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Hello everyone, I am hoping for some advice regarding my options to change the direction of my career.
First, I am the mother of two beautiful girls, ages 16 months, and 3 years old. Right now, I now work three days a week in the operating room in a very large health care system.
In short, I am BORED BORED BORED with my job. I took the position in the O.R. for logistical reasons; I was pregnant at the time I applied, and knew I couldn't work a night position with a newborn on the way. The O.R. was a good fit for me at the time. I did, however, want more than anything to take advantage of a Critical Care Fellowship that I was granted a position in, however I had to turn it down because of the pregnancy. Critical Care is my passion, and what I want to do more than anything. Again, I had to turn down this fellowship because of my baby's upcoming due date.
So being in the O.R. is not fulfiling to me, nor challenging. It is not where I want to be, because I feel many of my nursing skills will be LOST..(we do not even put in the I.V's.) It is just not the kind of nursing I see for myself.
I was just given the chance again, to join the critical care fellowship for the CTICU. It is a dream for me. After the fellowship and orientation period, it will be a night position, for about 9 months at least, till a day slot opens.
My question is...with my two small children, is this a possibility?? I mean, I do have childcare, but I am just not sure how I or if I can adjust. I know many women do...and that is what I am asking. It would be a 7pm to 7 am shift, three days a week.
Can any mom's out there let me know if they do work nights, and how they are doing?? I need to make a decision asap, and I am afraid to let this opportunity slip by again, and my dream be lost.
Thank you for your advice.
Kim
You absolutely need someone to help watch the kids during the day so you can get a few hours sleep. Otherwise its just not safe. I prefer to not work my 3 days in a row so that I'm not sleeping the whole day to prepare for work. My kids are 5, 3, and 1 so the oldest is in kindergarten during the day but I've done night shift on and off since before he was born. I have someone here so she can always wake me up if there is an emergency. In my opinion it works better with the children because they see me more than if I worked 12 hour days.
You didn't mention Dad so I assume he's out of the picture. I'm a single parent and I split my kids with the ex so I either have the kids or I'm working. It works great for me. Your kids deserve a good role model. Do you want them to grow up hating their job and punching a timecard? Of course not. You need to show them how important it is, as a person, to do meaningful and rewarding work. Even if it will affect them, they need to see you have needs too, as long as you are meeting theirs. I say go for it.
there are a lot of moms working the night shift 7p-7a in my unit and they are moms to youngens like yours. all i can say is, these nurses all put in a request to work days and when the time came and the spot was open, all of them stayed nights. nights is a whole different world in nursing and you may love it. you may also love the night differential which will make it hard to leave nights and take a pay cut to do the same job (some might say to take a pay cut to do more work during the day shift). either way, it's your dream, and 9 months seems like such a small amount of time in the scheme of things. good luck to you!
a lot of nurses who have worked both shifts would agree with that, although some might assert that just the act of working at night and going against the body's normal circadian rhythms is the equivalent of "doing more work," so it all evens out.
the differential is nice, especially if your hospital increases it on weekends and holidays. a whole lot just depends on your body's ability to tolerate that kind of schedule.
Go for it, you'll adjust. If you have a husband he needs to pitch in ~ no reason why not if he has the interest of the family and you at heart. Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today, life is too short and it's not worth it. You don't want to EVER look back and wonder if you should have, could have or would have.....EVER.
BettyBoop01
171 Posts
All you can do is try! Give it a whirl, give it at least 6 months and then reevaluate. If you are not happy go back to the OR. Follow your heart! You will always regret it if you don't.