Working while in Nursing school?!

SunnyAndrsn · Sep 13, 2009

I did. Married with foster kids too. LPN my last year, worked full time. Graduated with honors

Hi!
Did anyone out there work while in nursing school? Is it do able? I can only imagine how intense the curriculum is going to be, but I must work at least part time to pay my bills... Nursing is my dream, and I am ready and willing to do what it takes! :) Are there any jobs in a hospital I can do while in school prior to having any certifications, diplomas etc.? Thanks for all the help!! :heartbeat

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Sep 13, 2009

Every instructor and counselor at my school strongly advises against working. It is so difficult to get into nursing school these days, it hardly seems worth it to risk what you have. You could probably pull it off during first semester, but NOT 2nd-4th! I am not working and spend at least 8-10 hours studying each day - including days off of school. Nursing school is a double time job - triple time! There is no way you can add on another job. Your grades will suffer. It's worth it to get a student loan or ask family to help. Move in with your parents. I see people fail out every semester because they get behind and they were working! One girl started over again this semester and she is not working. She had to start back at 1st semester. Sad.... Do not work!!

I strongly disagree with this. It is absolutely doable. Not saying easy, but it CAN be done, and that's important to know especially in this day and age and economy, very few people can get by not working.

I worked as a CNA all through nursing school, and I stretched the 2 1/2 year program in to 3 by taking just prereqs my first year, and taking summer classes also. So, you could say I went 3/4 time, and I worked about 32 hours per week. I graduated with high honors, a 3.805 GPA. Your grades don't have to suffer, if you don't let them. It's all in how bad you want it, and if you do, you'll achieve it.

As far as the grades go, anyway.......for those saying they got more B's than A's while working in school.....in the END, does that matter? You made it through your program! Someone with a C average has the same license as someone with an A average. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying not to strive for the highest grade possible, but being realistic, you don't HAVE to have straight A's to be a good nurse. Whoever graduates last in the class still graduates. Just a side thought.

JomoNurse · Sep 13, 2009

People told me how intense nursing school was going to be. They exaggerated that part of nursing school It's not a walk in the park, but it's also not one of the hardest things you'll do in life, either lol. I think about half of the people from my class had jobs while in nursing school. You'll have to get into the flow of things at first but after that it's more than doable. Have fun with your new path! :)

I strongly recommend that you have a job OUTSIDE of the hospita/nursing/medical world. It's a nice escape. Double whammy if you land a job with a lot of down time/alone time so you can get some reading in, too! You wont need any nursing related experience to get hired as a new grad. All you need is your diploma and license and you're golden ;P

I don't think working will have an impact on your grades (as long as it's done in moderation). You're either a good student or you are not.

Mt8386 · Sep 14, 2009

Thank you so much to everyone who answered my post, I really appreciate it! :heartbeat Unfortunatley, I dont have much choice but to work, and I can only imagine how difficult it will be. I cant tell you how glad I am to hear that there are people out there who have successfully graduated from their programs while working and taking caring of kids and family, etc.! :) Thank you!

K+MgSO4, BSN · Sep 14, 2009

I travelled home from uni every Friday afternoon, went straight to work for 10 hr, went home chucked a load of clothes in the washer (not mine I must of been the only 17 yo who didnt bring washing home) left a note for my dad to turn the machine on when he got up about 2 hr after I went to bed. got up, roped my younger sis into helping me clean the house, go grocery shopping, head back to work for 14 hr on a sat.

Thankfully have a lie in on a Sunday while my brother cooked a proper Sunday dinner at 16 he cooked a brilliant roast!! Funnily enough on 3hrs sleep i used to burn them!! Have a family catch up the 4 of us around the dinner table then pack my bag for uni and head back to work for another shift 7 hr in a job where i was a bar supervisor. I even had to work the weekend between my finals with another girl who was doing her Agri science finials. Textbooks everywhere!! We got some of the regular early morning drinkers to help us revise!!

Then I would drive back to uni and start MY laundry, cleaning, grocery shop!!

My mother died when I was 15 an it seemed to be harder to care for my brother and sister who were teenagers when I moved out of home for uni. But we got there and my father was there on my graduation day with tears streaming down his eyes!! A big strong Irish farmer!!

By then my bro was in an apprienticship and my sis in uni. About a year after I graduated he sat me down and thanked me for all that I had done for the family and then gave me told me it was time to live my own life.............so a year after that I uped and left for Australia and I think I have been living my uni years out here!!! Having fun in the sun, just saying yes to a drink after work without worrying about how much I have to do at home. but if only Australia was a bit closer to home so I could see my family.

Role on June 2010! home for a month!!!

If i could do that when I was 17 you can do it no bother :)

K xx

newohiorn, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Sep 14, 2009

I worked full time all the way through nursing school, including my first 2 quarters where I had pre-reqs to finish up as well. I graduated with all A's. It can be done but I will say those first two quarters were a nightmare and work and school were all that I did--my husband did everything else. I mean I did not clean the house, I did not do the dishes--nothing. Good luck.

k

studentinnursing · Jun 10, 2011

I worked 40hrs/week my first semester and dropped down to 30 hours/week my second semester. By third semester I was still working around 30. First 3 semesters I worked at a restaurant, cooking, busing, waiting tables. Last semester I quit the food service and got a job as a tech in an ICU and worked 1-2 shifts/weekly (12-24 hours). So yes, it it definitely doable. But I only made A's and B's, more B's than A's.

I know this thread is old, but I need to know if this is doable. Doing my interview with the Nurse Manager at our only Trauma hospital in the county for an PCT II position in their ED. The critical care recruiter, after doing a phone interview with her, thought I really sounded like I would enjoy their ER, gunshot wounds, stabbings. A friend I know at another hospital says they call this trauma hospital the "knife and gun club." I am ecstatic to have this opportunity. I have 1 year of nursing school completed. She said they have poole, or I can do three 12's on the weekend, some evenings and nights. I have gramma offering to take my kids on the weekends or they will be at their dad's or grandpa's. And then I have 4 days of nursing school, going into 3rd semester in August. I am really worried I will have no study time if I take the thre 12's, but I want it sooooo bad. This is like my dream job, other than ICU, which they said I can try and then decide where I like best. I am interviewing today for the emergency dept position, and I want to know if anyone else out there, who has kids home with them every evening, has done three 12's and 4 days of nursing school? Is it even possible?! This is a level 2 trauma center (but the level one is far away in another county), so I'm happy with this, and I know it will sometimes be slammed overnight, but will I have a chance to study at all since it'd be a night shift? This is also a teaching hospital and work with lots of students at my school. I also will have my clinicals there for 3rd semester and of course trying to get it 4th semester when we do our critical care rotation?

Please, somebody tell me this has been done.....should I move in with gramma so I can study in the evenings during week? I just don't know when I can read...or write care plans...if I have school all day 4 days and then at hospital on the weekends. They of course have excellent benefits on day 1 of employment, and by the time I graduate next May, I can receive enough money from the hospital to pay for my Bachelor's (already have my prereq's completed for that, so just waiting on my RN graduation and licensing).

Any input is greatly appreciated!

God bless.

studentinnursing · Jun 10, 2011

I did. Married with foster kids too. LPN my last year, worked full time. Graduated with honors

Please read my first post? I am so worried about this, but want this job so bad; it's absolutely the perfect PCT job I could get while I finish my last year of NS, will get tons of experience, but I'm worried about when I will study? When did you study since you also have children?

studentinnursing · Jun 10, 2011

I worked full time all the way through nursing school, including my first 2 quarters where I had pre-reqs to finish up as well. I graduated with all A's. It can be done but I will say those first two quarters were a nightmare and work and school were all that I did--my husband did everything else. I mean I did not clean the house, I did not do the dishes--nothing. Good luck.
k

This really makes me think I should move in with mom so she can help me with my 2 boys, one is old enough to stay home alone, thank goodness, finally, but I have a 3-year-old who has been in "terrible two's" since he could crawl, so no studying or anything can be done when he is at home. I worked for 18 years at home doing medical transcription, with my other son being 8 months old when I went back to work after having him, but I still cannot work at home with the little one, so I do not get anything done in the evenings, so to add a full-time job, nights, and 4 weekedays of school.....I am so worried I cannot do this. However, if I get this job today, I am going to take it and at least be full-time over summer (even though I'm taking 6 credits, they are both online) and see what happens in August?

My other issue is my landlord wanting me to sign a new lease, rent is $1000 and this PCT job is going to pay less than my other; but I don't care, ER at a trauma hospital?! I'd do this for free!! if I could, but I have 2 boys to raise by myself now...

Any advice?