To take the job or not?

[LilRedRN1973]

I'm currently a Nursing Supervisor in a prison infirmary. I work NOCS, 6p to 6a and while I enjoy working nights, I hate that I work both weekend nights when my husband's days off are Friday and Saturday. We also have children so it affects them as well. But I do enjoy having Mon through Wed off because it allows me to walk my son to school, have time to myself during the day and then be there for him in the afternoon. I also enjoy the $3600/year shift differential of NOCS. Being a supervisor at night, I really don't do much more than the regular RN's. Not a lot of paperwork or dealing with the "suits".

The dayshift supervisor put in for her retirement and will be leaving. I've been offered her position. She has a variable shift, meaning she can work four 10's or five 8's with a variety of hours (she currently works 7-5, 4 days a week but I would be able to work 9-5, 5 days a week or any combo like that). There is a LOT more responsibility with her job than there is mine, even though we are classified the same and make the same amount of money. I would like to eventually promote to DON in this facility and realistically, I could not go from the NOC supervisor to the DON position because I just wouldn't have enough experience dealing with all the responsibility. Also, the dayshift would provide me with the same days off as my husband and if I did work 9-5, I could still walk my son to school. I would lose the time to myself and it would be a little more difficult to fit things like my marathon training in but at the same time, I would have weekends off for all my races instead of having to use annual and try to find coverage (staffing sucks for NOCS, for the most part).

I am very torn with this, especially since I am still on probation and can be fired for any reason at any time. After I make my year in July, it will take an act of God to get rid of me....lol. I do not want to lose this job as it pays extremely well (around $90k a year) and there is opportunity to advance up to DON II eventually. I almost feel like I should tell my current DON that I just want to stay on nights but I also think part of it is my fear of change. I'm "comfy" in this current position. Help!

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

if your goal is to be DON this maybe your only chance for the day position. Time with your husband is priceless.