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!!

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.

If you have never been in acute care setting in the hospital before, the hospitals around here won't hire you. She will be a new graduate nurse, even though she has been a nurse for 4 years. That is one of the only positives I can see & the medical/dental benefits.

TRS is horribly expensive (the insurance offered in her school district & mostly here in North Texas!!!

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In fact, just point her to OldDude's post! (DEgalRN)

Yes, that will be the first post she sees!! I'm hoping coming from someone else she will see a different perspective.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
If you have never been in acute care setting in the hospital before, the hospitals around here won't hire you. She will be a new graduate nurse, even though she has been a nurse for 4 years. That is one of the only positives I can see & the medical/dental benefits.

TRS is horribly expensive (the insurance offered in her school district & mostly here in North Texas!!!

Yea, that's true. maybe she could try home health, around here they are always looking for someone, prn for weekends. TRS insurance is definitely higher than a cat's back and she would be able to get it cheaper through a hospital but that "benny" would fade away soon, along with her "raise" while the drudgery and toil of night shifts on a floor would go on and on and on.

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

Having financial issues is tough. I make much less than I did at the hospital, and I won't lie, it sucks. But the stress of money is far less than the stress I had working at the hospital. I stayed there PRN to supplement my income--but for some odd reason I never want to pick up extra. Hmm...wonder why. The hospital setting is great for some, and not for others. I literally (hate that word, but literally) have next to no stress on the job. I am not saying that is how it is in every school nurse job though.

She really needs to weigh her pros and cons. If she goes to the hospital and doesn't like it, will the school nursing job be something that she could easily get back into? In my district its a dream job that EVERYONE wants, so if you leave it, you likely wont be welcomed back.

Also, are there not other options for paying for her MSN? Scholarships? Working PRN at the hospital as supplemental income?

If I were her I would maybe try getting on PRN at the hospital and work nights over the summer, to see if she likes it enough to do it full time.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

The pay is usually the big motivator. But lest ye forget that the hospital has typically a less predictable schedule (especially if it's bedside) but also politics all it's own that would make some run for the hills. Understaffing, favortism on assignments, floating to undesireable assignments... all part of the groove there. I have a friend on nights at the hospital where i used to ADN - she only gets her schedule 2 weeks at a time. I suppose that's the norm in a lot of places, but it would drive me mad with trying to plan my life. She told me that they also switched them from having to do q 3rd weekend to suddenly now q other weekend. just in time for summer. Lovely.

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if money is an issue, it is good to get the most $ you can, but night shift is not for everyone.

As Old Dude mentioned, agencies pay well.

I have friends who work in insurance (case manager) and make a LOT of $$. But they often require recent hospital/clinical experience.

Even some office jobs have decent pay. I interviewed for a job in a pulmonary practice that paid significantly more than this.

Sometimes I do miss night shift, but I do not miss the exhaustion.

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Specializes in Occ. Hlth, Education, ICU, Med-Surg.

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

DANG IT!! They said I was the only applicant! Can't trust anyone these days....:sneaky:

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I miss the floors and I am considering going back. I would need a refresher with 20 plus years under my belt.

School nursing ain't for everyone.

That being said, I don't know if I could start on the floors now if I had never worked there before.

As far as age goes. No. My body has aged with SN. Much less movement.

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.

We need private duty home health nurses in the summer. Especially in the summer! Why not add that to school nursing? My agencies would LOVE someone to work summers. I work mostly nights ...

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Specializes in med-surg, IMC, school nursing, NICU.
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.

Girl. Preach.

There has to be a drawback to every job. The pay is that drawback for me. I've been really feeling it lately, it's nice to see that I'm not the only one.

That being said, OP, I can't agree with your friend's decision. Bedside nursing is no joke and it's only getting worse.

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Specializes in clinic, ortho/neuro, trauma, college.

I took a pay cut to take my current college health position. BUT I AM SO MUCH HAPPIER. Sorry for shouting, but truly how much happier I am makes shouting necessary. I left an acute care bedside position for this one. I worked night shift, and am in my early 40s. It was hell on me. I am a healthy person, but started to develop health issues from the total lack of sleep. I slept horribly during the day, sometimes only as much as two hours, and would have to go back in for another shift. The shift differential made my check a lot bigger than my current one, but we can take the pay cut. I may look for something per diem in home care. The thought of working another night shift gives me a panic attack. Acutally, the thought of working bedisde gives me a panic attack. I am a hard worker, but it was ALWAYS too much work, with too little help, and emails from management to all nursing staff on more to do and document each week. No kidding. It sucked. My .02.

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

DANG IT!! They said I was the only applicant! Can't trust anyone these days....:sneaky:

They told me you applied for the semen inseminator position.

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