Should I take the HUGE paycut to switch from ICU to a clinic?

[nirali.karsaliya]

Hey fellow nurses!

Soo I feel like I'm stuck in a horrible situation. I have been working in the ICU for almost 2 years now (all night shift) and I feel like I want to get out of bedside nursing, but I'm not sure. I can't seem to find any hospital that wants to hire me for a day shift position because there's a waiting list everywhere. I recently moved and have 2 job offers. One is at an ICU (night shift, 1 hour commute, great $$$) and the other position is at a Women's Clinic (10 minute commute, no weekends/holidays, but.....$8 pay cut). I don't know which offer I should accept. I feel like my heart is saying to pick the clinic and my brain is telling me to follow the money! I don't want to pick the ICU job and then regret it because of the hour commute and stress...and having to work weekends/holidays. On the other hand, I don't want to pick the clinic and regret taking the pay cut and having to work 5 days a week. I've talked to family and friends and they all tell me to pick the ICU job, but I'm still so confused. Any advice????

[peacockblue]

Here is my advice since I went from hospital to school nursing. Big pay cut HUGE quality of life improvement. If you can afford it, I would say follow your heart. I no longer dread going to work. Best career decision I ever made. And I had to go back for a BSN CSN to get it.

[guest769224]

An $8/hr pay cut is equivalent to over 15K a year loss. Depends on how bad you really want this clinic job. I'd stay ICU and wait for a day position.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Hands down, I would choose quality of life over the $$$$. Short commute, no weekends or holidays. No question.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

Quality of life over $ cut any day

[Farawyn]

As one who chose "quality" over the $$$, make sure you REALLY want job B, and make sure you REALLY can afford the pay cut.

I made the wrong choice, I think.

[flyersfan88]

I'm not in a position to where I can choose a 9-5 over $$$$, so I'd go with the ICU job.

But I think my quality of life is pretty great only working 3 days a week, regardless.

[pixiestudent2]

That's a long commute... And $8 an hour is a big cut... Try negotiating the clinic salary?

[emmy27]

Having an hour long commute, even though I loved the job at the end of it, was soul-crushing for me. It was also scary- I was never well-rested and depending on the kind of drive it is, that can be so dangerous- I definitely microslept while driving on the interstate on multiple occasions. I would be driving on the interstate with my windows down in January with music blasting to keep me awake. And if there was any kind of delay or accident, forget it- I'd be late to work or so late getting home I'd get even less sleep than usual. And having to go in for meetings and training that were shorter than my roundtrip was soooo frustrating. And although I liked my coworkers, all social events were near work and far from home, so it was hard to get to know people.

Miserable. It was just miserable.

That said, $8hr is a big paycut. It really comes down to what you can and can't afford and tolerate.

Personally, I think there are far more bedside jobs than clinic ones, so going back to the bedsides after a time away if you had to might be easier than finding another clinic job if you realize you can't take another year of driving an hour to a nightshift bedside job.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You know ICU and night shift is sucking the life out of you.

Eight bucks an hour is NOT worth your mental health. Unless your family and friends have been there, done that... their advice is worth squat.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Take a long, hard, realistic and detailed look at your budget. That may make the decision for you. If your budget can handle either job, then take the one your gut is leaning toward.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Why not take the day shift clinic job with the short commute then look for a prn job in ICU and work periodically to make up the budget shortfall?

Weekend nights where I work pay around $45/hr. Once or twice a month of some per diem work will keep your ICU skills up to date while bring in extra money.