Friends and jobs.......good mix?

[npmommie]

So I have a physician friend ( podiatrist), she has her practice in her home, and works part time 2 days a week,

about 3 years ago when she lost the other part time podiatrist in her practice she asked me if I wanted to help out occasionally,
whatever I wanted for hours, I wasn't working at the time, only per diem.
So I said sure.

So I worked for her part time 1 day a week sometimes 2 for about a year and a half.
Podiatry was not something I would have chosen for myself, not really my "thing"...........so anyway, I decided I needed to stop working again for a bit, gave her some notice and quit, I did occasionally help her out a day here and there while she was searching for another nurse practitioner.

I should mention she is a very good friend, fellow homeschooler, her kids and mine are very close.
sooooo...........she ended up finding another nurse practitioner and hired her to work part time.

so the new NP has been there about a year I think, so anyway, my friend told me the NP is thinking of leaving for a different job now, so yesterday I was at her house and she told me she really thinks the NP is leaving for sure because she was going on a 3rd interview for a job yesterday.

so I get an email this morning from my friend, basically asking me if I want the job back, and how if she doesn't find someone she will have to work more hours and she is just "sick" over that.
and I understand her position, she homeschools, she wants that balance.

I have a part time job I started in August, I like it. a lot. It's not in podiatry, I see nursing home patients, its flexible, I work about 8-10 hours a week.
I have no intention of leaving this job.

but before I got the job I have now, I mentioned to my friend that if her new NP didn't work out I would come back, but the NP did end up staying and I got this job and everything was fine.

now yesterday I was just asking her how many hours the NP was working for her, and I think she took that as interest on my part, even though I said nothing like that.
in the email she also brought up that I was interested before I got the job I have now.

sooooooo
If this was just a random employer, I would politely decline and that would be that. I feel like being friends puts a new spin on this.
because to be honest, I hated Podiatry, it really does not interest me, but I don't want to offend her by saying that, but that is basically why I would not want the job back. Working for her was great, there was no problem there.

If it was any other medical specialty I would probably at least go back to helping her out and try to do both jobs. since they would both be quite flexible.

I am thinking of telling her I don't want the job back, BUT I would be willing to lend her a hand occasionally til she finds a replacement.
( I don't really want to even do that , but feel like I want to help her)
how would you handle all this?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would just tell her no. If she is a very good friend, then I expect she will be understanding.

 

[npmommie]

I would just tell her no. If she is a very good friend, then I expect she will be understanding.

Yes when I left the first time she was understanding, didn't affect the friendship.

I guess the "helping" side of me is nagging, I want to help her since I know how badly she doesn't want to work more hours.
but I do have to think of myself.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes when I left the first time she was understanding, didn't affect the friendship.

I guess the "helping" side of me is nagging, I want to help her since I know how badly she doesn't want to work more hours.
but I do have to think of myself.

If she doesn't want to work those hours she will find someone else eventually, trust me.

If you "help her" then you are just putting off what she needs to do in the first place.

 

[castmemberb4]

I think you need to come clean and tell her you're just not cut out for podiatry. I think she'll understnad, not every job is for everybody.
This will also keep this from happening in the future.