I have just 3 teeny tiny little weeks before I finish nursing school, AND I have a 3 year old. So I just wanted give words of encouragement to all the parents wishing to go back to school and earn a nursing degree. I have seen so many people ask if it possible or if it is too difficult. I have to say emphatically, YOU CAN DO IT!!!! And you will probably ROCK AT IT TOO! (especially in OB or peds, but I digress)
You all have heard the stories about how hard and terrible nursing school is. You may be wondering if you have it in you to focus on achieving a goal that you are passionate about. Fearing that it may take away what time you have with your family. BUT I just want to say YOU CAN DO IT!
Disclaimer: What I'm about to TELL YOU is merely my opinion or what has worked for me, so take it for what is and be your own judge.
Nursing school is NOT the hardest thing in the world. (Performing a skill in front of your intimidating professor for a pass/fail grade for a course may actually be though. LOL)
I found it pretty easy to balance family and school. Not much different than when I become a nurse and have to balance work and family.
I did NOT have friends and family to help. I live 700 miles from my family. It is only my husband and I, and I still find nursing school relatively easy.
I gave up on absolute perfection and pursued balance (I could study my butt off and make A's. Or I could study some and spend time with my family some and make B's. So I made B's and I am ok with that.
I LOVED nursing school
I did not damage my daughter by attending nursing school.
I have spent several awesome 12 hour days in clinical to come home clean, prepare lunches and outfits for the next day and give my daughter a bath and put her to bed. It CAN be done.
She LOVES preschool and she is well taken care of while I'm in class, studying or at clinical. It was good for her and good for me. (I was a SAHM for 2 years.)
I appreciate my family EVEN MORE because of clinicals. I really get to see how fortunate I am that my family and I have our health.
Nursing school was much easier than my BS Psychology degree: Why you may ask? Because I am a adult learner and much more focused now.
Being in Nursing school as a parent was awesome, because there were a few other parents who understood and I always had to stay on top of my assignments so that I would have free time to spend with my husband and daughter.
I am absolutely BROKE but you know what? I have everything I need. So when you find yourself asking how can you afford it..... Buy your books used. Use your school printer or computer if you don't have either (I didn't have a printer), don't buy school supplies-use what you have, pack your lunch, hang your clothes to dry, ask the previous nursing students for uniforms, don't eat out, go to the thrift store... This is how I made this past year on a budget (I cannot even tell you how many cans of beans I had to eat and carrot sticks. Sometimes that's all I could afford) I bought clothes from Goodwill to wear to psych clinical. Do what YOU have to do!
That is pretty much the gist of it. So, can you be both an awesome parent and an awesome nursing student? Absolutely!!!!!!
