r/nursing•
kht114

Taking a huge pay cut to escape bedside?

Seeking Advice

I’ve been bedside for more than 3 years. It was good when I first started but now I’m just miserable. I knew from the beginning I don’t want to do bedside for the rest of my life but I stuck with it because of my coworkers. But lately, I’ve had really rough shifts and management could care less. My commute is 1 hour away, almost 40 miles. I work nights, and despite being a night owl, it is getting to me. My mood swings are horrible, my body hurts all over, and it’s beginning to affect my relationships. I just had an interview at an outpatient cardiology clinic where the nurses run stress tests all day long M-F 9-5. I’m scheduled to shadow with them next week. They seem to like me and would welcome me on board. Everyone there seems really nice. However, it would be a $15 pay cut from $58 (base pay) to $43. I am going to see if I can negotiate more but it doesn’t seem like they’re super flexible when it comes to that. I am in my mid 20s with no kids, but I co-own a house with my brother and pay mortgage+utilities every other month, and I still have 10k in student loans left. I’m okay with a little bit of a pay cut if it’s like $5, but $15?? Honestly, I only went to the interview for practice, but now that I saw how nice the clinic is and the people there, I’m actually reconsidering it. I prioritize my mental health, but I also want to be fairly compensated for my role. I feel like in this economy and with my experience, I should be getting more? I’ve been applying to other jobs too, both bedside and outpatient. So far, only this place shows promise of an offer. I’m just so torn right now on what to do.

Posted Mar 12, 2025, 8:00 PM UTC

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