Quitting nursing to be a sahm?

[mamahood85]

Hi, I'm a fairly recent grad ( got my rn in July 2011), and I have two young kids at home, a 2.5 year old and a 7 month old. I've worked part time off and on since graduation but it's been difficult. Finding daycare when you work nursing hours is near impossible and my husband works long and unpredictable hours. Right now I'm working part time on a med surg floor and I'm pretty unhappy. I took the job to get more experience but I'm starting to think hospital nursing isn't for me. Being part time has made it harder for me to get the hang of things and I just don't feel like I'm cut out for it. My heart isn't in it, and I have been thinking about quitting to stay home with me kids, at least while they are young. I can find prn work at a nursing home to get some experience, but I'm still concerned that I will ruin my career by doing this or that I've wasted my time going to school.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

I'm not going to blow any smoke - this decision will have a significant impact on your career. When you eventually decide to re-enter the nursing workforce, you will be starting from zero and competing with "new" new grads.

Based on your post, you really haven't had a chance to develop your initial competency/confidence. This is extremely difficult to do on a part time basis because your initial development is correlated to the amount of work exposure you have... part time means a much longer process. You really haven't had a chance to get started.

However, your family must always be your primary concern. I would suggest giving yourself a specific timeline (ex: until youngest is in first grade) and making sure you stay connected to nursing - through professional meetings, CE, volunteer activities, etc. Who knows, by the time you decide to re-enter nursing the work environment may have completely changed for the better, and you'll have plenty of opportunities.

[OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN]

I'm not going to blow any smoke - this decision will have a significant impact on your career. When you eventually decide to re-enter the nursing workforce, you will be starting from zero and competing with "new" new grads.

Based on your post, you really haven't had a chance to develop your initial competency/confidence. This is extremely difficult to do on a part time basis because your initial development is correlated to the amount of work exposure you have... part time means a much longer process. You really haven't had a chance to get started.

However, your family must always be your primary concern. I would suggest giving yourself a specific timeline (ex: until youngest is in first grade) and making sure you stay connected to nursing - through professional meetings, CE, volunteer activities, etc. Who knows, by the time you decide to re-enter nursing the work environment may have completely changed for the better, and you'll have plenty of opportunities.

I agree. Try to hang in there for that year. It seems that you are just fed up with working on the unit. Maybe put in for a transfer. Hospital experience is so valuable. Try your best to hang in there.

[kcmylorn]

It's a shame. I can remember feeling the same way at that point in my career. I was working full time nights as a new nurse( going back 30 years) I became pregnant with our first and quit and at the end of my pregnancy. I stayed home for 4 years. We bought a new home and I needed to go back to work. So i went to one hospital, applied and was hired right then and there. There was never any question about will I find a job even after the 4 year absence. I did just fine on a med/surg floor. I remember a nursing executive saying to me one time- that was the beauty of nursing as one could have a family and jump right back into it after being away from it for a few years. This was the selling point of nursing. Why have they destroyed this. I think it was the business entities that destroyed nursing. Were they jealous that nursing had a different kind of career patterns and more flexible options then they did?