Anyone ever work full time while getting their RN?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello everyone!

I got accepted into my school's nursing program, and will begin in October (2006). Classes/clinicals run for 8 weeks at a time. For example, I will have class Monday and Tuesday (2 hours each day), and clinicals Wednesday/Thursday (8 hours each day) for eight weeks, get a week off, then take class/clinicals #2 the next eight weeks, etc.

The problem is, I work full time and without it, cannot afford to pay bills and living expenses. I would have to take out an enormous amount of student loans, which I already have a pretty decent chunk from my first bachelor's degree. Also, if I continue working full time, my tuition is 100% free. But in order to get in that 40-hour work week, I may be squeezing in weekend hours or working 8am-2:00 and in my clinical from 2:30 - 11pm.

I dont have a husband or children (just two lazy cats) so I only have myself.

So I wonder, did anyone out there work full time while working on their nursing degree? Is it possible? How did you handle it? Any advice or pearls of wisdom is appreciated, as I am a little panicked about this situation!!

First of all, I DO NOT RECOMMEND MY METHOD!

That said, I worked as a CNA from 11p-7a during school. That left me an hour to get to my 8am class, and classes were over by about 2:30. Some days that meant I had a whopping 7 hours of sleep before my night shift, but other days it meant I had to change into clinical clothes and go to clinical from 3-11. Still with me? A fast drive over to the hospitalwhere I worked, change of scrubs in the bathroom, and back to work from 11-7. It was not easy. It was a nightmare trying to study, the only time I could was at work and if I were caught studying at work I would be written up. (evil DON). So I would write tons of index cards, keep them in one scrub jacket pocket, sneak a peek and put it in my other pocket if I knew the answer.

I rarely slept. For an entire semester I had a 72 hour stretch each week wehere I could not sleep at all the way work, school and clinicals lined up. I would drink 24-36 diet mountain dews a day, plus red bulls inbetween. I do NOT recommend this at all! My last semester I collapsed and was found to have a fever of 104.4, and was septic from an ignored UTI (who had time to pee?) I spent a fun two weeks in the hospital. I had to retake that final semester but I didn't have to work during it (my grandparents who are multimillionaires but thought I should "work" for my education finally took pity on me and paid my bills for that final three months.)

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I was wondering..I mean traditionally, if you go to a school full time in a traditional setting, the college would not recommend going to work 40 hours a week..I mean this is for any major in college..I know some of you who work 40 hours a week, your grades might suffer because there was not sufficient time to study..Not everyone is superwoman in going to school..Some nursing students need time to study and absorb material..I assume you cannot do that if you dont have time because you are working 40 hours a week..Please dont let this thread make it possible for regular students to say that they can do this..I remember my friend in nursing school, she worked a lot of hours and could not study that much; she was put on probation for low grades..After she cut her hours, then she was doing very well in nursing school..

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if you are going to work so much be prepared to have a negative effect on your kids. Sorry if you dont want to hear this but, those kids are the most important thing in your life and if you shortchange them they will repay it when they have grown up. And when all is said and done, you will wish you did it diffrently.

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I am probably going to have to do the same thing. I hope I can do it.

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I worked FT while I went through my BSN program in the early 90's.

I worked weekends 12 hours shifts. I worked the other 16 hours by working evenings or early mornings-wherever it fit in(I was a CNA). It was tough especialy since I was young and wanted to have a sodial life also....

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Specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology,Medical/Surgical.

I suppose I should add that this is an ASN degree. I start in October and will graduate December 2007. The time I will actually spend in class is 11 months. And it's technically an evening program, so it's one class per 8 week session, each class is 6 credit hours. So my first class from October-December, Intro to Nursing, will either be from 2:30-4:30 on Monday/Tuesday, or 4:30-6:30pm. Clinicals will be Wednesday/Thursday either 6:30a-3:00pm or 2:30pm-11:00pm.

All of your posts are so WONDERFUL! It's really given me some confidence. I have spoken to my supervisors and they are very willing to work with my schedule, so that I may still get in 40 hours/week and therefore continue getting the free tuition (I work at the college). They said if it gets to be too much for me, I can cut back my hours or whatever I need. I'm very fortunate they want to keep me. I'm just trying to avoid another $20,000+ in loans (I have about that much already with my first degree). And I see that many of you have done it, all the while having children and husbands, so I think to myself, I dont have either of those so surely there is no reason I cannot do it, too!

Thanks to everyone for advice, and keep it coming if there's anyone else!!

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

I worked in a clinic from 8-5 Mon-Fri. Then I had class from 5:30-8:30 two nights/week and 12 hour clinical on Sat. Got my ADN that way. Then I got my BSN while working 3 12-hour shifts as RN in a hospital. Then I got my MSN while working 40-50 hr/wk because the courses were online. You can do it if you want to bad enough but it is very hard. At the end I did not owe anybody for educational expenses. That is a plus, but don't make yourself sick trying to duplicate my efforts. Everyone's situation differs.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Worked full time in LPN school. Had 2 part-time jobs the first year, and one full time job (night shift), total hours worked 45-60 , with 16 hours of school time. One job was secretarial work that had some down time, and they even encouraged me to bring schoolwork with me so i would have "something to do."

Second year, i quit one of the PT jobs, kept the other 2, total hours worked 40-50, worked extra on school vacations. Total school hours 32.

I worked full time and did full time school because i didn't have a choice. Given the choice i'd like to have cut down to part-time work, or not work at all, to concentrate on school, and get it over and done with faster. However, despite people saying you can't do it, i still did it.

1) I recorded lectures. I burned CDs of them and listened if i physically couldn't read the notes at the time.

2) I took my notes to appts., to work, etc.

3) The great thing about my job as an aide was learning about something in school (ex. Jackson-Pratt drains), then going to work that night, and seeing it being used. GREAT learning experience. Plus, ther nurses offered their own tips on such things. Made studying easier.

4) Junk food left me feeling like crap. Sleep was a luxury, eating junk left me feeling worse. I tried to make healthy food to eat. If i didn't have time to make it, i made healthy choices from the fast food menu (ex. the 99 cent Caeser salad was better than ther triple cheeseburger)

Instructors kept harping that "you can't work and do this". Ok, well who was going to buy my food, and pay my rent then? :stone

This time around, i'm still working 40-55-60 hours a week, but i'm only doing school part-time (i don't think i could do full-time school with this job, what kind of day i'll have is a little unpredictable). Matt keeps telling me that i could go part-time, or even PRN if i wanted to, but i only want to do that if i have to.

After all that rambling, full time work is possible when going back to school, but it all depends on the individual as to how well they cope with it. Also, you have to take care of yourself, you have to give some time for yourself aside from school, in order to keep going.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

I worked 3 jobs One was P T 30h week the others were daily pay, transcription of court records and typing othere students papers. And that's plus 2 kids 3 and 5.

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Specializes in LTC, MDS Cordnator, Mental Health.

Great Post. Marie LPN I started out my 1st year as an CNA and then the Second Year as an LPN... All Nights. Now i will be doing Days and it will be a challege. but the experience is invaluble.

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I worked FT from the time I started school in Aug 2004 till I nearly lost my sanity in Nov 2005. I graduated in May 2006 and passed NCLEX on July 27th. I have a 3.7 GPA in nursing so it can be done, but it was VERY hard. I studied whenever I could. It's doable for most people, but it sucks big time. :trout:

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I am currently doing it now. I graduate in December from my RN program and it is doable. I do have a family, a mortage to pay and work full time. My commute to work is 180 miles per day and tack on a few extrra miles when I go to class and clinical. I am in an evening program and have class every Tues from 4-9 pm and clinical on Wed from 2-1030 pm. Since you dont have a family you wont have to further split your time. As for studying, I study at work during lunch (I get an hour and a half) and weekends. like I said its doable but tough! Good luck!!!!

WOW WTG!:balloons: :balloons:

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