Please, I need your opinions/Advice!!!

[Jacibelle]

I am working M-F 8-5. I have never been away from my daughter this much and I miss her terribly! I don't like putting her in daycare 5 days a week for 8 hours a day either!

I have an opportunity coming up to take a new job working in my field of passion, however it is night shifts. It is only 2 nights a week 7p to 7a, but I don't know if I will be able to stay sane doing that! I think I would have to put my daughter in daycar 2 days a week for like 6 hours, so I could sleep, but that is better than 5 days a week. I don't want to mess up my home life tho. Because it is only 2 nights a week, I would sleep "normally" on my days off, so I don't know if I could ever adjust to that! Any advice or opinions would be appreciated! Should I stay at my M-F job or go to 2 overnights a week? help!!! Thank you

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Welcome to the site

Are the 2 nights together or can they be scheduled apart? I knew someone who looked after her daughter by doing split nights and it worked out well but at the end of the day only you can make this decision to whether you can manage it or not

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

You'll have to accept the fact that those two days, and some of the day after, and even the day of as you nap prior to work, you're going to be wasted and unavailable. But that leaves four or five other days free. So you must decide if having those extra days is worth it.

Good luck!

[patwil73]

I currently work night shift with 2 young boys at home. The days off between my work days are harder than just working straight - since I try and stay up to be involved with them.

I will be moving to a 6 days stretch of all 12's, so I am hoping that will make the transition easier and give me at least 7 good days with my kids.

Working nights can be tough if you haven't done so. You will not truly know if you can handle it (and many people can't, their bodies don't allow them to adjust to it) without trying.

It is very helpful to have a solid team at home - I could not do this without my wife. We also employ a babysitter a few days a week so I can sleep when I get home. Working 2 days rather than 5 will give you more time with your kids, also as Silverdragon said if you can schedule those days when you have babysitting the next day it will work much better.

I find I operate much better if I sleep right when I get home, rather than stay up and try to be active with the boys. I then can wake up earlier and have part of the afternoon and night with them - if I try and stay up when I get home I get very cranky and don't really want to do anything.

Hope this helps

Pat

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

How many hours will you be working for these two days? Many nurses I know have been working 12 hours three days a week. While it sounds ideal, many times, they are exhausted, and it is not always a guarentee that they will work say, 7am to go straight home at 7pm. Many times people remain there more time to write their notes, tend to a patient going bad, unit meetings, passing report, or other things. At times, nurses are mandated to work an additional 4 hours if they are short for staff for the next tour.

Personally, I think that the schedule you mentioned is doable and will suit your needs. Two days a week is tolerable in most cases. But, it is wise to inquire, because sometimes, those 12 hour schedules are not what they appear to be for some people.