Am I being short sighted? Advice on employment needed

Nurses Career Support

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I currently work a M-F, no weekends/holidays/nights/call job. 8-8:30-4-4:30, boss in at another location so I don't seem him often but he is still very easy to get along with, does not micromanage. I like the company overall. The salary is excellent. Job is about 30-35 min from where I live. If I need to run an errand or go to the doctor during the day it's no big deal to my boss. His attitude is as long as I'm doing my job, I'm adult and he is good with that. But..the job itself extremely boring with no end to that in sight. The 8 hours drag. This is a specialized area of nursing and a relatively new venture for the company. It has not been the success the company thought it would be and I am not sure of the future of the department which means I'm not sure about having a job a year from now. It's a large company so I do know that if they were to dissolve this area they would most likely allow me to apply for other positions. When I started 10 months ago I thought this position would be a "dream" with no direct patient care but still being able to help people without all the stress of 12+ hour shifts. I knew it would take some time for the new venture to gain traction but it is just not happening and I don't think it will ever be what the company envisioned. I work alone where I'm at and unless I happen to run into other people in the building, I see/talk to no one for the 8 hours most days.

I have an opportunity to return to a hospital setting, in a unit that would be interesting/busy. It's part time, 2 12 hour shifts/week that would be the same days every week (one day during the week and one weekend day). There is 8 hours of mandatory call every 28 days and the holiday rotations which are only 2 a year (one major/one minor) work requirement. The draw back is the hospital is an hour to a little over an hour one way from where I live. I would also make 20-25K/yr. less than I am making now but would have 5 days off versus 2. I am fortunate I do not have to take benefits into consideration. I would have to get up at 4 a.m. on the days I work, be out of my house by 5-5:15 a.m. and not get home until 8-8:30.

For the time off during the week and to alleviate the boredom I am considering the hospital position..the lack of anything to do some days at my current job is becoming it's own source of stress for me as I am not one to sit idle. I have offered/asked for more to do but in reality there is nothing. I am also thinking I may be so anxious to get out of the boredom that I am being too hasty about the hospital position and should just continue to look for something closer to where I live as even at 2 days a week those would be some long ___ days. Any thoughts/advice is appreciated as I am genuinely torn on the decision..

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If it were me, I would endure the current job until I found something more appropriate to your needs that is closer to home. Long commutes wear down the driver as well as the car driven. At some point you might start to resent the extra travel time and other details about living so far from the job. But also if it were me, I would stick out the present job until closer to your perceived "fail" date, just because, despite boredom, the details of that job sound so much better than what I've ever had before. But that is me.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Yes, you are being too hasty. Stick with it. Most new ventures need 2-5 years to develop.

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.

Are you allowed to study online while at work? The pay is good, so you could afford the online classes.

If you could do much of that at work ... wow!

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Specializes in Pedi.

I think you are being short sighted in that your only options are not current job vs this part time hospital gig with the long commute. Personally, I am not willing to give up M-F to go back to the hospital's 24 hr schedule. I'd stick it out until I found something better all around.

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I think try to stick it out longer while you look for a better position. But since your not very busy maybe you can do online classes? Or possibly even start a business on the side?

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I like others agree that the commute would be awful, and what an awesome advantage if u decided to up your credentials í ½í¸€

On a side note... Do they have openings? Sounds fabulous!

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Thanks all for the feedback..I have my BSN and a Masters Degree which is how, frankly, I was able to "land" this position. I am just not one who likes to sit w/little or nothing to do and though the salary is very good, money is important but for me personally so is being busy/making a difference/paying it forward in a sense..this position does not allow for that which is disappointing and eye opening. I am hoping to find something that, even at the risk of less income, allows me to put my education AND skills to use.

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Specializes in NICU.

Do they have any openings????One hour commutes become tedious overtime,wait it out in your current job,if you can not sit still speak with a therapist,meditate,write a novel.

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Specializes in Adult Primary Care.

Time to take classes!!!!

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I am also looking for employment in that I just returned to my career after a 10 yr absence. I am an ADN but I only lack 5 classes I can get in an accelerated program. But, I need employment of some type for it. If I were you, I would appreciate what I have and I would stick it out!! You are making decisions from pure boredom. I would try talking to my superiors about how you could improve the job you are in to help create something you can do to advance the position. Taking another job at this time would be crazy. I would give anything to be in your position. I absolutely love my career. I want to work very badly and I also must work because I was discarded by my husband eight months ago. I am now looking into home health just to be a nurse again. I was a med/tele nurse and I did some PCU nursing. No one wants an ADN anymore in these areas even though I took pre-med and did autopsies in another career. What is important to the facilities I have applied to is that I do not have BSN after my name. I will succeed at getting employed at some kind of nursing and I will get the BSN!! I just must look at my options and keep moving and looking at what I am qualified for presently. You just need to look at the big overall picture! Try starting a good needle work hobby to do at work. I love to do counted cross stitching! Idle hands means idle mind. Find some way to busy your mind. Do classes in another degree online. Try psychology. That would help greatly in learning about people's behaviors. I also have a BA and I enjoy reading historical articles to busy my mind and I continually read continuing education articles just to learn even after I have all the hours I need. I enjoy expanding my knowledge in many subjects.

So, there is your food for thought. I wish you the best. But, don't leave the job you have now because you are bored.

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