Torn between jobs

Nurses General Nursing

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Not sure if this is the correct forum to place this question but I have a dilemma that I need advice from you all.

I'm currently a stay at home working mom as a medical transcriptionist who is on my local community college's nursing wait list. I've been offered a unit secretary position at a hospital which is the 3-11:30 shift and I am torn as to what to do. My heart tells me to stay at home with the kids but everyone I have talked to has said that the experience as a US would be great for when I finally get into nursing school. The hospital job also offers better health insurance than what my husband gets and better benefits than I get as a home based MT (no benefits, independent contractor) If I take the job I will only see my family for an hour in the morning and on weekends. Should I listen to my heart and stay put or do what might be better for the future and our pocketbook with regard to a more stable job and better benefits than I currently have? Has anyone been in this situation where they had kids at home and worked the 3-11:30 shift?

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated!!

Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.
It's a tough call. That time though, in the late afternoon until bedtime, is a special time with kids. Even though I'm generalizing and being chauvanistic...the kids don't have the same homey feeling in the house if Mom isn't there. The experience would help you a great deal in school. But is it worth it. As someone already said, when you start school you're not going to see your kids very much. During that time, even when you're home, you're constantly reading and studying and thinking about school. I went back to nursing school when my kids were in elementary school and while I love nursing, I wish now that I wouldn't have lost so much time away from them. I'll always remember a nurse telling me that if she had one thing to do over again, she wouldn't have taken the 3-11 shift and left her husband home to watch the kids. She said they didn't feel like a family and I know her kids didn't turn out as she wished. (So have I completely alienated all the Dads and 3-11 shifters out there???) Good luck with this decision!

Thank goodness there are nurses who work 3-11. This post is kind of sexist. No, not kind of, it is sexist.

Stay at home with your kids. Being a mother is a THE MOST important job and many mothers do not get the respect they deserve.

HI,

Although i do not have kids i have worked 3-11p.m shift. It can be very tiring you get home and can;t sleep right away, and may sometimes wake up later during the day.

I can suggest a family meeting to talk it out with your husband and kids (if they are old enough to understand), this way everyone can participate in the decision making process.

When you do eventually get into nursing school that too is going to require a lot of hard work, it is almost like having another full time job. Then you would have to juggle the 3-11 shifts and classes and clinical rotations. I say this FYI.

Good luck and i know you will make the right decision.

I took your advice and we had a family meeting and it turned out that my husband says yes take it for financial reasons, my older son says take it, my two younger ones say don't take it. So I'm back to the drawing board again. I just don't know what I will do. Thanks for taking the time to offer me the advice.

Good for you for having a family mtg. I think it's important to follow your heart. That said, does your husband support you NOT doing the job? I guess to me it sounds like in your heart you don't want to be away from the kids during that time, but it's also important that your husband be on the same page as you... In whatever you decide, it's important that ultimately you're at peace with your decision.

Good for you for having a family mtg. I think it's important to follow your heart. That said, does your husband support you NOT doing the job? I guess to me it sounds like in your heart you don't want to be away from the kids during that time, but it's also important that your husband be on the same page as you... In whatever you decide, it's important that ultimately you're at peace with your decision.

My husband thankfully :) supports whatever decision I make although he has told me that he thinks I would be making a mistake by not taking the job based on the fact of how much work I currently do at home and if I did take the job he feels that I would have more time with the kids when they are off from school and on weekends because I wouldn't be focused on finishing up my work that has to get done that day and I would be able to focus on the kids without worrying about getting my work done. I will go do my 8 hours and then I am done. I can leave work at work whereas working at home my work is always here. I can see his point. I've been working at home for 10 years and my work has always been here. But he has also said that whatever I decide is fine and we will figure out if some adjustments need to be made in order to make ends meet.

Specializes in LTC,HOSPITAL,HOME CARE,TRAVELING.

Stay at home.I woulda killed to be able to stay home and still would.Mine are 13 and 16 and I feel they need me more now than ever.My daughter dealing with the boys and high school stuff adn my son about to start the high school stuff.I miss not being there for a lot of stuff they now rely on dad because he has been a stay home dad.They get sick they want dad even at the ages they are now.She has a prob she goes to dad (yes I am jealous of their realtionship but thankful at the same time) It goes by so fast I say stay home as long as you can ,school will be taxing enough on not seeing the family and trying to work too.

Specializes in OR.

I worked as a MT while in nursing school. I think it benefitted me greatly in nursing school. I had a headstart on pharmacology and medical terminology. I would continue to work as a transcriptionist while in school. There is more flexibility with your work schedule. You will be able to see your kids more and have more time with them during school breaks too. just my thoughts.

p.s. which school in Colorado are you waiting to get in to?

Specializes in Geriatric, Rehab, and Pulmonary.

My wife is an MT at home. I am a Respiratory therapist/Pulmonary Function Technologist in RN school. Stay at home and keep your MT job. Concentrate on studying and enjoy your kids. Just my opinion. Hope this helps!

I worked as a MT while in nursing school. I think it benefitted me greatly in nursing school. I had a headstart on pharmacology and medical terminology. I would continue to work as a transcriptionist while in school. There is more flexibility with your work schedule. You will be able to see your kids more and have more time with them during school breaks too. just my thoughts.

p.s. which school in Colorado are you waiting to get in to?

I'm waiting to get into Arapahoe Community College, most likely a three year wait.

My wife is an MT at home. I am a Respiratory therapist/Pulmonary Function Technologist in RN school. Stay at home and keep your MT job. Concentrate on studying and enjoy your kids. Just my opinion. Hope this helps!

Thanks for the advice. I really appreciate everyone's advice. I didn't think I would get so much objective advice to consider.

Specializes in Geriatrics/Family Practice.

Studentnurse3

Stay home as long as you can, because once you start nursing school you'll hardly ever see your family. I have known quite a few nurses including high school graduates who have never worked in a healthcare environment and passed their nursing boards just fine. I only did the LPN program and going part time then full time took a toll on my family. One day when my children get a little older I'll think of bridging to the RN program, but as of now I'm enjoying working part time and seeing my family.

I think you should go with your heart. Doesn't matter what age or experience, go with your heart. I think if you take it against what you know you want, you ultimately won't keep it and then you will have made a mistake. You can gain experience in the future. only my opinion. But I always find that if I make a decision and know in my heart I shouldn't do it, it always comes back to bite me in the rear.

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