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How hard is it to balance a family life and be work as a trauma or critical care nurse?

I have wanted to be a nurse that works in the ICU division for quite a while now, but recently a counselor told me that I would not be able to have a family at all. She also said that if I tried to it would pointless and I would be miserable. I want a family when I get older; that's something I won't be able to give up. I just want to know if it is practical to still pursue being in that field. #trauma-nursing

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Kelli’s Answer

It is absolutely practical. Life is about balance, you can manage. The ICU is almost always 12 hour shifts. New nurses often get placed on the night shift. Use your time management skills. Being an ICU nurse is always challenging but very rewarding.

Thank you comment icon Okay, thank you!!! Do you ever really get used to the different sleeping schedule? If you have a family, and you do activities during the day with them does the lack of sleep affect how you work? Jocelyn
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Bradley’s Answer

It really doesn't matter if your a Trauma, ICU or Med-Surg nurse. The hours of work, like Kelli stated, are the same. Your counselor is wrong about having a family and being a nurse. I'm married to an awesome wife, foster children and yep I'm a nurse. I have been a trauma nurse and now I'm Care Coordinator. You and your spouse can work out a schedule. Also I have worked with some women that are single and have children, they are tough nurses. In all honesty they work harder than some men I know if that tells you anything. It does help to have a spouse to share the work load. If your curious about being pregnant and working, the women I have worked with pregnant, work until about one to two weeks before they give birth and they use their fraternity leave. Usually most new nurses do start out on nightshift. But that doesn't last long if you want a dayshift job. I started out on nights and worked my way to a dayshift job within six months. My sister has been a nurse for over fifteen years and still works nightshift and she doesn't want to change to a day shift position. Oh and she has a family also. Your counselor doesn't need to be giving advice they know nothing about.
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