Working five 12hr shifts a week

allnurses Guide · Nov 14, 2006

i would not ask that of a loved one

He is offering . . . she asked us if it was insane. It was his idea and the op is trying to get some advice.

steph

johnnrachel · Nov 14, 2006

Just a thought to let you know it is not uncommon for prn or per diem staff to be called off, they are the first floated and the first called off. Just thought I would let you know you would need to consider this with regard to finances, and it is very, very hard to get the 5 shifts in a row, would probably include a lot of weekends. Just something to consider....

still think you could be a GREAT mom and work part time to help the hubby.

PMFB-RN, RN · Nov 14, 2006

Again - advice is fine and personal experiences are good but to make personal comments about the op's motives is not. Even if she did ask the question, she still deserves to be treated respectfully.
steph

*** Most of your message was to me. I hope the above part was not. I have only offered my personal experience and never made personal comments about the OP.

allnurses Guide · Nov 14, 2006

*** Most of your message was to me. I hope the above part was not. I have only offered my personal experience and never made personal comments about the OP.

No! I love your posts! :bowingpur :yeah:

steph

lisamc1RN, LPN · Nov 14, 2006

Aggie, my husband worked 60 hours or more for years so that I could stay home with the children. We were a team in the decision and it worked for us. Now that I'm a nurse, we are still a team. My husband works and I work and our schedules go together so that one of us is always with our children. You can make it work. I would suggest though, that if you plan on waiting to have children for a couple of years, to figure out a good budget that may allow your husband to work a little less often if he finds that he's getting tired or burnt out. Check out some good 'living on a budget' and penny pincher sites and you will find a world of wonderful ideas on living on one income! Best of luck to you and your husband!

RazorbackRN, BSN, RN · Nov 14, 2006

I know this is going to sound totally insane, but I am determined to be a stay-at-home mom. In order to do this my husband would have to work the standard 3 12 hr shifts and then pick up 2 PRN 12 hr shifts, as well. Therefore, he would be working 5 12 hr shifts in a week (preferably in a row, nights). This seems like a lot to me, but he swears it will be no problem, as he has never had problems in the past with sleep or feeling tired. I'd love to hear any thoughts on this. Has anyone ever tried anything even remotely similar?

Have you thought of working weekends perhaps?? This way you could be at home all week with the child(ren) and give your husband a break. 60hrs/wk may be feasible, but it isn't healthy.

Always Smiling · Nov 14, 2006

Just a thought to let you know it is not uncommon for prn or per diem staff to be called off, they are the first floated and the first called off. Just thought I would let you know you would need to consider this with regard to finances, and it is very, very hard to get the 5 shifts in a row, would probably include a lot of weekends. Just something to consider....
still think you could be a GREAT mom and work part time to help the hubby.

Sadly, this is true. At my facility, the nurses take turns being called off their scheduled work days if census is low. On average, it happens a couple/few times a month, but it can really eat a hole in your pay check.

pacifica · Nov 14, 2006

*** My wife is a stay at home mom and I work 5 12s a week in the ICU to make that possible. It's no problem at all for me and actualy I work fewer hours now than I did in my old business (dairy farming) and fewer than when I was in the army. I would like to spend more time with my kids but for that to happen my wife would have to work nearly full time (she is not a nurse) and then the kids would be in day care much of the time.
I feel no ill-effects at all and as I said before I don't really even consider 60 hours to be a lot of hours to work in a week.
So I say no big deal.

Thank god, here's a helpful and constructive post from someone who actually works this schedule. I'm surprised to see so many critical posts immediately condemning the OP as "selfish" or claiming her husband will either 1. lose his license, 2. hit a tree on the way home, or 3. lose his mind.

pacifica · Nov 14, 2006

Please do not tell me I will be divorced. You do not know me or him nor do you know our values/beliefs on divorce. Like I said my husband is totally happy with this idea. No one is forcing or pressuring him to do anything. He is a grown man who can make his own decisions. I have thaked people for their advice several times and am considering ALL of it (both good and bad). I just do not like to be called names or harshly criticized - plain and simple. Most everyone has been very nice and helpful, with the exception a couple of exceptions. I never dreamed that some would be so rude.

I would just ignore some of the incredibly rude comments that have been posted here. How dare anyone speculate that you'll be divorced within a year when they know nothing about you and the strength of your marriage. What a completely uninformed pile of horse poo. I can't believe how judgemental and narrow-minded people can be. :angryfire

Princess74 · Nov 14, 2006

I think being a SAHM is wonderful if you can afford to do it. I also think that your husband working so much is a bad idea (even if he says he does not mind) I would never ask that much of the man I love. IMO that is to much to ask of anyone. The extra money that he makes will put him in a different tax bracket, the more you make the more they take.

Jay-Jay, RN · Nov 14, 2006

Although I am actually pretty young, I have seen all kinds of things in my line of work and graduate training in psychotherpy and am aware of the interconnectedness of these things you have mentioned. Some have made the point of what would I do if my husband became disabled or died. This could happen to any stay at home mom. That's what a good life insurance policy is for. Plus, I consider myself equipped and educated enough to find employment is that so happened. It really seems that this has turned into a stay-at-home mom vs. working mom arguement and that was not my intention. I know I started this topic, and I'm pretty sorry I did. People have been so rude and have made me feel rather bad (even though I shouldn't let strangers get to me). I think I have well over enough input and opinions now. Thank you.

Locking the thread, as suggested.