[binkysdad]

I am a 33m and starting school in September. My wife is being very supportive but I must admit I am very nervous. I lost my job about 2 months ago. I worked as a nursing assistant when I was younger and have always wanted to continue my education in nursing. I have a very brilliant 10 yr old daughter that thinks it's wonderful her dad is going back to school. I just worry going to school full time and making the ends meet until I finish. Anyone have any suggestions??? I would greatly appreciate the advice.

[laketrash]

Hey, I know how you feel and you can do it !I worked cleaning houses to pay my way thru college and to help with expenses , had a long hard time of it but it was worth every minute. My family is so much better off now,and I love what I do, don't feel like its a job !Hang in there ; where there is a will there is a way !

[studently42]

I work full time and I am halfway through my ADN program. If you can find a job with flexible hours, it will help a lot. If something happened to my job, I would deliver pizza, clean office buildings or whatever I had to do. Some students get on as nurse techs while in school. Working and going to NS is tough, but it is very doable if you are determined and manage your time well. Congratulations on getting accepted and following your dream.

[groovy jeff]

I applaud you!!! I have always wanted to be a RN and I always let life get in the way. Now I am 53 and will be graduating next June. I wish that I would have done this when I was younger!!! Looking at it from just an economics view if I had gotten student loans for school and to live on, worked part time or even 1/2 time-I still would have made twice the $$ that I have made over the last 20 years. More importantly I wouldn't have been laid off 4 times ,used up all of my investments to live on, and have hundreds of sleepless nights trying to figure out how to make ends meet.

Do whatever it takes to do it NOW!!!! I finally did. I sold my house in Ohio and moved to AZ to go to NS, I will have loans up the &^@#&*, and even being in my fifties it still makes good economic sense. However, I am not doing it for the money or the security; these are just great side affects!

Hang in there Man!!! When life gets you down, shoot me a PM and I'll be a cheerleader.

Good luck!!!

[laxrick]

I'm in the same boat. Three stepchildren, one child, a fulltime job, and a fulltime nursing load. Hang in there, we'll both make it through!

[loricatus]

[quote=groovy jeff;2976425]
Do whatever it takes to do it NOW!!!! I finally did. I sold my house in Ohio and moved to AZ to go to NS, I will have loans up the &^@#&*, and even being in my fifties it still makes good economic sense. However, I am not doing it for the money or the security; these are just great side affects!

[quote]

First, I need to say that I am sorry for butting in on the male forum; but, I think this issue may be gender neutral.

This is very good advise you have given to the OP. The one perk to getting into debt later in life, is that we may not outlive our student loan debt

The sacrifices made now will certainly be rewarded later. Your daughter won't remember the few years of cutting corners and will learn a valuable lesson that sacrifice has it's rewards, especially if you make the sacrifice for something you are passionate about. There WILL BE job security and a steady income, afterwards; and, you are young enough to build yourself up to a comfortable state after you finish a few years of spending only for bare essentials.

Good Luck to you as go for your dream.

[william4930]

Why not become a nursing assistant while in school? A lot of hospitals will hire nursing school students as techs and it's great experience.

[WorkinTheStreets]

Keep the faith. Times will be tough but there are more of us in your situation then you think. I was fortunate to be able to transfer 23 credits from a BS degree. I take one class each semester...summers included. This way I only have to do nursing classes/clinicals during those semesters. Spreads out the work load, spreads out the tuition. I'm going community college, reducing costs even more.

[Bobylon]

Originally Posted by william4930

Why not become a nursing assistant while in school? A lot of hospitals will hire nursing school students as techs and it's great experience.

This is good advice, and exactly what I'll be doing sooner or later, depending on if my unemployment benefits are extended ...ueb ran out a couple of weeks ago, but the gov't is supposed to extend them by 13 weeks, so am waiting to hear back from the state.
In my case, our local hospital is sponsoring our LPN school (and will hire us as nurses upon passing the boards) but we're already considered "employees" and can start working as pct's if/when we wish to. I'm definitely going to, as, having been basically permanently laid off from my previous profession, this will give me valuable, additional early "hands-on" patient care experience (in addition to clinicals, which start the 2nd week of Aug) before setting foot into the hospital as an official LPN. I figure even working part-time as a tech will be good experience, having come from a non-med background...heh
So, for now, my wife is the breadwinner (she's a registered vascular ultrasound tech), and I'm going to augment her income when I can...... dunno if I could work full-time and keep up on school, that's for sure....we've discussed borrowing $$$ from her parents or my dad (don't care for that idea) or perhaps borrowing from retirement funds (not fond of that idea either ). Just gonna scrimp, save, grin, and bear it. .....about all we can do, I guess.

[just212]

It is a difficult but doable. only advice i can give is to take time to spend with the family, when possible. It will makes u feel like a normal, gives u a break and time to catch up with your family.