to find it difficult working 2 days per week?

[YorkshireNurse]

I work 2 days a week as a community mental health nurse and I am finding this very stressful in terms of keeping up with workload and expectations and catching up after my days off takes time. I never feel confident or competent in terms of being up to date with developments as there never seems to be enough time.

I have raised these issues at supervision but there doesn't seem to be a solution. I think about work all the time and feel responsible for my caseload even when not there.
Everyone always makes comments about how it must be lovely to work 2 days and it is in some ways but it makes doing my role very difficult and I am thinking of leaving nursing altogether.

All the people I know who went back to work part time find it more stressful than full time as they are still doing a full time job but in 2/3 days.

Can you up it to 3day?

If you don't feel up to date with developments when colleagues have assisted with someone on your caseload can you all agree better communication? I.e. Making sure they update the central computer system

Is your caseload held by the duty team if you're not there?

I can't increase my hours currently due to childcare issues (3dc).

I work 2 days and have recently come to the realisation I’m doing far more than I should be or my hours allow me.
I’ve now cut back the clients I see & give myself admin time each week. At least this allows me to try and leave work ar work.

If you have any control over your diary I’d recommend adding in specific admin and client time (I work in a similar role).
Ultimately if the service needs more staff they need to recruit.

couldbeananywhere, I do book in admin time but maybe need to book in some more time. There is a duty team but it still seems that a lot of things get passed back to me and I don't have enough time to deal with everything.

You need to find a solution. And it sounds as though you could learn to switch off and manage that process of ‘caring but not over caring’.

I think you are under a lot of pressure but with some mind changes and maybe a couple of practical changes (book some CPD!) you will be able to do your job.

It IS nice to have 5 days a week without being accountable to your boss - focus on that. If 2 days is what you want/need to do then stick at it.

Ward work is possible better suited to part time as you aren't carrying a caseload. Or crisis team.

My understanding of community mental health nursing roles is that there aren't enough nurses and caseloads are getting bigger and bigger. The main reason I have chosen to remain in in-patient nursing.

Although saying that, I have found even working onwards that full time is easier in terms of managing risk and being attuned to your patient s than part time.

The other option would be bank work but obviously you lose security.

Ward work is a good solution. Perhaps think about it OP

I work 2 days - I relate to everything you’re saying. I am on the verge of quitting

I work 4 short days a week and get similar comments.

I have medical instructions related to my disability that I don't work more than 2 days in a row or more than 6 hours on one day. In the past, I've switched days to mean I work 3 days or stayed later for a meeting, but after that caused too much damage, I won't do it now.

Our family budget has taken a massive hit and, to be honest, I feel like a failure for not being able to do what other people can. It doesn't feel like a luxury. It's a necessity.

TrainsandDiggers can I ask what job you do?

Ward nursing might be a better idea but would mean nights, evenings, weekends etc

YANBU and my job is totally different, it's only admit (albeit in children's services) but I've found it really hard to get settled in and months can go by without me doing the same thing twice.

Admin not admit!

I also work 2 days and feel exactly as you do. My work is different (PA/secretarial) but I feel like it’s my first day back (from maternity leave) every week. I feel like I don’t remember how to do anything and I don’t have any confidence in my decisions and knowledge.

Then I struggle doing everything at home too.

Osirus I feel exactly like that, it's really knocking my confidence, people expect so much but I feel that I am always playing catch up

ItsMEhooray, that is true, months can go by without me doing something so nothing seems to become easier or normal and everyday to me. It's like starting again each week.

I would imagine a job where you can pass on your work without worrying would be better, therefore would a ward be more suitable?

i struggled with working 2 days a week, not a nurse, but high work load.

I do similar work on 3 days and can totally relate. My job share who only did two days also found two days impossible. I would also seriously consider ward work. You could ask for set shifts every week, eg always earlys or always lates or some wards might have 9-5 shifts, to make child care easier.

I have always found working part time more stressful than full time so I empathise, everyone expects you to be fresh as a daisy on your days in and in reality you're rushing to catch up with what has happened.

I don't have a suggestion sorry but you're certainly not the only one who finds this, I felt like part time I was doing everything badly and struggling to keep up.

Are you general nursing trained, OP, or psych only? Because if you’re general, there’s a wider choice of jobs that might be more manageable, with fixed daytime hours, such as outpatient clinics or day surgery units. These tend to be less emotionally draining, too.

I also work 2 days and it can be difficult - the first part of the first day is spent getting up to speed with what's happened and the last part of the second day is spent preparing a handover for the day's your not in. The bit in-between is spent working very, very hard! Much harder than when I worked 5 days.

I do job-share as my work could not be left in the days I wasn't in the office, my job share partner works 3 days. It can be hard to manage unless your job share partner is on the same wavelength as you. I do think there are massive benefits to the office and to ourselves though and I wouldn't change it but it only really works for jobs you can either share with another employee or don't require long-term files (ie ward work as suggested).

You could always see it as a temporary move and try to get back into your role once your kids are older and you could do more days.

Days you're*

Apologies for poor grammar

Thanks for the replies, it's good to know that I am not alone in feeling like this.

I am mental health trained only and the trouble with working on the wards is that you are expected to act as "nurse in charge" and run the shift which means the accountability seems very high especially when going back after 5 days off and not knowing what's happened.
Although it does mean that the caseload aspect isn't there.
I will increase my hours at some point but it seems a way off at the moment.

The work that is passed back to you, is it safe going back to you? can you ask for back up that work passed back goes into a rota?
And give yourself more admin time.

I was doing 3 days as an engineer and finding it tough for similar reasons. Up to 4 days now which is better but now I have mum guilt to contend with...