3-12s days or 8-4 m-f (3 little boys at home)

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I have a problem. I have 2 job offers. So that in it self isn't the problem.

Job #1 is a hospital position 3 12 hour shifts 7a-730p

Job #2 is a clinic position M-F 8am-4pm

Pay is lower in the clinic, but comes out to only be a $55 per pay period difference.

My husband is a fire fighter and work 24 hours on 48 off.

I have twins that are starting Kindergarten this year and my youngest is going to be 2 next month.

I would LOVE to take the 3 12s just for the extra days off, but the daycare schedule is crazy.

The M-F position still has a crazy daycare schedule, but the hours are better for daycare. (however I will be paying more for daycare)

WWYD??

Specializes in CCRN.

Does the 3 12 hour shifts include weekend? Will you have child care available if you are both working on a weekend? I'd take the Monday-Friday. It will give you more time with your family as a whole since you will have every evening and weekend. Like others have said, 12 hour shifts easily turn into 14+ hour days.

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Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.

M-F hands down while your boys are so young. No weekends so you won't miss out on weekend activities, no holidays so you can enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas with the boys, no call, no being made to feel guilty for not taking on extra shifts when someone calls out, no staying over an extra hour to two hours to get caught up, no missing out on extracurricular activities...you get the drift.

Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do :)

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8-4 m-f...absolutely!!!

Unless you have lots of extra help, this schedule makes the most sense to me, in regard to getting your kids to school and daycare and back, as well as having every evening and weekend (and holidays) with them!

I always found 12 hour shifts to be utterly exhausting, personally.

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Specializes in Cardiac SDU.

Thanks for all.of the opinions. Im accepting the clinic.job tomorrow!! My start date will be Aug, 4th.

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Thanks for all.of the opinions. Im accepting the clinic.job tomorrow!! My start date will be Aug, 4th.

Congrats, sounds like a great job, and one that a lot of nurse would love to have.

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Specializes in ICU, psych, corrections.

I have experience with both.....I have been at a Monday through Friday job, 7:30 to 4:30 hours for the past 5 years. My son is now 6 and going into first grade. I hate that during the work week, I don't get home until well after 5pm, then it's time for dinner and all the other busy stuff, plus anything else I have to get done for myself. The weekends are spent grocery shopping, cleaning and other errands, all of which are not so much fun for a 6 year old. After 5 years, I have decided to go back to 12 hour shifts. I will be working 6pm to 6am and have Sunday-Wednesday off. This will enable me to get a lot of stuff done during the day while he is at school (on the weekdays) but still be up with him in the mornings, cook him breakfast, eat together and walk him to school....5 days a week. Yes, I will be sleeping Saturdays but right now, we don't do much of anything "fun" on Saturdays anyway because I have to squeeze all the stuff that doesn't get done during the week into the weekend. I hate not being to get to things like doctor's appointments, etc. for me and the kids. My husband has to do all that right now (he works Fri-Tues 6am to 2pm).

Having the holidays off has been nice, I will admit but at the same time, we are more than willing to celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas a day or two early to accommodate my work schedule, then the kids will get to visit grandma's on the actual holiday and have two holidays. I did the 12 hour shifts for three years when my two oldest were 4 and 7. Then, for the past 5 years, I've been doing the regular office job hours and I will be honest....I spent MORE time with my two oldest than I do with my youngest. I'm excited to go back to 12 hour shifts.

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