Mother of young kids wants job 2 hours away

Dear Nurse Beth Advice Column - The following letter submitted anonymously in search for answers. Join the conversation!

Updated:   Published  

Hi Beth,

Thank you for your time of reading my question, which is really torturing me now. I am a new graduate RN now and want to get myself in critical care, I worked super hard in nursing school towards my career goal and got myself a very good grade (almost 4.0 GPA).

I want to get myself into critical care in the future but I cannot find a ICU resident opening right now. However, I got two offer now from 2 hospitals, should I choose the Cardiac PCU RN resident in our state's second largest hospital that is 2 hours driving from home or a regular med-surg staff RN in a local small community hospital that is 10 mins driving from home? The hour pay is pretty much same, I don't want to eventually move up to the bigger city but I see the PCU RN resident as a opportunity to get myself into local ICU in the future.

Also, I have two young kids and my husband also works locally in our small area. I cannot make my decision, the local hospital med-surg position has a lot pros, all my family and friends think I should work locally, it's only 10 min drive, but I cannot see potential growth of my career if I work in here. 

Share this post

+ Add A Comment
Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Dear Cannot Make Decision,

Congrats on your high accomplishments!

Please listen to your family and friends, they are right.

You are afraid to miss this PCU opportunity, but the price is extremely high. It would cause so much stress to work 2 hours away from home. You will have to go in at times on your day off and you'll be far away if one of your children has an emergency.

Trust that this is not your last chance to work ICU. In 2 years, you are going to be very marketable with a solid foundation of nursing practice. Your kids will be 2 years older and you will see things differently than you do now.

Focus your amazing drive and talents on learning all you can this next year...and also on being there for your husband and kids. Undoubtedly they took the back seat at times while you were in school. 

You can have it both- a career and family, but sometimes you have to adjust your expectations. This coming year can be so wonderful for you if you let it.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

+ Add a Comment