Money or Life

[ksc0723]

To be short and quick. Newer RN. Make over $70,000 working straight nights 1.0FTE. Love the money from a savings and security perspective, love job, hate shift and schedule of staff RN's in general. It seems when you work in the hospital your life takes a back seat. This doesn't seem to happen with other professions. You work nights, holidays, every other weekend, take call etc. It sucks. I am looking for RN jobs anything m-f 8-5 no holidays, weekends, no call nothing.

My issue? I'd take about a $20,000 pay cut, thereby eliminating the substantial savings my husband and I are currently contributing to. Not sure if I am supposed to suck it up even though I am miserable for awhile to save up some cash or look at this as you are only here once and money is important but I miss out on a lot working this schedule. Plus, I am in a constant state of anxiety over sleep. Sleeping too much, sleeping too little, etc.

Not sure what the grown up thing to do is. What is a person's suck it up point and breaking point???

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

I'd say it depends on how old you are and what you retirement/investment portfolio looks like. Meet with your financial adviser (or get one if you don't already have one) and get their input about setting reasonable goals that will get you where you need to be. Then I'd cut back to the minimum necessary to meet those goals.

[signet, LPN]

I know where you're coming from. I used to work 3-11 in LTC. I made very good money but I was miserable all the time. I also had to work all the big holidays. We would celebrate in the morning before I had to work. I was offered a job with a large corporation in their benefits department. This was through a friend I met in the most unlikely place. I now have the 9to5 job and work in an office, but half the time, I'm bored out of my skull. When I was in the nursing home, I prayed for the chance to sit down for a minute. My knees and feet were giving out on me. In this job all I do is sit, wait for reports that come a week late, so I can enter numbers into a spreadsheet. When people walk by my office, I pretend I'm looking at figures. Nobody seems to care what I do. I enjoyed being on the internet for a while, but that's even getting old. Many people are probably thinking I'm crazy to complain, but you just don't know until you've tried it. Monotony can burn you out just like being overworked. Bedside nursing is hard as hell, but at least you know you're doing something worthwhile. Be careful what you wish for, you might get too much of it.

[Jenni811, RN]

i chose to suck it up. Short term suffering for a longer term pay off.

[Epona]

I used to work in a hospital. I sometimes would work until 2 AM. I have pulled overnight before too. The shift diffs were great and I made good money. BUT the schedule stunk. BAD. I was whipped. TIRED. I now work 9am-9pm at another facility and do not make as much money, but I am not EXHAUSTED the next day and have time to do other things. I am not making what I was in the hospital, but I FEEL BETTER. Never again late nights!! Good luck!

[nurseryRN14]

I'm in your same situation. I work nights also, maker over 70,000 year and I just had a baby. I am trying to look for something 8 to 5. I would like to spend more time with my family. I have made the decision to take a pay cut, only if I could finf the job I need. I would say family comes first if you can afford the pay cut.

[Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN]

I chose life! Yes, I'm broke all the time. But I'm happy! Can't put a price tag on that!

[MORO0617]

You should way your options! Whats most important, what brings you peace, what comes and goes? Family and time are things you cannot change and are of great value! Don't be concerned about something that may never come to pass! You have to do whats best for you! Go for it the sky is the limit!!!!!!! You will not know until you try.Positive thinking brings positive results!!

[StrwbryblndRN]

Stargazer, if I could give you 100 Kudos I would. ,

Gotta love life.

I walk to work, hubby not working (partly economy, partly choice) money is tight and life is good. My kids always have family at home. We take pride in finding simple ways to live and contribute. This Is so much better than when both of us were working and had plenty of money.

My sisters parents and my parents had significant situations in their life that put it all in perspective for us. It has carried over to our kids too.

Good luck in your decision OP. Just gotta find what is right for you.

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

I am a new/er nurse. i don't even have a set days or nights schedule or really much to look forward to outside of work. I still feel like now that I am making this much money ( less than you!), it would be very difficult to go back to a lower standard of living and I don't know if I would be happier. "life" takes a back seat in MANY professions. Doctors for one. Managers anywhere. Corporate world. 60-80 hour work weeks are not unheard of for any of those people. When I was in the restaurant industry plenty of the managers were there from open to close which was more than 12 hour days. Would a three 12 hour shift job help?Is that possible at your hospital?

[ksc0723]

Thanks for the amazing responses and support from all of you!!!! It's a tough decision especially in this economy. I think I am going to continue doing what I am doing until something comes along that is a better schedule, even if it means a pay cut. I would rather complain every once in awhile about not having as much money as I would like than being miserable multiple times a week because I hate my schedule so much. Life is just too short to be miserable and moody all the time

Did I say how wonderful all of you are? Cuz if I didn't I mean to say it from the roof tops. This is an amazingly supportive community and you are all appreicated

[Aeterna, BSN, RN]

I totally chose life over money. My dad keeps telling me to go full time (for the benefits and guaranteed hours) where I work (a busy hospital floor) but I choose to remain part-time. This way, if I need a bit of extra money, there are always extra shifts to pick up. If I need a little more time off to relax, I keep my schedule as-is and work a little less.

I've done the whole "all work, no play" thing as a student. It sucked a lot. I was miserable, falling asleep everywhere, and broke down into tears at least once a week when I was at my bursting point. I got sick a lot because I wasn't sleeping enough. My friend said I looked dead at one point. After that experience, I told myself "No more!" Once I got myself more of a life, I was much happier and energetic.

Also, as a student, one patient told me that he had worked and saved up his entire life, never taking time off to enjoy it all. And then, only in his 60's, he was diagnosed with cancer and was stuck in the hospital. He asked, "What was the point of all that work and saving, saving, saving when, now, I'm sick, in the hospital, and won't live long?" and he advised me to live my life while I was young and healthy.

So, obviously, I'm choosing life over work/money. It's much healthier and I'm not miserable and exhausted every time I go into work (as I was when I was full time). It affects my disposition at work - many people ask how I can always be full of energy and smiling, despite running my butt off every shift. It's because I take care of myself first!

[NoviceRN10]

I cut my hours from fulltime to contingent at the beginning of summer. That means I also cut my income 50-60%. It was a big decision but I do love having my weekends back (I work one Friday night a month) and having the ability to plan my work schedule around my family. I do have to work more days a week if I want to make any money (went from 12 hr shifts to 8s), which stinks. I am still trying to figure out if I made the right choice (lost all benefits including 401K), but I think my kids are happier and I don't have to miss anything they are involved in after school anymore :).