New grad struggling with job decisions, 12 shifts and school age kids, advice please!

[anangelsmommy, ADN, BSN, RN]

I just got my RN and I have been offered a job at the local hospital...I was also offered a position with my homecare company with one of my patients which I love but now that I am an RN, I really want to move up to more complicated patients, so I would like to work with this patient when I can fit it in my schedule, he is really sweet and the family is wonderful but the patient is not very complicated and now that I have completed ventilator traiing and with the RN training I really want to use the skills I have gained but my biggest issue is that the hospital job is full time rotating shifts, I have school age children and my husband also works rotating shifts and is the bread winner by a land slide. I dont need benefits. My kids are not old enough to stay by themselves and with 12 hour shifts, it is basically from the time they wake til the time they go to bed. My son has adhd and dyslexia and needs a lot of help with homework and medication before school. My husband was offered a day position, but it would still be 10 hour days monday through thurs and would still require that he is gone before me and not home until 6pm or so. He hasnt told them yes about the position but I dont want to end up working only on the days he is off so we never see each other, this was the reason he wanted to take this job was to spend more time with our family.

My problem is this, I want to get the experience the hospital offers but I don't know how to do that with my children at their age. I have no family in the area. Unless I was to find a job per diem where I could just work when he is off. Do hospitals hire new grads per diem? This is more what I was looking for but I don't know if it is possible. Also, I work for an agency doing pediatric care, would a hospital consider this real pediatric experience? What can I do to make myself more marketable say if I were to try to work toward a hospital career in two years when my kids might be more able to stay by themselves or my husband might be in a position to help more?

Do you think I will have forgotten too much to go into a hospital job in two year? I was thinking of taking an IV cert class so I can do IV's at my job.

I would appreciated feedback from all of those who have been there!

[piperknitsRN]

Hospitals do not generally offer per diem to new grads; it costs a great deal of money and time to train a new grad, and some hospitals even require new grads to sign a contract stating they will be responsible for committing to at least a year of full time employment, with various consequences for choosing not to do so.

Overwhelmingly in this post I am hearing you say that you wish to be at home with your children, and that the demands of child-rearing, lack of family in the area to help, and incompatible--or at least less than ideal--scheduling issues with your spouse will not allow you the option of full time employment at present.

If this is the case, I would choose the more flexible job (home health care job), continue to study, gain certifications and CEUs, and revisit a hospital job when you have more time to devote to training and, ultimately, a full time job.

It sounds as if you already have your plate full, and hospital nursing, 12 hour shifts as a new grad can be overwhelming and very exhausting. Please don't stress yourself out any further if you're feeling "tapped out" even before starting.

My advice to you is to revisit "hospital nursing" when you have more flexibility with your schedule and require less time commitment with your children. Hospital jobs will be there in the future, and for now, remember you do have an employment option that sounds like a much better overall fit for your current lifestyle, and invest your time and energy in that specialty (it sounds like you enjoy it--a huge bonus for a new grad!)

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

I agree 100% with piper!!

[gtoko]

I am about to start 12 night shifts. I have never worked nights,but I am thankful just to get a position. There is no nursing shortage around her. I have two children,age 4 and 14. I am nervous about nightshift, and when I am going to sleep, spend time with my family, not gain weight,etc...

I hope things work out for you, keep your progress posted and I will do the same.

Any advice from seasoned nightshift nurses would be greatly appreciated. TIA

[Suethestudent]

You can't have everything... once you accept that fact, your next move will become clear. You want time with the kids, husband and to pursue a challenging job, but it will all collapse like a house of cards because it just will not be sustainable. Kids get sick, they perform in plays, they get awards and they want you there.

Do yourself a favor and take the flexible route, just like piperknitsRN recommends. This way you compromise on the job challenge but you can always come back to this in the future. Give your children what they need now, and your marriage what it needs now.... the stress of doing otherwise is really not worth a line on your resume.

[eldragon]

Excellent advice here. 12 hour shifts are very hard to do, in my opinion, when you are married with children.

I have noticed that many nurses who do work 12 hour shifts, are not married and or their children are grown and gone.

You have to remember that a 12 hour shift not only means you will be gone working for 12 hours, but also you have to consider commuting time. You will be EXHAUSTED after work, if you are like me, and just the thought of making dinner or helping someone with homework will be a challenge.

There are jobs to be had that work with families: school nurses, health teaching type jobs, health department, doctors offices, etc. Dialysis would be days only. Possibly some wound care centers, and/or any kind of outpatient surgical center.

There are places to work that will enable you to have a family life. True that you may not see what you want to see at work, but at least you will see your husband and your children.

[anangelsmommy, ADN, BSN, RN]

I appreciate the feedback. It isnt that I wouldnt put in the work, it is just that normally I work around my husband schedule so I was concerned about trying to find care for them for before and after my shifts and as you said, kids get sick, and there are lots of other things that come up.....and I do have an reason for putting my kids first. Not that kids shouldnt come first, but I had a child die, and part of why I did this was to have a flexible job that would allow me to be able to work around my husband's schedule and spend time with my children. Before my child died, I actually didnt think I would ever be able to work. He was very ill his whole life and required full time care. But I dont want to put a job before my children.

I would like to know what people do though who do work 12 hr shifts and have school age kids. just so I can really make a fully informed decision. Also I wonder how the rotating schedule works? is it normally 3 shifts one week and 4 the next and just usually wherever it falls is wherever it falls? I am unfamiliar with how normal scheduling at the hospital works.

angelsmommy

[caliotter3]

I do not sense urgency to work in a hospital setting. Your family obligations are overwhelming and you have to consider your husband too. You should discuss this with him and come to a decision that is mutually agreeable. More than likely you will need to stay with the home care position until you are in a better position to be flexible with your hours. You will probably be happier if you can devote yourself to your family. The hospital will be there when you are ready.

[anangelsmommy, ADN, BSN, RN]

eldragron,

surgi-center sounds like a good place! I hadnt thought of something like this...I loved my time in the pacu when I was in clinical! as far as trying to make dinner or help with homework after a 12 hr shift - uh I figure my kids will be pretty much getting ready for bed by the time I am getting home - since by the time I have turnover and sometimes I see the new nurses getting behind in paper work and yes like you say, driving home etc, there wont be any dinner making and homework at 8pm......my kids are usually getting ready for bed! and yes I imagine I would be very much exhausted! I am usually exhausted when I work the 8 hr shift!

[anangelsmommy, ADN, BSN, RN]

how did you find what your niche was? I sort of feel a bit like I am bit behind the curve. I am starting out quite a bit older than most new nurses and I guess I feel like if I wait too long, I may not be physically able to do the hospital shifts. And when someone comes to you and offers you a job, it is flattering and shows that I am doing something right. I felt like this is an advantage I may not have in the future. but then again, maybe this just isnt the path I am meant to follow.

[lkwashington]

Were I live we have something called the Baylor program or weekend program in which both are different. The Baylor program you can work Friday and Saturday day or night shift 12 hour and get paid for 36. Since your husband works 10 hours and 4 days. The weekend program you can either work fri, sat, sun or sat, sun, and mon. Just ask you nurse manager/ clinical coordinator about these options. You can also work part time every other weekend. you have options. Just discuss them with your husband and family. You became a nurse for a reason. If there is a will, there is way. Good luck.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Nights.

11-7 p.m.