Between Hospital Halls and Home: A Working Mother's Journey
As a registered nurse of 14 years, my life is a careful balance between caring for others and nurturing my own family. With three boys—ages 10, 7, and 2—and a spouse who also works full-time, each week brings its own rhythm of presence and absence.
My schedule alternates between one or two 12-hour shifts at the hospital each week, running from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The rest of my time is spent as an educator in our outpatient setting, teaching patients how to manage their health. But that's not all—I'm also building Replenishift, my own nurse-focused nutritional supplement brand, working during the quiet moments before dawn and after my children's bedtime.
## The Long Days Away
Each hospital day begins at 5:30 a.m., long before my children open their eyes. By the time they're waking up, I'm already donning my scrubs and diving into patient care. My older boys head to school and then afterschool programs until their father can collect them, while my toddler spends the day with either his grandmother or trusted caregivers from our network of coworkers.
The hospital demands complete immersion. While I occasionally receive a photo or message about my youngest, most of my day is spent deeply focused on my patients' needs. It's usually 7:30 or 8 p.m.—sometimes later on particularly challenging days—before I make it home, often missing my youngest entirely as he's already asleep.
My older boys are usually preparing for bed when I return. After washing away the hospital day, we share precious moments of connection as they tell me about their adventures. Though my exhaustion sometimes makes it hard to absorb every detail, these bedtime conversations are sacred, even if getting them to finally sleep becomes a gentle struggle.
## The Emotional Aftermath
The day after a long shift brings its own challenges. My toddler's reaction is a complex mix of joy and hurt—happy to see me but processing my previous day's absence. He becomes my shadow, requiring constant physical connection for hours. As someone easily overwhelmed by touch, this can be challenging, but I recognize it as his way of rebuilding our bond.
## Finding Purpose in the Balance
While the guilt of missing moments in my children's lives weighs heavily, I've learned to be fully present during our time together. When my children express sadness about my work schedule, I validate their feelings while helping them understand the importance of my role.
Some suggest I should seek a more traditional nursing position with predictable hours. But my hospital work feeds my soul in a way that parallels my love for my family. The patients I serve and the difference I make in their lives give my work deep meaning.
This path—balancing a demanding career with motherhood—isn't always easy. But it's a choice I stand by, knowing that both my family and my patients receive the best parts of who I am, even if those parts must be carefully divided across the hours of each week.