Nurses who are MOMS, what job would you take?

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I have 2 kids who will be going into 3rd and 1st grade in Sept. The last few years I have only worked 8/hrs a week or not at all because I like to be home with them. Now the time has come that they will be in school FT.

So I have 2 different options here.

For the same amt of money I can do:

1)5 day shifts a week--half are 7-3 and half are 9-5.

2)3.5 night shifts 11-7

If option 1, I need an after school program to watch the kids for a bit (so once that is factored in 5 shifts of days would financially = 3.5 of nights)

If option 2 I can sleep when they are at school.

What do you think???

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Have you ever worked night shift before? Do you know how you will adjust to the "time change" on your working nights vs. your nights off?

If you are able to adjust to changing from days to nights, I think you will find the night shift job easier to manage. No worries about before/after school care arrangements. But if you don't adjust readily to alternating days and nights, then you would be constantly fatigued, which id not a good situation.

Best of luck to you!

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Have you ever worked night shift before? Do you know how you will adjust to the "time change" on your working nights vs. your nights off?

If you are able to adjust to changing from days to nights, I think you will find the night shift job easier to manage. No worries about before/after school care arrangements. But if you don't adjust readily to alternating days and nights, then you would be constantly fatigued, which id not a good situation.

Best of luck to you!

I work 4 shifts a month now but they are all night shifts, I switch back pretty easily.

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

When my kids were little, night shift worked better. Most of the time I was home before they left in the AM (their dad got them up and ready) then I was up when they were home in the evening. Going in at 11 PM allows for family time and activities and then getting them to bed before you leave. Depending on their bedtime, you might even have time for a nap before leaving for work.

In my experience, if you can work nights and sleep well in the daytime without problems, nights worked better.

Just be sure you're getting enough good sleep. It might be more difficult when you work more shifts. One of the things I was able to do was turn the phone off. The school had my husband's number and could call him if one of the boys got sick or whatever. He had the flexibility to be available and could have come home and woken me up, if necessary. If you have to be accessible by phone, maybe you could have a phone designated just for emergencies, that only the school and family members who truly understand night work will have the number- and they understand that it is for true emergency only, not "remember to send a dozen cupcakes tomorrow" types of calls. (I had more trouble with family members than anyone else when it came to not understanding night work!)

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Specializes in CCU/CVICU, Hemodialysis, ER, PALS Inst..

I have a daughter who is 3 and will be starting preschool next year. I also have a teenager. I stayed home for almost a year after the last baby was born and went back 2 days/week (from 0730-1630.) I increased my hours to where I am working 60-64 hrs/payperiod and have a pretty set schedule. I'm an ER nurse and am back to 12 hr shifts. I enjoy having my days off with my children but also enjoy working too. Good luck. You just have to figure out how it all will work best for you. I would LOVE to be back full time b/c it would only be one more 12 hr shift but the fulll time RN's rotate every 3 months from days tonights which with my husband's schedule doesn't work for us. I may have to do some readjusting when the little one starts school but we'll see. Right now, we've made this schedule work. Good luck!!

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

who will watch your children at night? if you have that covered then i would be for taking the night shift. i have 6 kids and the night works out so much better for me but my kids don't sleep as well when i'm gone or so my old man says...

i have 2 kids who will be going into 3rd and 1st grade in sept. the last few years i have only worked 8/hrs a week or not at all because i like to be home with them. now the time has come that they will be in school ft.

so i have 2 different options here.

for the same amt of money i can do:

1)5 day shifts a week--half are 7-3 and half are 9-5.

2)3.5 night shifts 11-7

if option 1, i need an after school program to watch the kids for a bit (so once that is factored in 5 shifts of days would financially = 3.5 of nights)

if option 2 i can sleep when they are at school.

what do you think???

Up Vote Up Vote ×
who will watch your children at night? if you have that covered then i would be for taking the night shift. i have 6 kids and the night works out so much better for me but my kids don't sleep as well when i'm gone or so my old man says...

my husband is home at night with the kids, he could even take them to school if i want.

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When my kids were little, night shift worked better. Most of the time I was home before they left in the AM (their dad got them up and ready) then I was up when they were home in the evening. Going in at 11 PM allows for family time and activities and then getting them to bed before you leave. Depending on their bedtime, you might even have time for a nap before leaving for work.

In my experience, if you can work nights and sleep well in the daytime without problems, nights worked better.

Just be sure you're getting enough good sleep. It might be more difficult when you work more shifts. One of the things I was able to do was turn the phone off. The school had my husband's number and could call him if one of the boys got sick or whatever. He had the flexibility to be available and could have come home and woken me up, if necessary. If you have to be accessible by phone, maybe you could have a phone designated just for emergencies, that only the school and family members who truly understand night work will have the number- and they understand that it is for true emergency only, not "remember to send a dozen cupcakes tomorrow" types of calls. (I had more trouble with family members than anyone else when it came to not understanding night work!)

good idea. I think I will designate the cell phone for emergencies and turn off the land line.

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Since you have no problems working nights, I say go for the night shift! I work nights because my hubby is home at night. My husband is home when the kids go to school and I am home when they get home.

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Specializes in ER, Psych.

I use to work night shift maybe 4-6 times a month before i graduated nursing school. I have been on strictly nights since then which is 12-14 night shifts a month and it is killing me. I never had problems switching back and forth before but now all of the sudden I do. I just thought i would share my experience but keep in mind that i have no children and my night shifts are 7p-7a. Good luck with your decision!

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What is a .5 night shift like?

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

i personally love to work nights , no families to deal with no admin...i would take that night deal in a minute....i wanted to add that i don't do many nights now because i just took a weekend job working 32 getting paid for 40. but when i did i still made all the school functions. and when my kids came home from school we would eat then go to the park and play...so i still had time with them .which is very important to me when considering a job.

my husband is home at night with the kids, he could even take them to school if i want.
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