Anonymous wrote:So you just started as an NP?

I have an MD. I was going to say work PT, but then I saw that you just finished your training. This is a tough time to work PT. Do you feel confident in your clinical decision making? It isn’t an easy job, and people are trusting you with their lives and the lives of their children.

OP here. I've been an NP for 1.5 years before I had my baby. I work in a wellness clinic where I see patients for various things like colds, flu, strep tests, etc. I worked in the medical filed as a tech while in nursing school and used my nursing degree while in school for NP. I feel confident with my ability, but I do think working will help me build up my career. I worry taking too much time off will make it hard for me to go back once he is in school.

I would work part time in a heartbeat if it were a possibility in my profession. Instead I was insanely bored as a SAHM and now am insanely stressed as a working mom (my husband is also an MD so I bear almost the entire burden at home).PT would be a perfect balance where I’d get to use my brain sometimes but also still feel like I have enough time with my kids that isn’t just the end of the day when everyone is exhausted and melting down.

So you just started as an NP?

I have an MD. I was going to say work PT, but then I saw that you just finished your training. This is a tough time to work PT. Do you feel confident in your clinical decision making? It isn’t an easy job, and people are trusting you with their lives and the lives of their children.

OP, I feel like you're my twin. I had a baby in September at 38, I'm an NP, and I my husband is an MD. I too struggled with the thought of going back to work and decided to go part-time. I work 3 days a week. I'm not sure of your financial situation, but I would go part-time if you can afford it. I feel it's the best of both worlds. I'm able to keep my career and stay at home. I'm an introvert too, but being at home has been great. I joined a breastfeeding support group and we do 1-2 activities a week. We have family watching him now, but we will be putting him in daycare at six months old. I think it's a happy medium for my career and being able to be with him.

I went back but quit after 4 months and am very happy (currently) as a SAHM to a 2.5 yr old and 3 month old. BUT...and this is big...my career was grueling with long hours, lots of travel, demanding clients and billable hours. It was not compatible with kids and very hard to have a flexible schedule short of going out on my own and freelancing. My mom was a nurse and now many of my working mom friends are nurses. I swear they have the best of both worlds. Yes, sacrifices are overnight shifts and long 12 hour shifts but they all seem to have maintained their career while still having tons of weekday time with their kids. Stay the course! Find a different job if you have to or go per diem but my understanding is that there is a nursing shortage in pretty much every area of the country so you shouldn’t have trouble finding something. I wish I went into nursing so my decision wasn’t all or nothing.

Find a new job and work part-time.

I would have loved to work part time! Do it.

Look for PT work somewhere else if your boss doesn’t go for it. You worked hard for your degree and it’s nice with our profession is that PT opportunities do exist.

I’m an MD and I work part time. I even just worked weekends while my children were in the baby stage and my H stayed home with them.
As a nurse practitioner you have many options, including hospital based work, a multitude of outpatient settings, etc.
I would start looking now, and you will find something.
I also agree w a PP who said that if your boss insists on full time you just say no.
It doesn’t sound like money right now is an issue, so use your network and find something that suits your schedule.
I won’t say I loved working weekends, but I loved being with my babies more than I disliked working weekends and it was only for a couple years.
Good luck

I would do p/t.

Anonymous wrote:Who cares if your boss wants you back full time? Explain that you’re part time, end of discussion. That said, it’s very hard to get quality childcare part time. You’d likely have to pay for full time care even if you’re only using it part time.

Where do you live? Would you feel socially isolated at home? Plenty of former lawyers and doctors in my SAHM circle in Bethesda. But this area is not normal...

OP here. I don’t live in DC or anywhere around here. A couple of friends are going back to work part-time, and I have met some new moms through classes. I don’t feel isolated but I’m an introvert. I do think I would miss going to work and I do feel like I’m throwing my career away.

I worked PT while my kids were little and loved it! The best (and worst) of both worlds. Don't be surprised by the worst - SAHMs look down at you for working, working moms look down at you because you only work PT... But it is all worth it!

Who cares if your boss wants you back full time? Explain that you’re part time, end of discussion. That said, it’s very hard to get quality childcare part time. You’d likely have to pay for full time care even if you’re only using it part time.

Where do you live? Would you feel socially isolated at home? Plenty of former lawyers and doctors in my SAHM circle in Bethesda. But this area is not normal...

I think the demand for medical practitioners is only going to grow over the next several years and you will not have trouble getting back into it, especially if you can find ways to keep up your skills in the intervening years, whether through training or short term jobs if you can find them.

I had my son ( Owen) in November. I am 38 ( almost 39) and the might be our only child. We are hoping to have second child, but that may not happen. I am a nurse practitioner and my husband is an MD. I am struggling with the idea of giving up my career and what is best for my child. I would love to be there for him full-time during these early years, but I worked very hard for my degree. I was a nanny for 10 years, worked as tech while getting my nursing degree ( at 35) and then became a nurse practitioner ( at 37). I put a ton of hard work and money into my career. I feel in some aspect I will be throwing it away. I worry that quitting my job for the first year will turn into me staying home until he goes to school, and then I will br trying to restart my career 4-5 years from now. We can support our family on my husbands salary, but I like having my own income if anything were to happen. I have thought about going back to work part-time, but I know my boss will want me back full-time soon after I go back to work. What did you do if you were in similar circumstances?