ruralem Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Hey Folks, I have posted a couple times about this situation over the last few months, and it has recently come to fruition. I am taking a poll to see if others in my situation would do the same thing. I currently work in a rural critical access hospital, covering the ED and Same day care, with hospital rounding and some primary care sprinkled in. I work four 10 hour shifts per week, and take 5 nights and 48 hours of weekend call a month. My "salary" all said is about 116,000. My wife and I love it here, and she does not want to leave ... but I feel like I am working all the time and really not being paid too well. Couldn't be happier with my coworkers and support, but solo EM definitely has some stress, and I don't feel like I see my 1 yr old daughter enough. I just signed an offer letter for an EM/UC job in Washington, 2 states over for twelve, 12 hour shifts a month. Possibility of 4 on and 6 off. Extra pay for extra shifts. Double coverage, only days. 121,000 per year but no PTO. Otherwise good benefits ... 7% company contribution after 2 years.. We don't have family there and know a couple people there. Slightly higher cost of living. Am I making the right decision? Do me a favor and tell the future ... thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 ~gazes into his crystal ball~ Hard to say. Taking a new job always carries the risk that, after you start, things will come up up that you don't like. You aren't being paid enough where you are. I had virtually that same job 20 years ago and I made more then than you are now. There is a lot to be said for life balance. My very smart wife taught me a good system to help make these choices. Make a pros and cons list for both jobs and include everything from salary and benefits, to location, to proximity to family (only you know if that is a good thing or a bad thing), to life balance, basically include everything that is a part why you choose a job. Put like items next to each other (salary for instance). Then put it aside for a couple of days and go back and look at it again. Add things you may have forgotten the first time around. Then you make a choice and embrace it fully and without regret. Hindsite is only useful if you are backing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyJ Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Tough spot. On one had you like where you live and the people you work with, but don't like the hours. I think your pay is low considering the mix of work you are doing and the call. Are you going to be moving to Washington if you start this other job? Will you like living there? What is the autonomy in this new position? What is the census compared to your current situation? No PTO is not ideal. Working 4 shifts in a row then you will not see you family for 4 straight days. I personally would stay, but that's because I like the job set up you have and think I would like it a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceBanner Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 1 hour ago, sas5814 said: ~gazes into his crystal ball~ Hard to say. Taking a new job always carries the risk that, after you start, things will come up up that you don't like. You aren't being paid enough where you are. I had virtually that same job 20 years ago and I made more then than you are now. There is a lot to be said for life balance. My very smart wife taught me a good system to help make these choices. Make a pros and cons list for both jobs and include everything from salary and benefits, to location, to proximity to family (only you know if that is a good thing or a bad thing), to life balance, basically include everything that is a part why you choose a job. Put like items next to each other (salary for instance). Then put it aside for a couple of days and go back and look at it again. Add things you may have forgotten the first time around. Then you make a choice and embrace it fully and without regret. Hindsite is only useful if you are backing up. I did the same thing with my recent job offer (also advised by my wife, lol). It's great to have all the comparable factors on paper, since when we are looking new work we tend to pay a disproportionate amount of attention to a particular aspect---usually pay or location. There is always a leap of faith when you take a new job. Some things are just obscure until you've been working there for a while. I ask as many questions as I can during interviews---expectations (multiple times), hours, call, PA turnover, why are they hiring, best/worst aspects of working there, etc. Then I make my list. If the pros of the new job outweigh both the cons of the new job and the pros of the current job, the decision is obvious. If it's more equivocal, then you have to weigh in on intangible/emotional factors that may affect the outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKPAC Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 I would only leave a current job if the new one was definitely better. The grass is not always greener on the other side. If you're on the fence, stay where you are until you are certain about a better position. Otherwise, you will be changing jobs too often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatswain2PA Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Your wife loves it there and doesn't want to leave. I'll repeat that, just in case you missed it: Your wife loves it there and doesn't want to leave. Happy wife, happy life. There will be problems in the new job as well, you just don't know about them yet. Oh, and your wife may not like the new area as much. Your wife loves it there and doesn't want to leave. Happy wife, happy life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruralem Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 I appreciate the advice so far! My main consideration for moving is that I will have twice as much time as as I currently do. I don't need to make more money, I just want to make the same amount, and work less. The area we will move to is similar in terms of recreation, the main unknown is community and making friends. I feel like I am missing out on time with my family, and that is the whole point of living in a cool place, right? My wife is not resistant to moving, we are just comfortable here. I just don't see these hours being sustainable moving forward WHILE still trying to be a good dad and husband. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHAD Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 5 minutes ago, ruralem said: I appreciate the advice so far! My main consideration for moving is that I will have twice as much time as as I currently do. I don't need to make more money, I just want to make the same amount, and work less. The area we will move to is similar in terms of recreation, the main unknown is community and making friends. I feel like I am missing out on time with my family, and that is the whole point of living in a cool place, right? My wife is not resistant to moving, we are just comfortable here. I just don't see these hours being sustainable moving forward WHILE still trying to be a good dad and husband. Have you talked to your current employer about changing things up? Either you working less for the same money or working the same for more pay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruralem Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 There were some discussions, but it would not be able to be anywhere close to where I want it to be. I will always have to take call and its fairly hard to maintain a consistent schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWR Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Maybe approach your present employer and see if you can strike a new deal (schedule) for a better work/life balance? Always remember "A happy wife is a happy life". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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