Is a change of career impossible/stupid?

samwich1979

I have worked for the NHS for 14 years as an Operating Department Practitioner, worked long hours, done plenty of weekend and late shifts over the years and feel like i have really contributed well to my workplace.

Now i have been a mother to my son for 15 months and when i returned to work i dropped to 3 and a half days a week which was great but it was hard going having a baby and getting up at 5.30am 4 days a week. I then started getting ill after being back at work for 2 months and asked to drop my hours to just 3 days so i had an extra day were i could relax with my son and not have to rush off to work, it was never granted even though the department has to make a decision in 14 days.

I went off sick in January 2012 after being back off maternity leave 3 months and i am only just due back next week after a continuing illness which is now resolving. I have asked again for my hours to be dropped and i have been told verbally over the phone the boss has granted it which is great but i am just not sure if this job will ever really be family friendly, there is always something that causes me a problem like getting stuck at work late when operating runs over my shift time and as i dont drive i sometimes dont get home til 8pm which is terrible when i left the house at 7am in the morning.
It is a highly stressful job at times and breaks are very minimal, sometimes i only get half an hour during a 10 hour shift and im going to find this hard on returning as my illness has caused me extreme fatigue and i have stiff vertebrae in my lower back which has been causing terrible pain although ive had physio for 2 months.

Now my question is should i think about changing my career to something a little more family friendly and to something that wont affect my health so much?
If i did i would like to stay in the NHS as i have a pension and i do enjoy the medical side of my job very much, the only problem is my qualification is not nursing so it wont transfer to any other posts, id have to do something completely different and would most likely mean a huge drop in pay and as i am the sole earner at home right now it may not be possible.
Should i just stick at it until my husband finds a job?

RoxRoxBling

Does your job have any transferable skills that you can use for the others jobs you'd be interested in?

westv

Career changing really does seem to be a mixed bag. From what I've read some have found it reasonably lucky but others (including myself) have struggled to get taken seriously by recruiters. I think a lot depends on what sort of skills you have and how sort after they are in other industries.

theoretica

It reads to me tht it is not so much the career (the what of the job) that is causing you problems, but the how of shift patterns, and distance to work. Is your job always 10 hour shifts? Could you work more half shifts or move closer to work? Or see if your same job is advertised by different trusts with more reasonable hours for you?

I believe most NHS trusts have a good (anonymous) employee assistance programme. You might find it worth contacting them.

Jinx

OP would learning to drive help the situation as at least you could get home quicker and it might help with location if you do change jobs/careers?

gibson123

I am on my 3rd successful career, the 2nd had unsuitable hours for my family circumstances. be prepared to take a substantial drop in salary until you extablish yourself in your new career. good luck