vpollic1

Hey guys! So I've been an RN for the past 4 almost 5 years now. I've only worked in postpartum/mother baby couplet care nursing. And when I first started, I LOVED it! Working with babies? I was in heaven. But almost 5 years of working night shift, weekends, holidays, and no prospect of going to days any time soon has me feeling pretty burnt out. I'm starting to dread going to work, and when I work 3 days in a row I find myself requesting to be cancelled (if staffing permits). I feel tired all the time. I used to feel like I loved the 4 days off but some of those days I'm sleeping all day, or I'm waking up after only sleeping 3-4 hours in hopes that I'll have a normal day and sleep at a normal time, but I'm finding myself grumpy, agitated, not happy at all. I don't have kids yet and I used to love working with babies, but taking care of other people's babies all night makes me more hesitant to start my own family because I am SO tired. I have the opportunity to take a day shift position. It's M-F 0730-1600 no weekends, holidays or call. It's home care but for moms and babies. I would checking in with families, educating and seeing how they are transitioning into motherhood. I would also get to teach some newborn basics classes. I honestly feel like I would LOVE this job. It's way less stressful than my current job, I would still get to work with moms and babies, and it's days! It's also really secure and has a pension plan which my current job doesn't have: The only two downsides I can think of is 1. Pretty significant pay cut (about 20,000$) but the salary is still very liveable and would be considered pretty good for California. The 2nd downside is obviously not having as much time off. Sometimes I really appreciate it when I can take 7-8 days off and not use PTO and just go on vacation. I'm just not sure what I would like better. I am a pretty routine person and like structure and knowing when I will be home and having a set schedule. I also do not like high stress situations either and do not tend to do well under pressure. What do you guys think? Has anyone switched from 3 12s to the M-F grind and really liked it? Regretted it? Any advice helps guys! Thanks for hearing out my story!

Just wanted to seek some advice. I've been a postpartum nurse for almost 4 years. I've worked in 3 different hospitals (1 in New York and two in California) and worked nights all 4 of those years. To be honest I'm a little sick of working night shift and there's no hope of me going to day shift for probably another 2-3 years. I was going to tough it out but I feel like working nights is affecting my mood and overall happiness. I don't have any kids yet so I thought I could stick out nights until I did have kids, but I think I've reached my breaking point. I have recently received a job offer for a clinic job in an OB/GYN office. Monday-Friday 8-5 no weekends or holidays. Pay is slightly less but since I live in California it's definitely substantial and I wouldn't feel that much of a pay cut. My only qualm is ...will I like that M-F schedule? I'm a very routine type of person. I like set schedules and not acutely Ill patients. I could never work ER because those types of patients make me nervous. I feel like clinic will be less stress and better for my overall health. But it's so hard for me to leave a job where I do only work 3 days(nights) a week. Has anyone really loved the transition from floor nursing to clinic? Or has anyone had the opposite experience where they hated working more days and having less time off? Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks fellow RNs.

Hey everyone! So I've recently been struggling with my career choice. I graduated with BSN almost 3 years ago and I've been working as an RN basically since the minute I graduated. And so long story short, I don't LOVE what I do, but I like it. I work in a great area for nursing (mother-baby) and I do feel very rewarded. The 12 hour 3 days a week shifts are nice because I do have 4 days a week to do what I want to do. But lately I've just been finding myself feeling a little...incomplete. It's nice to work 3 days/ week and I make very good money working in California and this area of nursing is fulfilling. However I HATE working nights, weekends and holidays (no prospect of going to days for at least another year or two). I just don't like having a different schedule than everyone else. I'm really not interested in other areas of nursing besides perhaps working in a clinic, maybe pediatrics. Lately I've been finding myself wanting to be an elementary school teacher. I just feel like I would LOVE that. I've always loved kids and wanted to be a teacher, but I was discouraged from friends and family when I was in high school to pursue teaching due to instability of job prospects and financial stability. I just feel so silly because for me it's a huge pay cut. I already have my BSN that I worked so hard for. I would have to go to more schooling (which I don't mind doing) to be paid less money and work more hours. And I have no idea why but I am so drawn to it. What do you guys think...silly to pay more money and go through more school to get paid less money even though it's something I know I would love? I'm also not very interested in being a school nurse or teaching nursing at a University. The aspect I am drawn to it teaching subjects to little kids. Any advice helps thanks guys!