Working for competitors at the same time...bad?

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

Does it look bad to work at two competing hospitals-hospitals that are in direct competition with each other-at the same time? I am currently working at two hospitals at the same time. They know about it, but I still wonder...will this come back to bite me when I start applying after graduation?

Have you worked or are you working two different jobs at competing hospitals? What is your schedule like? Is this something that is frowned upon in the nursing world? If it means anything, I started off as a sitter at one hospital and tried to get a nurse's aid job for several months before applying for a casual nurse's aid job at a competing hospital. I got that job while still working as a sitter (I made more as a sitter than as a nurse's aid and the benefits at the original hospital were WAY better) and continued to applied for a nurse's aid job. So now here I am, with two jobs at two competitive companies. I hope this doesn't come back to bite me.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

Lot's of people work more than one job. As long as your schedule doesn't overlap, they won't care

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

No problem here lots of nurses do it. Be prudent though...do not call in sick at one employer to work for the other...do not bring over policies from one to share with the other unless it is online or has already been shared...never mix up policies,many are similar but do have differences..such as VAD flush policies and K+ replacement policies. Many patients I know use multiple facilities so do not share any medical information that you acquired about a patient that now may be in your care at the other employer unless of course, it is already available to you at that facility.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Look at your employee handbook and be sure it is not a "conflict of interest".

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I'm not sure why or how this would come back to "bite you". Many doctors are on staff/have admitting priviledges at multiple hospitals as well. I agree with iluvivt though... if you call in sick for one job because, say, you're offered an OT shift at job #2, that could come back to bite you... these hospitals are presumably close to one another... if Nurse Suzy sees you walking into hospital #2 in work clothes and then gets to work and finds out you called out sick, that's no good. Be responsible and you won't have an issue. I work 2 jobs (though in very different settings with no competition)... but also know many nurses who work for 2 homecare companies, 2 hospitals, etc.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

I was employed concurrently at two area hospitals for two years, finally cut back too one hospital last spring. Initially it was not a problem, and both were PRN positions. However after a while the first job started scheduling me days I didn't request and started doing set mandatory weekends. The last straw was when they wanted to beat around the bush about giving me my wedding day off. I am now much happier at my one job, but it could be done if you had two good employers, it could work.