Working: Which job would be best suitable?

[klance]

I'm a second semester first year student. Just recently I started a job (2 weeks ago) at a hospital working as a CNA in ICU. I have committed my Friday and Saturday nights to this job working 6:30pm to 6:30am. However, a representative from another hospital spoke with my class this morning about a new position they have for CNAs that allows you to make your own schedule to accomadate your own hours. For instance, if I can work 2pm to 9pm on Tuesday then that would be my shift. They are open to all hours and shifts to accomidate my schedule. This is great because we all know how demanding nursing school is! I just wish I would have known about it a month ago before taking this new job. But here is the catch, my job now is in the ICU which is where I want to be when I graduate. The other position is a float pool position and it is not certain where I would be from one day to the next. Should I keep the one I have now or should I go with the one that is going to be best for my schedule?

[mindofmidwifery, ADN]

I would love what you have now. I work in the float pool now and yes I make my own hours but I hate working in the float pool. It would be amazing to have a home unit in the ICU, imo. In my float pool position, I am primarily a sitter with suicidal and confused patients. When I am assigned to be a PCA, I am usually given the worst patient loads (which can be pretty bad working on a med-surg unit). I've even been assigned once to be the only PCA on a 30 bed unit. Additionally, it can feel isolating working and not having any familiar coworkers.

I work every weekend anyways because of school so yeah, I'd keep the ICU position.

[klance]

10 minutes ago, mindofmidwifery said:

I would love what you have now. I work in the float pool now and yes I make my own hours but I hate working in the float pool. It would be amazing to have a home unit in the ICU, imo. In my float pool position, I am primarily a sitter with suicidal and confused patients. When I am assigned to be a PCA, I am usually given the worst patient loads (which can be pretty bad working on a med-surg unit). I've even been assigned once to be the only PCA on a 30 bed unit. Additionally, it can feel isolating working and not having any familiar coworkers.

I work every weekend anyways because of school so yeah, I'd keep the ICU position.

Thank you for this insight!!

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

I worked full-time as an ER Tech. It was 36 hours/week. It was only doable because we made our own hours (with a few limitations) and almost all of us were nursing students so we'd help each other out and swap among ourselves.

Set Fridays and Saturdays would be doable, but I'd carefully consider the fact that you'll never get to go out with friends.