I have had some major professional slams to the face over the last year. I was a charge nurse for 5 yrs and my manager was trying to fire a good nurse who used to also be a manager, and several of us stood up for this nurse and to make a long long story way short, we all got put on final write ups for the stupidest things, none of ever having been written up before. We went to HR and they did nothing. Most of the floor (80%) turned over. I resigned with notice.
A few months later I got rehired at the same hospital to surgery. I HATED SURGERY! I would go home in tears from the nastiness of the other nurses and some of the Dr's. It just wasn't for me. I worked there less than a year. So here I am again and very very gun shy.
I have worked for 16 yrs full time, I'm nearly 50 yrs old and I'm just flat out gun shy about getting into something new. I suddenly went from feeling like i was everyones mentor and (genuinly) everyone loved working with me (before we were stabbed in the back) but wow surgery nurses in that unit must have took a MEAN GIRL class in college. I'm way to old to be dealing with people who run to the manager because you sneezed.
So I have been applying for jobs, but I just can't find much out there. I was offered a dream job of telephone triage, 30 hours per week, 7-8 hour shifts 4 days in a row. Benifits, pto etc. They send you to another state all expenses paid while they train you, give you the computers, set up your faxes and phones etc. NO out of pocket.
Sounds great huh? No traffic? Wake up at 12:55pm to be at work at 1pm! Shower during your lunch break, start dinner on your 15 min break..when you get off work you simply walk out the office door and your home. Bunny slippers and flannel jammies are your dress codes.
Thing is, I was making 38.02 per hour with 5.00 shift diff for working nights (and 3.00 if i was in charge) IF i was called in on call I would make over 60.00 per hour. NOw this is with lots of years under my belt. This new job pays 24.00 per hour with some sort of incentive bonus plan after 6 months. Benifits are more because part time, but hubby can carry my insurance.
With my old pay and night diff (this is not nights but would be more like second shift) this job is about 40% paycut (tho less hours x6) I keep trying to weigh the good with the bad. Pay is the primary disadvantage. That and I'm terrified I'll lose my skills. However getting a PRN job when you cant work 4 days per week (set schedule) is hard. Most PRN jobs need you available to fill in empty slots.
Again I'm almost 50, have swollen ankles and legs, high blood pressure and am prone (lately) to some anxiety issues (nothing i need meds for just stress) The traffic in Baltimore is AWFUL so I will also gain 6 hours of my life back not being in traffic 3 days per week...plus gasoline. (20 mile drive takes btw 45 and 60 minutes each way). No more committee meetings at 2pm, no more bosses breathing down your neck, no more angry patients throwing urinals at me, or thier adult children grilling me. I think i'm just burned out.
If i take this job do you consider it lowering myself? Will I ever be employable to a hospital again. I'm ADN and so many hospitals are pressuring me to go back for my BSN and I'm sorry but with a son about to enter college and the fact my prereqs would take me 18 months, I just can't fathom going back to school for 3-4 more years! For what??? To do the same job I've been doing for 16 years!?
Things would be very tight...and I'm scared if i make this decision, I can't ever go back on it. I know most employers look at what you have done the last 2 years of your career.
