Working mutiple RN jobs

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

[COLOR=#000000][/COLOR][COLOR=#000000]I currently work full time as a PHN. My role is mainly towork as a nurse consultant and coordinator. Love my job! 7-5, weekends off,every other Friday off. Very flexible...come in late, leave late.

So I got a job offer as a part time psych RN three nights a week night shift11p- 7a. The nurse manager told me, it would be mostly chart auditing and themajority of the patients would be sleeping, if someone needs meds/attention, Iwould obviously follow protocol/MD orders. I flat out told her I have no psychRN experience , she said its fine and they train new grads often and I wouldget a 10 day orientation.

So, my question is what does it mean to audit charts and does it seem like agood deal?[/COLOR]

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

How are you going to work a night shift and then turn around and work your day job?

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Forensics, Addictions.
How are you going to work a night shift and then turn around and work your day job?

Besides the commute, working nights to days isn't all that difficult. Where I work, we do doubles like that frequently.

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Besides the commute, working nights to days isn't all that difficult. Where I work, we do doubles like that frequently.

But on a regular, permanent basis? Three times a week every week?

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Forensics, Addictions.

Are you comfortable with the idea of psych? Most of the time they are sleeping, but occasionally they need meds, restraints, or seclusion on nights. When I work nights on my psych unit, I usually check charts ( make sure orders are in order) for about 30 minutes, then spend the rest of the night observing the unit for any potential issues. 10 days is pretty standard for orientation.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
Besides the commute, working nights to days isn't all that difficult. Where I work, we do doubles like that frequently.

It is hard for some people. I stayed from 7a-11a once after a 11p-7a shift, and towards the end I was an incoherent mess. And I made a med error. And what about driving home after being awake for 18-20 hours? Leaving night job at 7:30 (right? You don't actually clock out at 7a, since there has to be overlap for report?...and then the drive to the day job) you will not arrive at your day job on time. So you will be working PAST 5p. So say you're actually there until 6p at least...that's 19 hours from start of shift 1 to end of shift 2. that leaves you five hours to drive home, shower, eat, sleep, drive to job 2 if you worked >1 consecutive day at the night job.

And then, are you going to be safe to share the road with other motorists? Granted I'm a road safety freak, but if there's any chance you'd be fatigued after working those kind of hours, I'd say you have no right to drive.

Does the psych facility ever consider mandatory overtime an acceptable staffing solution? If so, do you see that causing trouble at your PHN job?

If you need/want a 2nd job, I'd look for a per diem position so you can keep some control over your schedule. You could pick up weekend shifts, non-family heavy holidays (is it really any skin off your back to work Labor Day?) or other days the health dept is closed. Or you could even pick up 7p-11p princess shifts--take a dinner and shower break after day job, work your 2nd job, and sleep normal hours.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Thanks for all your responses. I would be working 3 nights between Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon. I was offered $31/hr +$1 diff nights and +$5 diff weekends.

Thanks for all your responses. I would be working 3 nights between Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon. I was offered $31/hr +$1 diff nights and +$5 diff weekends.

So there would not be a conflict between my other job Mon-Fri, very other friday off. Paid holidays.

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Thanks for all your responses. I would be working 3 nights between Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon. I was offered $31/hr +$1 diff nights and +$5 diff weekends.

Thanks for all your responses. I would be working 3 nights between Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon. I was offered $31/hr +$1 diff nights and +$5 diff weekends.

So there would not be a conflict between my other job Mon-Fri, very other friday off. Paid holidays.

Seems like working Sunday night, working all day Monday, working Monday night shift, and then working all day Tuesday (which sounds like a possible scenario based on what you've posted) might be considered a "conflict," but maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're saying.

Y'know, there's a good reason why people fought and died for the 40-hour work week a long time ago. :)

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I have worked two jobs with similar hours before without issue. I tend to be a person who needs little sleep so it worked out well for me. Not everyone can do this. Keep that in mind. Also NEVER risk your full time job for your part time one. Can you self schedule? If so I would try to do Fri, Sat, and Sun night.

Don't be fooled into thinking this is going to be an easy job all of the time. If you are the RN then you are the RN. You are new to psych so be warned that many psych patients have issues with insomnia, drugged or not.

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Working 11p to 7a then rushing to work at like 8a then staying late until 6 or 7p then going home sounds really exhausting and dangerous. I know some people do it, but they do it at their own risk. What if you get in an accident driving home because you are so tired?

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