Blouis

Good question, I am in the same boat and interested in seeing what replies you get. I have been a nurse for almost 5 years and will relocated this summer. Not sure what state (I have a few in mind) but not really sure what to do next. I have young children and have to consider each step and how it will effect school, neighborhoods, commute time, etc.

thank you for the insight Juli..gives me some info on what may be expected for this job. I currently work at 2 hospitals in the float pool and have been faced with low patient census and callouts quiet a bit. I love flexibility of working PRN but 12 hours and hospital burnout and thought this would be a nice change

I have a huge heart Line...great point. Not sure if I can actually say no to people I know needs a livesaving procedure. I am unclear if I would be making that decisions or just processing paperwork.

I am close to my wits end with floor nursing and considering a transition into somthing else with my degree. I applied for a position with an insurance company as a medical reviewer. I am assuming I would be reviewing claim forms and sending out letters of approval or denial. Not really familiar with this area. Does anyone have any experience working in this field? What are the hours? (she told me its flexible working 4 or 5 days a week) What are the working conditions? Am I expected to approve procedures using their guidelines? If you worked there, why did you leave and what did you like about the job? Any help would be appreciated

You are so right, the hospital I where I work has cut tuition reimbursement for a year to help with the budget (in addition to replacing exisiting better paid staff with newer secretaries, CNAs, and RNs that are not paid nearly as much)

I worked part time as a CNA while I went to school for my RN. I got the experience and was able to see things from a Techs point of view. This gave me a great respect for how tough their job is as well. I was able to gain experience and had something medical to put on my resume. I landed a job on the same unit I did my clinicals while in school.

I totally agree!!! Glad to see I am not alone. I am starting to hate getting up in the morning to go to work.

I have been floor nursing for the past 4 years and I am feeling that way. I love the interactions with patients and knowing I am helping but the workload is way too much, CNAs disappear often and I find myself trying to do both jobs, and hours have been cut where I live so I am now driving an hour to get to work each way. I was burnt out with med/surg staff nursing so I joined the float pool. I love being able to see different units, learning new things, and meeting new people. One hospital is a cardiac hospital the other is a level I trauma center. This variety is helping until I figure out my niche in nursing....I know it will not be floor nursing but the knowledge and experience will serve me well in whatever I choose.

All those ideas sound great. You guys have given me so much to consider. Thanks for the feedback.

research, now that sounds interesting...

I work at 3 different hospitals PRN/float pool. The units staff the schedule and you simply get called off at least 2 hours prior to the start of the shift for PRN and staff nurses. If you are called within 2 hours or show up and not needed, you get 2 hours pay. Open dates on the schedule go housewide for other unit nurses or float pool to sign up. If you sign up and call out, it counts against you. I have heard of other hospitals making staff nurses sign up for mandatory overtime in case the unit is short staffed. If you are not needed, you are called off.

I have been doing some self reflecting and I cannot see myself doing stressful floor nursing 20 years from now. I work with several nurses over 55 who often talk about the lengthy shifts, aching knees and backs, and the toll it takes changing patients and doing dressings. Most only have an associates (as do I) and cannot take the paycut of school nursing (I certainly cannot, I tried school nursing). I thought about certifications such as med/surg or oncology. I am working on tele training and will take ACLS soon. I am in my 30s now and I am thinking about where do I want to be after this phase of my career is over. What can I do now to get there. Student loans are expensive and a BSN does not guarantee office work. For those with an LPN or ADN degree, where do you see yourself years from now and what are you doing to get there? Those with a BSN where do you hope to see yourself in a few years?

Thanks to all that replied. I checked out the home health forum and I do not think HH is for me. Glad to chat with you guys, guess I will appreciate the 12 hours for now and leaving work at work.

I am just glad that I am not alone. This is stressful work and 12 hours with demanding, total care patients and doctors that are so arrogant are too much to handle sometimes. The pay is great but at times I wonder what else is out there....I did school nursing and loved it. The pay wasn't enough to support my family. I worked 6 days a week (mon-fri at school and 12 hours on the weekend) then I joined the float pool for variety. smh idk

I am getting burnt out working 12 hours. I have young children and a husband. Due to budget cuts, I now have to drive 45 minutes away to 2 hospitals that I employed with working PRN float pool. I get up at 5am, home around 830pm. Then I am mother, trying to catch up on my kids day. Thankfully my husband helps with homework and dinner, but there is housework to do at times, then when the kids go to bed-its quality time with hubby. I often dont get to bed until around midnight. If I work the next day, back up at 5am for what turns out to be a 14 hour day. If I am off, I am still up getting kids ready for school, appointments, after school activities and sports, home again to cook and clean or catching up on sleep. There is no day off and 12 hours. I also worked 8 hours as a school nurse and loved having the same hours as my children. We woke up together, left work together. I didn't have to take the entire day off to attend a football game or parent/teacher confrence. I do love the extra days off that 12 hours offer. I also enjoy making my own schedule so at times I do have 4-6 days off in a row to go on vacations or simply relax. On the flipside, I know nurses who have no children or who has adult children and they work 4-5 12hr shifts a week because they could. I also know nurses who have recently had babies or are pregnant looking to leave 12 hours because of the stress on the body and they do not want to be away from their babies for 12 hours plus. Also babysitters are hard to find and cost more for 12 hours vs a few hours after school. The choice depends on your lifestyle. Just giving you some ideas to think about....

I have been a staff nurse for the last several years. I am currently a float nurse and its still not much better. I am tired of 12 hour shifts. I am tired of 12 hours on my feet and dealing with the docs 'God complex'. I find myself with 6-8 complex med/surg patients and often doing both jobs as nurse and cna. I am thinking of switching to home health-admissions nurse. I have concerns about visiting peoples' homes and driving around in various towns. any advice

South Carolina I work at a few hospitals: job 1 $37/hr float pool med/surg. OT after 40/hrs 1 weekend a month 1 holiday a year job 2 $32/hr float pool 2 days/month min $36/hr 3 day/week commitment. job 2 $32/hr float pool 2 days/month plus 1 holiday a year

No, unless there are no other nurses who have experience then you will. But the two hospitals I work, there is always a charge that is a staff nurse.

I currently work per-diem at a hospital. Since April there were major budget cuts and full timers were dropped to 2 days a week. Float pool/per-diem were being called off left and right. I was down to a couple days a month! Times were hard. I never thought the hospital would call us off so much. I was forced to drive 45 minutes away for another hospital. I work in the float pool there. Hours are always there. I love per diem. I learned a valuable lesson-if you work PRN, always have another job just in case hours are cut. I am able to make my own hours, work when I want to. I can take 5-6 days off in a row if I wanted. I do not receive benefits (that sucks) but I get paid about $15 more than staff nurses. I may get the worse patients on the floor but at least I am able to make all of my kids football games, school functions, and family trips!!!

mater44 I do not have bachelors degree. I have and associate and was denied pell grant. would that apply to me too?

I applied last month. I am married with 4 children and my husband pays child support. He is currently laid off. I was told we DO NOT qualify for pell grants (our combined income was over 93k on last year's tax return). He isn't working now and I am working per diem. The college then told me without student loans or tuition reimbursement from employer I would have to pay out of pocket.

WIth the economy the way it is, are hospitals still offering relocation assistance, student loan repayments and sign on bonuses? I have started looking for another job in SC after working 4 years as an RN in Med/Surg and float. I have not been offered any of these things. When I graduated from school, we had recruiters knocking down our door offering perks to sign on to their hospital. Is that still the case or has the budget crisis eliminated that as well?

I love crocs, I hardly have any pain or aching feet. My shox tend to hurt by day 2 in a row. Have you considered splitting your days so you can rest? I never get used to the 12 hour shifts. My body always hurts!!!!

I work in a place similar to what you are going through. One day after 7 patients, 6 total care, and a CNA that disappeared: I miscarried that evening. I worked myself too much because I wanted the patients to have good care. It cost me my child. I reviewed my life and tried not to get in that situation again. I got so burnt out that I went per diem and found another job to get away. I love the experience and missed hospital work so I joined the float pool where I would experience other units and not be so stressed on the hardest floor in the hospital.

that is too much. You are spreading yourself too thin. Take them seperately or two at a time then 1 later.