50 Minute drive to work.... would you take it?

westieluv · May 8, 2013

How alert do you feel while driving home from your present job in the morning and how many minutes is the commute? Will you be driving in heavy rush hour traffic? Have you ever had any close calls because you were driving drowsy?

My first inclination would be to tell you to wait until something closer opens up. It's easy to say, "I'm very alert when I get off work and I'll never get tired and have an accident", but accidents do happen to tired drivers with the best intentions. However, only you really know you and how well you handle the drive home in the morning. I have a 30 minute drive after working a twelve hour night shift, but it is all expressway driving with no intersections or stoplights and I am someone who seems to perk up and get a second wind while driving home. Someone else might fall asleep at the wheel.

Bottom line: it is a big risk even if you do okay with your drive home now. Fifty minutes is a long time to be on the road on zero hours of sleep. If it were me, I wouldn't do it. You only have one life.

Sun0408, ASN, RN · May 8, 2013

I've done it and still do it :) I work 55 miles from my home so it takes me about an hour to get to work/home. It is also night shift. The first time I did it, it was tough at first..it gets easier. I left that facility and got a job closer to home but left after a year and went back.. The drive home is my gearing up time before work and coming home is my mellow time :)

Make sure you have good sunglasses, the sun can be a beast after a long night shift.

allnurses Guide · May 8, 2013

A commute of 50 minutes isn't unusual in the city I live in and a number of my previous jobs have been 45-50 minute drive times. It's another factor to include in the risk-benefit analysis process. When I had the longer commute is was due to either a job I really wanted or a place I lived I liked so much I didn't want to move.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · May 8, 2013

LOL - in many large cities, your commute can be that long even though you live fairly close. OTOH, even a 20 minute commute can turn into > 1 hour if there is a traffic problem somewhere along the way.

Whenever I have been faced with longer commute times, I used the time as a 'decompression' &/or reflection opportunity.... preparing myself for the day ahead or getting rid of stress/bad mood before spending time with my family.

allnurses Guide · May 8, 2013

I took a job an hour and 15 minutes from my home. It was 6 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. For me personally, it was a difficult drive home up a windy mountain road. I did it for 3 months and had to quit. Also, it took so much time away from my family. It was a great job but just not worth it.

Everyone has to decide this on their own and look at many issues when deciding. Do you have a family? Would you be able to move closer? Do you see yourself doing this 5 years from now?

Tread carefully - and yes, getting advice here is a great idea! Love how folks are responding to your question.

elkpark · May 8, 2013

To me, it boils down to, how badly do you want the job? I've driven a lot farther/longer than that for work over my career.

pooh_ac · May 8, 2013

I currently live 40 miles from my work. My daughter-in-law drives 49 miles from her work. We both work 12 (+) hour shift. I have considered a job even further down the road. I have worked home health/hospice for 8 1/2 years. During that time I averaged 250+ miles daily and that did not include the drive to and from work. I have had only 2 true car accidents in the 30+ years I have worked. Neither one of these were pretty. The majority of other incidents involved wildlife vs car!

MrChicagoRN, RN · May 9, 2013

Living & working Around Chicago, on my last job I had to allow 60 minutes...absolute minimum commute home at 1am was 30 minutes. Total distance was 15-20 miles.

It's do-able.

Encast, BSN, RN · May 9, 2013

Thank you everyone for your advice. I really appreciate your input and there are some good points. I have until tomorrow to decide. This job is a great opportunity and I know if the driving becomes overwhelming there is no way I can quit.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · May 10, 2013

In rural areas of the country, like where I live, 40-50 minute drives are routine.

It takes 20 minutes for me to get to a grocery.

I guess it's a matter of what's acceptable to you.

What's the job worth?

KelRN215, BSN, RN · May 12, 2013

It really depends on you. When I worked in the hospital, I had many colleagues who drove that far and farther. I, on the other hand, lived 6 miles from the hospital and would often fall asleep on my drive home so I know I couldn't do it.