Part time right out of school

[Logos]

I am graduating w/my RN in May- but I have a FT job I love and have been at for 12 years- non nursing- I am very hesitant about quiting my job, losing my seniority, benefit time, M-F 9-5 schedule, etc. to go into nursing.

It's like I am almost done and now I am not sure I want to do it..bad hours, pay that will not be much more than I already make, I think the hours are the big thing for me, with my three kids I don't think there is a nursing schedule that will fit for me and allow me time w/my children. 7a- 7p or vice versa is out because my dh has to be at work at 6a so I have to put them on the bus in the am between 7:49am & 8:30am so I can't work any of those 12 hour shifts, and the only thing I see left is 3-11 which means I would only see my kids two evenings a week and that just doesn't work either. I have missed them - it is going on three years w/FT work and FT school- I am looking forward to having some time w/out the stress of that and enjoying the kids, maybe actually making them dinner or being home in the evening to help them with homework. So anyway I was thinking maybe I should try to work part time as a nurse somewhere and see if I like the schedule and people before I quit my "day job" so to speak. So........has anyone done part time work right out of school and if so where? I am thinking a hospital would be rough because don't they only orient you FT?

[squirtle]

I accepted a part time position right out of school in a hospital- I didn't want part time but it was all they had at the time, now I am switched to full time. I could have started out with orientation at part time hours but asked them to orient me full time because it is really hard (at least for me) to learn my skills being in the hospital such a limited time. Working part time you might have a stretch of 5 days off or so in a row, it seems harder to get into a routine. Ovbiously, everyone is different and you might do just great with that though.

One thought that did come to my mind though when reading your post is that halfway through school I went through a little freak out period, so to speak. I was scared to death that I had made a horrible decision. I LOVED my previous full time job. It was like a second family. I wanted to stay. Nursing began to sound horrible to me. I was reading these forums often and it seemed like everyone was venting and I just knew that there was no way I could work 12 hour shifts and weekends and holidays, etc. I felt I would never see my family! I begain to have a lot of anxiety issues which I had never had before. I did stick with it and toward the end of the program I realized I had made the best choice. I just graduated in August so it is all new to me but I don't regret my decision on bit. Everything worked out... If nursing is what you really want you will find a way to work things out. I am sure you gave these things some thought before beginning your program. Make sure these doubts you feel now aren't just a little "freak out period" like I had before making any huge decisions.

[Jules A, MSN]

There are some places that hire new grads part time but it isn't unusual for the orientation week to be full time days.