I've driven over an hour to work and it didn't both me because it was only three days a week, but all I did was go home and sleep. Right now I drive 1/2 an hour to work, unfortunately I'm on 8-hour days now, and it bothers me even less. But I can't wait to get back to 12 hours. This 5-day a week thing is driving me crazy. :)

jschut, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2004

Just be sure you have enough time to get there when the weather changes!