Advice and/or suggestions NEEDED

[LilRedRN1973]

Here is my situation:

I am a full time ADN student nurse. I am in class from 6:30am until 4pm Mondays and Tuesdays. Then on Wednesday and Thursday, I'm in class from 12 to 4. Next semester, my hours will be approximately the same, but with an additional LPN clinical on Friday from 7am until 4pm for 3 weeks and the rest of the semester from 11am to 7pm.

I have 2 children, one is in school full time (from 8am to 3pm) and the other is not (she's 4) and has to have daycare if I'm at school or were to work due to her father sleeping during the day. They live with us full time, but go to their mother's every other weekend.

My husband works full time as a Correctional Officer at a nearby prison. Right now, his shift is Monday-Friday 8pm to 5am, with Saturday and Sunday off. But in January, he goes to 12 hours shifts and we think he will be working Wed-Sat, w/ every other Wed. night off (he will be working from 7pm to 7am, having to leave for work at 6pm). He also attends school full time, most of the classes online.

Now that I have explained in detail the hours we work and/or attend school, I need to know...is there ANY job out there I could work that would enable me to still take care of my family? And for those who had children, what would you suggest I do with the kids while I'm at work? I guess what I need to know is...is it possible to be a full time student and still manage to work around my children and my husband's weird schedule?

I know others have been full time nursing students and worked full time, but did they have to work around weird hours for their significant others? It's very difficult to deal with his hours and I was hoping to work in a hospital, doing SOMETHING for extra money, but now am not so sure it's even possible with kids. Sigh....we are SO broke (I don't qualify for ANY grants or loans, even the Stafford loan) and I am trying to hang in there, reminding myself it's only 16 more months.

[bellehill, RN]

Sorry, I can't figure out my own schedule. Your's is way to confusing for me. Good luck though!

[rpbear]

I was working as a PCA in a hospital working per deim shift work. I would work what ever days I could pick up sometimes nights sometimes days. It was crazy but the only way I could fit any work into a crazy schedule. The only drawback for you is that I was allready and employee, so getting per deim was easy, comming in as a mew hire I don't know if it is possible. You would still have to go through training and orientation and that may be a few weeks fo regular days or evenings. Just a suggestion.

Good Luck!

Molly

[jemb]

Why don't you work this out with your husband? Aren't they his kids? He may need to make some sacrifices on his time as well to get the family through this period of time. If he is going to be working 12 hour nite, maybe he can juggle his sleep time around your schedule?

BTW, part of being a student is being broke -- most of us went through that. It doesn't last forever.

[LilRedRN1973]

Jemb,

My husband doesn't have time to do much else but work, sleep, and go to school. There is nothing he can really sacrifice. He already gets by with about 4-5 hours of sleep a night and I won't ask him to get less due to the fact he works around inmates and it would be really unsafe for him to be even more fatigued.

Thanks for the per diem suggestion....the LTC facility near my home is always hurting for LPN's so I may try to do the per diem thing after I get my license next semester. Anything for a few extra bucks to help us get through.

[SC RN, RN]

I work as a tech right now at a local hospital perdiem and it is wonderful! I keep a calendar (don't all students?) and put my school schedule down, then my husband's schedule, then my kids schedule and THEN I schedule a few days to work at the hospital. I love being per diem! :)