cross-posted from: https://ani.social/post/4445760
I’m a nurse working shifts and sometimes 5 days without a pause and I still don’t know if I’m gonna take one of the 2 9 to 5 jobs my hospital system has offered. I’d earn less money, but I’m already 45 years old and I don’t know if I should call it quits and settle for a regular job 5 days a week and free weekends for the rest of my working life. Hustling in nursing is ok if you are in your 20s or 30s but in my 40s? I don’t see it.
I like the extras I get for working shifts but it’s taxing. I’ve been doing nursing for 6 years already and neither do I know how difficult is the transition going to be.
Couple of points: Nurses get put upon. Will you leave on the dot at 1700? There are nursing jobs where you hand off to the next person on duty ie staff nurse, so when you go home you don’t have to worry about anything, but most of the 9-5 jobs the job has defined responsibilities. Even if one is off the clock there are still thoughts running around inside your head. It takes a bit of skill to be able to put them aside every day.
It’s really hard to fit everything you need to do at the weekend on a 9-5 compared to the flexibility of shifts. You have to be rigorous in terms of doing personal work in the evening after the job has finished.
Tbh have to look at career progression as well. Its not a straightforward choice.