On Call Vs. Commute

inthecosmos, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · May 12, 2018

Job 1. I despised on call.

bugya90, ASN, BSN, LVN, RN · May 12, 2018

1. I hate on call. You can almost guarantee that 5 th weekend you will be at work. Also the longer drive home in the evening can help you decompress before you get home to your loved ones.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · May 12, 2018

Job 1.

brownbook · May 12, 2018

I hated being on call also. But co-workers loved it. You can make a lot of money. Are you single? Have a family? On call can keep you away from home a lot. Is making potentially a lot of money important to you?

Sour Lemon · May 12, 2018

Hello all,
Which would you rather do if benefits and pay were the exact same? Both are 4 days per week (OR).
Job 1) Commute only 16 mins in the morning, but 40mins to 60mins for the way home. No call.
Job 2) Only 7 minute commute. Has call 1-2 times during the week and the entire weekend every 5th week.
Thank you!

Being paid $2-$3 an hour to sit by the phone just doesn't do it for me. I'm either working for my full pay, or I'm doing something I enjoy.

inthecosmos, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · May 13, 2018

Have you made a decision?

Eris Discordia BSN, RN · May 13, 2018

No call, hands down.

kpalo · May 13, 2018

As much as I don't care for call, I'm leaning towards Job 2. I have anxiety when driving in bad weather. Especially in the dark with fog or slick roads early in the morning. The positions are located in the Portland area. I'm relocating from Texas where we have nice sunny days. I know the people at job 1 are extremely nice, but I've only met the charge nurse from job 2. Still conflicted.

Sour Lemon · May 13, 2018

As much as I don't care for call, I'm leaning towards Job 2. I have anxiety when driving in bad weather. Especially in the dark with fog or slick roads early in the morning. The positions are located in the Portland area. I'm relocating from Texas where we have nice sunny days. I know the people at job 1 are extremely nice, but I've only met the charge nurse from job 2. Still conflicted.

Well, if everyone you asked said job #1 and you're still leaning towards job #2, job #2 is probably the best ft for you.

Wuzzie · May 13, 2018

That's a metric butt ton of call. I hated being on call. Your sleep is disturbed, you can't do anything that can't be dropped in an instant and it really stinks when you get called in and it turns out they really didn't need you after all but "since you're here".

brownbook · May 13, 2018

Every where is different.

I was so lucky when I worked on-call. I had money crazy, co-workers who would fight over whose turn it was to take my call from me! Which I was happy to give up. Of course when I got call on Christmas they didn't want it. But as I remember I just got called into to recover one D&C patient during the afternoon.