Can I handle this schedule?

delirium · Jul 14, 2002

It sounds extremely manageable to me, but only you know what you can handle.

My schedule last semester was so totally horrendous I thought I was going to kill somebody. I was seriously bytchy by final time... but I was working full time, never had a day off, and frankly, your schedule looks very forgiving.

I'm assuming that you are working from 3:30 pm - 7 pm, is that correct? Not until 7 am, in which case I'd point out that you have given yourself no time to sleep.

Zohar · Jul 14, 2002

Yes, 7pm. I'll correct it.

I personally believe I can do it, but some people i've talked to questioned taking nursing classes at the same time as A&P. This is why I asked.

Thanks for the insight

StudentSandra · Jul 14, 2002

It really depends on the student, many of us take the support classes first, but we always have 5 or 6 students that are taking A&P along with the nursing classes. From what I have seen they do no better or worse than the rest of the class. Since you already have a degree, you already know how to study, a big advantage over "new" students, which is why I took the support classes prior to Nursing. If I knew then how I would be as a student I would have taken the classes together and would have already graduated. But, oh well, that's the way it goes.

How many credit hours are you taking?

Are you in an ADN or BSN program?

When do your clinicals start? Don't forget to leave time for them.

Good luck, you and your wife will make a great team, with many options available to you.

live4today, RN · Jul 14, 2002

Hello Zohar :)

As some have already pointed out to you....only you know what is "doable" for you or not. As for me.....no way could I have handled a schedule like that.....married or not.....kids or not. In looking back at my college days, I am still thankful that I proceeded through the nursing program as I did......first taking ALL the non-nursing classes that I could take BEFORE embarking on the journey into clinicals and actual nursing textbook material...BUT...that's me.....not you......so if you feel you can handle it......I wish you much success in doing so. :kiss :)

Zohar · Jul 14, 2002

Thanks for the help everybody.

I'm taking 15 credit hours, but I may drop the statistics, and go down to 12 if things get too tough. We're in a 2 year ADN program (fall-spring-summer, fall-spring) with the option to take the NCLEX-lpn after the summer session, then continue on two more semesters for our RN.

As for clinicals, that is what the Nursing 160 lab is. We'll be in the hospital from 8am-2pm.

StudentSandra · Jul 15, 2002

Sounds like you've got it going on pretty well, I don't think 12 or 15 hours is too many.

At my school, each nursing class is 10 cr hrs and we do 4 hrs lecture twice a week and 8 hrs of clinical once a week. We are also required to put in computer hours each semester that equals to 1 hr per week.

Love-A-Nurse · Jul 15, 2002

originally posted by zohar
i just finished a bachelor's in political science, and i decided to join my wife in starting nursing school. she, being the smart woman that she is, has already taken anatomy, physiology, and microbiology. i however, have not had any of these since they don't involve dead presidents or elections. so, i'm taking a&p 1 along with my nursing and other classes. i'm also going to continue working my current job, as it pays very well, ($14/hour) and if i had to quit, we both would be walking to school, and/or suffering from malnutrition. here is what our week is going to be like.

monday

8:00-9:55
nursing 160 lecture

break from 9:55-12:20
(most likely spent studying)

12:20-1:15
speech 204 lecture (communication for workplace)

1:15-3:00
at home studying

3:30-7:00pm
working

7:15
home to study

tuesday

8:00-10:00
nursing 163 lecture

10:00-12:45
break (studying)

12:45-2:10
a&p 1 lecture

2:20-3:00
at home (studying)

3:30-7:00pm
working

home at 7:15 to study

wednesday

no school, study all day, then work from 3:30-7:00pm

thursday

9:00-11:00
speech 204 lab (who knows what you do in a speech lab for 2 hours)

1:00-12:45
break

12:45-2:10
a&p 1 lecture

2:20-5:30
a&p 1 lab

5:30- on
home. i get one day a week off, because i have to work every saturday.

friday

8:00-2:00pm
nursing 160 lab

2:00-3-00
home

3:30-7:00pm
work

7:15-on
home studying

saturday

8:00-3:00pm
working

after this, we're probably gonna be studying or relaxing.

sunday

if sundays are at all like they were when i was getting my bachelor's, they will be spent going to church, then getting out, and studying till late that night for some killer exam that a masochist professor wants to give bright and early monday morning. if not, then we'll be studying some, and relaxing alot.

oh, and i'm taking a statistics class (3 hours), and a health calculations class (1 hour) online. if i have to, i can drop the statistics class, and still have 12 credit hours left. also, if things get way too hairy at school, i can drop my work week from 3:30-7pm to 5:00-7pm. this would be a last resort move, though.

my wife has exactly the same schedule as i do this semester. thankfully, she is taking a&p for audit with me, so she won't have to worry about tests, and can still help me figure it out.

my question is, is this doable? i just hope i haven't bitten off more than i can chew.

oh, another thing, we don't have any kids, other than a very large cat, so we can devote most of our time to studying.

first let me say welcome to the board! although you know best, it looks like a doable schedule. how exciting to hear of yet another couple who will be obtaining their rn schooling together. nice to meet you and your wife.

Zohar · Jul 16, 2002

Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm hoping and praying that we do well in school. Reading these boards has really opened my eyes to some info that I'm sure is bound to help. My wife doesn't post on these boards, but she looks alot, like myself.

Thanks again

babynursewannab · Jul 16, 2002

Super, WAY, doable! Enjoy and welcome!

-Alyssa

shenee · Jul 16, 2002

I have taken a&p1 but I will take a&p2 this fall along with my other nursing classes, I have a 2 hour commute, and go to work Friday at 7pm and don't get off till Monday 7am(all weekend), I'm married and take care of my grandmother who is going down hill mentally, and I have a 3 year old little girl. Going to school and working full timew is hard(I've been taking classes for a year now)but if you tell your self that you will push to the limit these 2 years you will have a great reward. Once you get out of high school the years fly by. You can look up in 2 years and say another couple of years just flew by, or you can say those 2 years were hell, but now I'm a nurse. To me it's no sacrifice, it's a small price to pay to have a job where you really impact the live of others. My original dream was to join the Peace Corp after nursing school, but that was 10 years ago and i have a family of my own now. When things seem too much just think about the end result, and hold on. Take it one day at a time, and soon your one day will be the last day.

Good luck

Shenee:)