Why would you give this up??

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Hello everyone! I was trying to give my friend some insight on reasons not to leave school nursing for her first bedside nursing job. She is not a part of this wonderful community so I will have to show her your responses.

She says she loves school nursing (4 yrs), but says this is an opportunity too good to pass up. I told her consider her age (44 yrs, not old just being realistic) and how hard bedside nursing is on the body, plus it is a night shift.

What are your thoughts??? :specs:

Thank you in advance!!

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Leave school nursing, with all the time off associated with that, to start some daily grind on some hospital floor, nights, weekends, holidays, struggling to get coverage so you can take one or two weeks away from work, chronic personnel issues, nurses calling off for shifts that you get to take up the slack for, hospital administration (that you never see) pulling the puppet strings for new and ridiculous programs to "improve" nursing care, "team building" activities while your benefits are gradually chipped away, in-services only offered during the daytime, just to name a few "perks." Gee, I don't see how one could pass that up.

Maybe I'd consider something like that if my application for semen extractor on a turkey farm doesn't go through.

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

Could you elaborate as to why she feels a bedside nursing job, night shift, at age 44 is "too good to pass up"? What is she looking to gain? Does she have goals of furthering her education? I am 45, and would only take that option if I have no other choice, so just curious.

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Has she ever done night shift before? Does she understand what she is getting into?

As someone who worked nights for almost 25 years, I saw a LOT of people come and go who were initially excited about it. (Especially the pay.) But a lot don't last at the job. With good reason. It can be a real challenge.

Is this financially motivated? That would be the only reason i would leave my current school nurse job. I make less than the support staff.

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Could you elaborate as to why she feels a bedside nursing job, night shift, at age 44 is "too good to pass up"? What is she looking to gain? Does she have goals of furthering her education? I am 45, and would only take that option if I have no other choice, so just curious.

Pretty much this. Why does she think it's a good opportunity? What does she hope to gain?

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Has she ever done night shift before? Does she understand what she is getting into?

As someone who worked nights for almost 25 years, I saw a LOT of people come and go who were initially excited about it. (Especially the pay.) But a lot don't last at the job. With good reason. It can be a real challenge.

Is this financially motivated? That would be the only reason i would leave my current school nurse job. I make less than the support staff.

No, she has never worked night shift. All she has known is school nursing. Yes, the pay, I suspect is the real motivation (since she is single).

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Maybe I'd consider something like that if my application for semen extractor on a turkey farm doesn't go through.

T-shirt?

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Leave school nursing, with all the time off associated with that, to start some daily grind on some hospital floor, nights, weekends, holidays, struggling to get coverage so you can take one or two weeks away from work, chronic personnel issues, nurses calling off for shifts that you get to take up the slack for, hospital administration (that you never see) pulling the puppet strings for new and ridiculous programs to "improve" nursing care, "team building" activities while your benefits are gradually chipped away, in-services only offered during the daytime, just to name a few "perks." Gee, I don't see how one could pass that up.

Maybe I'd consider something like that if my application for semen extractor on a turkey farm doesn't go through.

EXACTLY my thought !!!!!! Yes the money is fantastic, but money is not everything. I would rather make less money & be happy then make a lot of money & be unhappy. She did mention she is somewhat bored. I think she is crazy, but who am I.

I enjoy your sense a humor!!! :roflmao:

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
No, she has never worked night shift. All she has known is school nursing. Yes, the pay, I suspect is the real motivation (since she is single).

Oh my, that'd be a bad decision. Money is only a short term motivator - at best. There are plenty of prn/pool jobs out there if she wants to supplement her income.

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Could you elaborate as to why she feels a bedside nursing job, night shift, at age 44 is "too good to pass up"? What is she looking to gain? Does she have goals of furthering her education? I am 45, and would only take that option if I have no other choice, so just curious.

As far as I know she is considering her MSN, but can't afford it. I think being single and needing the money is the real motivation, she is just not admitting to it.

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No, she has never worked night shift. All she has known is school nursing. Yes, the pay, I suspect is the real motivation (since she is single).

I have slowly, slowly, kept taking pay cuts since I started nursing (full time med/surg day shift, to public health, to school nursing). So, I'll admit, money is not my main motivator, but I understand why it could be for some people!

Can she shadow someone at the new potential job for some overnight hours? I would have to be dire straits before I left school nursing for something I didn't know I loved for all the reasons OldDude said. In fact, just point her to OldDude's post!

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I wouldn't give this up. I am doing everything I can to keep it. Right now I need to work two jobs to make it work. But I'm just about done with my BSN and then I can become certified as a school nurse and that will bring me to a living wage (with one job).

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