The right car

Published

Hey my fellow RNs!

I am have been offered a job as a hospice nurse. I'm very grateful and very excited to start. However, I figure I'll have to get a new car. Right now I drive a 98 Subaru Outback that's in pretty good condition but I understand with the constant driving I'm going to have to upgrade.

Question: Do you guys recommend buying or leasing your car?

Specializes in Hospice, OB, Telemetry.
To echo previous posters...do not lease a car if you plan to stay in home health of any kind. You will eat up money with overages in mileage.

Remember that home health or hospice nursing requires us to be professional drivers as well as professional nurses. We often spend as much or more time driving, or in our vehicles than we spend with patients. Our risk is often greater than most other professional drivers because we have other health professionals calling us on our phones while we are driving and asking us very important and detailed questions. Too many of our peers are put in the position of driving in traffic, talking on the phone, and looking at notes on a paper or laptop all at the same time. I know of a nurse who rolled her car on I94 outside of Ann Arbor last year working while driving. I got tied up with a young woman with road rage a couple years ago...totalled my car when she ran me off the highway into the overpass. Hit the median just last week when the open truck in front of me ejected its load onto the middle lane of I75 just south of Detroit. It is dangerous business. My recommendation is to get yourself into a nice but not new car with reasonable gas mileage that is safe. I (especially after the overpass incident) am not an advocate of compact cars for professional drivers. There are too many big trucks and SUVs out there. I prefer a car that is big enuf to take a hit and has the power to accelerate away from a tangle.

You have helped meso much with this post!

I live in the Detroit area as well. So I was thinking if I did get another car, what kind would I get? It definitely has to be able to deal with the Michigan winter and handle well in snow, sleet and rain. At first I was thinking a compact car like a Civic, Focus, or G6, then I heard from someone that the Civic and other compacts don't handle too well in the rain and snow. So I was thinking about another Subaru or perhaps a Jeep Liberty. I might get a pre-owned car to cut down on cost if I end up having to sell it in 2-3 years anyway.

All of you guys have been so helpful. Thanks!

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

Do your homework to be the best informed but you are all ready driving one of the highest ranked vehicles for safety, especially in inclement weather. Not only that but used Subaru's are ranked as one of the best used cars to buy. Subies don't get much love by the press due to their unusual looks but people who know and rank cars consistently give them top marks.

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

I love Subarus. My first 2 new cars were subies. I think they ought to get better gas mileage, but I like the way they look, handle, go in the snow, etc.

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Specializes in ER, OR, PACU, TELE, CATH LAB, OPEN HEART.

Bought my FIRST Subaru in 1977 6 month out of college. Haven't bought another brand since. Just have upgraded models a few times.

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