PLEASE help me decide!!! Job change!

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Specializes in OB Labor & Delivery/PP/Nursery/Hospice.

Okay, I will try and lay out the facts. Your opinions mean a LOT to me, being in similar situations!!! Here it goes.

One year ago, I went from my office job of 12 years back to the hospital. More money, new opportunities, needed a change.

Well, now I am working 12 hour nights in OB. Love my job but HATE the hours. I cannot get used to nights. I have not felt like ME in months. I have gained 40+ pounds and never feel rested.

Well, I talked to my supervisor who if putting me on 8 hours nights during the weekdays and maintain my 12 hours on Fridays and on my scheduled weekends. So, I can have evenings at home more often.

BUT, now my previous job opened back up and the job was offered to me. Cut in pay, about $5.50 an hour. BUt, it is 5 days per week, days, no weekends and paid holidays off. Plus insurance for myself paid by my employer.

I won't make as much money of course and it will be 5 days per week. I love the 3-4 days per week at my current job but HATE the hours.

What would you all do? I am 35 years old. Two kids, 14 and 9 and a husband.

My DH has left it up to me. I just need some expert opinions here. I am torn equally. HELP!!!:eek:

Specializes in Critical Care.

Any possibility of getting a dayshift Ob position in the near future? Maybe you could go back to old job and stay contingent on your floor in case something opens up.

Noney

Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

You obviously are not able to adjust to working nights, so why continue to try? For a measly $5.50/hour (before taxes) you would damage your physical and mental health? Is this a reasonable tradeoff?

If there are no days options in OB this other job sounds like a good thing. Can't guarantee you would always be working days in OB, even if something worked out soon. Downsizing for the sake of physical/mental health and being with kids makes sense to me (as a grandmother I know how quick kids grow and you wish you had more time with them). You might also consider advancing your education so that your income will grow.

You answered your own question. You've gained 40 lbs (not uncommon among night shift workers) and haven't felt like yourself. I can assure you that your family is missing the old "you" too. I'd go for quality of life. Life is too short not to.

Another thing to consider is this: if you're spending all your days off recovering from your days on, what good is it? I'll never forget a mother's day card my daughter made for me once...part of it said, and I quote, " I know you're always tired and haggard and sick..." How's THAT for a wake-up call? If you could make a living on what you made in the doctor's office, I'd go back. You'll be home with your family EVERY night, then. A friend of mine left the night shift and went back to days and told me that when it hit her how good she felt and she had never realized she COULD feel like that, had lost all those good years to the night shift, she just broke down and cried.....

But that's just my two cents'...

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Concur w/the wise ones before me.

Quit the madness and do what is the healthy thing. You can return to OB later on when a day position opens up.

Best wishes.

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

babs_rn said it all! Heed the wisdom of her comments and march forward with your life in peace and harmony with your family. Tomorrow isn't promised to us, and death is still only a breath away for all of us, so why are you in that dilemma again? Quit, return to your old job, enjoy your family, breathe again. :kiss

Been there done that too;). I LOVED the ER but the hours were killer. Was never there much for my son and husband, working weekends and holidays, etc. Took the job I have now had for 10 years with Mon-Fri 9 to 5 weekends and holidays off. Took an almost 20,000.00 dollar cut in pay to go along with it too. Life is WAY to short. Be with your family, take care of yourself. The saying goes that we will spend whatever we make, you will get along on a lesser salary I know, we have done it for 10 years now. You can always work per diem to keep your foot in the door in OB and maybe at some point a day position will open up. If not you'll still have your health and your family. Good luck.

Specializes in OB Labor & Delivery/PP/Nursery/Hospice.

Wow. I guess I just really needed to hear all of that. Thanks so much.

I really love the department that I am currently working in, but after 3, 12-hour shifts in a row with one night off and then 3 again, I really really really feel like I am going to die. I was eager for all the experience, but our hospital is very small and most of the time I am floating to ER anyway, which isn't my forte.

Thanks to you all, I knew that I could count on you for voicing the thoughts I had in my head. I just didn't want to "wimp out!!"

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

admitting you need to breathe and take stock is NOT being wimpy...

making a significant change such as a new job takes GUTS.....

you are doing the right thing to move on. Your family is only young once....

and so are you.

dont' waste it on a job that is killing you physically, mentally, emotionally. There is PLENTY of time to work, but not PLENTY of time for those you love.

Best wishes, you are brave and strong!

Specializes in MS Home Health.

Go for it. renerian

I agree with the above. I would personally opt for evenings at home with my kids to spend more quality time with them and learn to get to sleep at night again, which it's hard to do in the beginning, but then after a while, your body will adjust. Plus, a weight gain of 40 plus pounds sounds like a VERY serious issue. With that kind of weight gain, you are putting yourself at risk for all sorts of diseases. Taking a cut in salary is not all bad when you weigh the health risks and the feeling tired all the time issue.

I did a similar thing, worked nights for 6 years, gained 40 plus pounds as well, felt like crap all the time and eventually got throat cancer. I 'm a non-smoker, and nobody in my family or home smokes. I knew that working nights put me at risk for this at a young age. After surgery and radiation, I got back to working in a hospital and insisted on days or evenings which worked out well for me, although the 12 hour day shifts turned out to be 13 and 14 hour shifts at times because we were always overloaded. Your being in an office will almost guarantee that you will be out the door when the place closes. You're lucky to have that option!

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