Need Your Opinion Please

[HannasMom]

I have worked at my LTC on the night shift for 1 year now. I do love my job, the residents and fellow co-workers. I earn a nice wage, $18.32 and hour. four nights on and two nights off, on the night shift.

Yet, I really miss working with children, which I did do for almost 9 years, before I became a nurse. I worked as a Special Education Assistant III, in Special Ed, working with children with physical and developmental handicaps. I loved this work until budget cuts cause so much stress, and job loss that each day became depressing. I'm in a different school district now, due our move to the city.

Anyway there is an opening for fall 2004, for a LPN/Educational Assistant. I would love to apply, but the position pays only $14.15 an hour. I am attending school to get my RN, because I would like to become a School Nurse, this position pays well, $22.00 to start. So, what I'm hoping to do is get my foot in the door, until I obtain my RN.

I haven't mentioned this idea to my husband yet, because he would think I am nuts, leaving my job at the LTC, which pays well, to go back to working for a school with lower pay.

What would you do? Of course I would not leave the LTC, until I'm sure I would have that job, with ESD. Am I really nuts????

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I have taken a step back pay-wise before in order to then advance later. You know what you want to do...go for it...good luck!

[leslie :-D]

hi hannasmom,

if you can financially afford the paycut, then i think it will be a good investment as being a special ed asst. will be much more conducive to you receiving a job as a school nurse, rather than your experience in ltc. there's much experience to be gained from this job that you want so much...if i could afford it, i would definitely go for it. much luck to you.\

leslie

[Todd SPN]

What about bennies as in retirement with the school district. Is this something that would offset the hourly wage difference?

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Good luck in whatever you decide. Money isn't everything, so if you can afford it, do what you really want to do. But that is a pretty steep pay cut, I know I couldn't afford it right now. :)

[suzanne4, RN]

But on the other side, this postion would give you the nights off, and "normal" hours................your husband should like that............... :)

You could always pick up an agency shift every few weeks on a weekend to make up the difference...I say go for it, what do have to lose?

[movealong]

I changed jobs a year ago, and it involved a pay cut. But 1 year later, though I have less $, I made the right decision.

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

If you can afford it, I would recommend the job change and consider it part of your education. You probably would not earn $14/hr as a nurse extern in a hospital, which is what a lot of RN students do. Maybe if you present it to your hubby as an educational investment, rather than a job, he might accept it better. In the end, you alone should decide. Good luck!

[veteranRN]

I have taken pay cuts for a better situation (better hours, closer to home, better shift). Pay isn't everything and earning more is poor consolation if you are unhappy.

[HannasMom]

What is cool about this job, is the variety, I will do some training, such as safety techniques, etc. I'm an LPN, so I will work under an RN, doing assessments and other nursing tasks, preparing health records, conducting home visits, besides workign with the special children. I have worked with medically fragile children before, so this is an area I am comfortable with.

The pay is low, but schools usually have great benefits. When there is a vacation, such as during Christmas, or summer break, I could always work for an Agency.

I talked to my husband, he said go ahead and apply, we'll be okay financially. He's my love!!! :blushkiss

So, I have two days off, I'll apply, then see what happens. Besides if I do get the job and I work Agency during holidays, I probably end up working at my facility off and on, anyway. Especially if I work for our favorite Agency. :)

[NDivine]

What is cool about this job, is the variety, I will do some training, such as safety techniques, etc. I'm an LPN, so I will work under an RN, doing assessments and other nursing tasks, preparing health records, conducting home visits, besides workign with the special children. I have worked with medically fragile children before, so this is an area I am comfortable with.

The pay is low, but schools usually have great benefits. When there is a vacation, such as during Christmas, or summer break, I could always work for an Agency.

I talked to my husband, he said go ahead and apply, we'll be okay financially. He's my love!!! :blushkiss

Good for you, So you have made a decision and you seem to be very qualified for the position. Just to let you know 5 years a go, I took a position that involved a cut in pay, the benefits made up the difference, but it did not take long for the pay increases to take me above and beyond what I was making previously. Good luck to you.