need advice

[yaleli]

Demanding family life and strict work schedule do not work out well for me these days. I work for a large hospital chemo unit 12 hour shifts alternating days and night. Well... this change of day and night schedule has been occurring within two days making my body physically exhausted. I feel like a zombie most of the time. At work, we are always short staffed. People have been leaving my unit for many different reasons where there is not enough time to hire new rns.

My relationship with husband and baby is on the rocks. My husband who gets to be in charge taking care of my baby most of the time feels alone. I do not blame him.

So, soon summer time comes, I need to leave this job to focus on my family and redevelop my relationship. There are two options:

1. Find a new job

2. Full time graduate school

I have already been accepted to graduate program. It is a general masters program. My goal initially was to bridge this to a phd program. Mind you, I have to pay some $$$ for this program.

My husband is in favor of getting a new job where schedule is not as exhausting as my current one.

I do not know what to do. I am at loss. I think I have already made my mind about leaving this job because I am planning for a long trip to see my parents in another state. But.. when I come back?

graduate school vs. another job? if I want to get pregnant again, which one would be more desirable?

Help me:(

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Well, if your husband wants you to bring in money then he will be pretty upset if you choose full-time grad school won't he?

[TriciaJ, RN]

Your decision is going to have to take into account your financial situation. You're looking at the cost of grad school plus the wages you won't be earning. Double whammy. How does your husband feel about shouldering that load?

Is it feasible to get a less demanding job (probably pays less, too) and take a few grad school classes? And where does a second baby fit into this huge, complicated equation? So far your priorities (not necessarily in order) are: earn a paycheque, get more education, raise children, maintain marriage. Do you really think you can do all those simultaneously and not have the whole thing collapse on you? Good for you if you can.

Having children is body-clock sensitive; grad school is not. Also, marriages and children don't go into suspended animation while you are doing other things. My (not necessarily expert) opinion is to focus on your family, find an easier way to get some semblance of a paycheque, and then decide if, when or how grad school can be fitted in around everything else. And do not put your own health on the back burner! Good luck.