Who works 40 hours??

I do. I've always worked FT but my current job is clinic, M-F.

The worst part is needing to do things that can only be done during office hours - doctor/dentist appointments, license tags, things like that. It has to be planned way in advance and then you have to take time off from work.

I've worked both more and less in my FT HH job, it's as doable as any FT job if not more because of the flex time. Often a few of those hours are sitting in my car making calls and charting waiting for my son's football practice to be over. And then there are a few more hours finishing paperwork while dinner is roasting but I'm home with the kids, who don't need a lot of undivided attention in their teens.

When I first went back to work as a SAHM I was very anxious about it. I literally went back one day a week for the first month, then two times a week and so on until I built up to 4 which I did for a year. After that I transitioned into a full 5. I was stressed about it, it was a long ways to go from being there for my kids for everything.

But with HH, as much as many cannot stand for it to spread into at home time, it was the best thing for us since I did have to work. I went back to work when my youngest was in 5th grade, I didn't have to miss any games or appts, and he had a parent at home after school.

As always Libby thank you! By the way what is ?aSAHM

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses

Wendy

Of course Calliotter

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses

Wendy

SAHM = Stay At Home Mom.

Time to myself? Not at first really. It was a big transition to both FT and just work in general for me. I hadn't worked in patient care in years and it took extra time and energy to get comfortable again. That was relatively temporary, as the kids grew older and I grew more efficient in my work* I've been able to carve quite a bit of time for myself.

*I'm not hourly so my work is done when I finished it, that works out both ways, sometimes done early sometimes late.

I've said it before and I'll say it again- I have far more of a life now working 40 hrs/week than I did when I worked in the hospital working 36 hrs. For example, tomorrow I will go to trivia in the evening after work. Friday I went to a professional basketball game in the evening after work. On Tuesday, I will play in a weekly floor hockey game. I could have done none of this when I worked in the hospital. Never would have been home from work in time to go out and meet friends for trivia, go to a professional sports game or play in an adult rec league after working a 12 hr shift. I was lucky to get home by 9P on work days. Sure, there were the 2 random week days that I had off but my schedule was so unpredictable that I would have never been able to sign up for something that happened on the same day every week. If I had told my work, "I need every Tuesday off because I am playing in a floor hockey league" their response would have been "you will work when we need you to work."

I honestly don't find the doctor's/dentist appointment things that annoying. I just schedule either the first or last appointment of the day.

Does any mom REALLY have time to herself??? :)

Home health provides good work/life balance. There isn't another nursing job that I can plan a break in my day to go see a classroom play in the middle of the day, or where I can choose to start early or late, move patient's to a different day so I can have a short day when my kids are off of school.

No job is perfect, but home health is pretty close to it for me. If you manage your time well and maintain appropriate boundaries with patients is great.

I'm not working full time, but I agree that there is great flexibility. If I need to stop at the post office, or grocery store I plan a break when I know I will be that way. When my daughter had a lunch with parents day I planned my day so I could take my lunch break with her. I work hours that get me home to catch the bus, and when I'm having a rough day it simply means I might spend another hour or two charting, but I'm home and I don't need to worry about child care, or rushing to finish up and get home. It's perfect for me.