Second Career Students--HOW can I do this?

Nursing Students General Students

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Here's my dilemma:

Yesterday, I went to an info. session for the nursing program I will eventually attend (have to take a few pre-req's first). Everything was great until the instructor says, "Most of our nursing students work nights or weekends. There is NO WAY you can have a regular 9-5 job and go to nursing school. It's a full-time thing." I then came home and checked out the course times for every nursing term, and she was basically right. For the first term alone, I would be able to work Mondays after 10 am, Tuesdays & Wednesdays after 1:30 pm, Thursdays after 11:00 am and Fridays all day.

Well, I'm currently a dental hygienist. As you may know, dental offices are not open at night. :uhoh3: And, most offices won't let a hygienist work half a day. So, I'm thinking, "Okay, so I'll just have to get a nights/weekends job....but that means (most likely) a minimum wage job." I'm married with two kids. We're barely scraping by with our bills as it is right now, and (as a hygienist) I make the same or more as most RN's here in NM. I don't know HOW we would survive if I had to work a min. wage job during school!! :o

I'm not putting down min. wage jobs at all. I'm just wondering how those of you who also are pursuing nursing as a second career are affording to not work as much, while you're in school? Am I making any sense? :imbar

I don't want to give up my dream of becoming an RN, just because I'll have to work a less-paying job during school. It's the BILLS I'm worried about! Know what I mean?

Angel

One great way to make work WORK for you during nursing school is to take on a casual/part-time role at a local nursing home as a nurse's aide. Yes from what I understand it's a pretty "minimum wage" type arrangement, but you'll be working shifts so you'll be getting penalties.

I work at a local dementia unit as a casual employee. This means that I get penalties in lieu of leave (about 20%). I also get extra pay for working evenings, and extra pay for working nights. Weekends get paid more (I'm in Australia so it might be different, but it's time and a half for saturdays and double time on sundays).

I attend school fulltime, but the nature of lectures, tutorials and clinicals being at odd hours mean that I can "fill in the blanks" in my week with shifts at work. There are some other advantages:

Working nights and evenings mean that you often have quiet periods when the residents are all sleeping. So you can take your textbooks and flashcards along and study.

It integrates well with your studies - I get clinical practice in wound dressings, medications and all sorts of diseases. This means that I do better at check-offs than I otherwise would.

You can be a bit creative! My dementia patients love "games"...the simpler the better. I will sometimes make "games" that help me to study - one favorite is taking along my flashcards with the answer on the back. I get them to take turns in quizzing me - they love to try and trip me up! They get company and mental stimulation and I get to study!

Also, as aged care residents LOVE to chat - you can chat with them about what you are learning at school. As I'm giving someone a wash or dressing them, I'll chat about some of the things I'm learning at school. Even the ones who can't talk or understand appreciate the comforting voice...and it reinforces my learning as when I sit at an exam I can remember, "oh yes...I was telling Gladys about glomerular filtration!" lol

Even though the pay seems to be low if viewed "by the hour", you'd be amazed at how it adds up. I clocked up 39 hours last week and still managed to get to school every day, do an exam AND study.

Best of luck! where there's a will there's a way!

I feel your pain! I currently work 3p-11p for the US Postal service while I am in school during the day. Next semester, I will not be able to work full time as we will be in class or clinic till 4pm most days of the week.

I don't know about NM, but here in TN and in a lot of other states, many hospitals will hire nursing students to work as "nurse techs" or "nurse extenders" I believe that these jobs encompass aide duties but you also may be under the supervision of an RN and you perform some duties that are more RN oriented instead of aide. Did that make sense? :chuckle These jobs typically pay more than entry level hospital jobs which I agree, don't pay squat.

Another option might be working at a call center. Many of these are open evenings and overnight to suit their customers. Could you possibly find a dentist that would let you work part time in the afternoons? I know there are dentists in my area now that are open on weekends to accommodate their patients that can't schedule appointments during the week. Perhaps there is a dentist in your area that does the same.

It can be done, sometimes you have to get creative, sometimes you just have to live a real lean existance, sometimes you live in anticipation of a financial aid check (been there!)

Hope this has helped! Hang in there, you will find a way!

A

Specializes in CVICU.

I work as a CNA (higher than min wage but way lower than my old career). I also took out a private loan for school (based on my old salary so I got the max amount) to help cover the expenses. I will get financial aid loans to pay for school tuition.

I hate taking out loans but I hated my old job more so it will be a good trade in the long run!

Good luck

Specializes in OBGYN, Neonatal.

Are there any schools in your area that offer evening/weekend programs? I'm in an evening/weekend program, it does take a year longer but its the only way I could do it. One of my classmates is a dental hygeniest. She works til 5 or so and then we have class on Tues/Thurs nights and every other sat/sun day.

I work in human resources so I have to work during the day too. But during my first degree, psych, for many years I worked in a callcenter, then worked part time days and then needed a full time job so had to do online and night classes. That was before nursing school though :):) I chose this school b/c of the night/weekend Rn program.

Get a job as a waitress or bartender. I make *well* above minimum wage and the hours are extremely flexible. Quite honestly, I probably can pull down nearly as much as I'll make as a nurse, at least starting out. I just won't hate the job so much ;) There's a big difference between someone going off on you over shrimp vs someone going off because they are sick. The former gets pretty hard on your ego after 14 years or so of doing it. Some places you can work for even have primo benefits. Red Lobster..where I'm working now, has health insurance available from the first day you work (no 6 month wait like most employers). If you have no experience, don't worry..a lot of places will train you, especially the larger chains.

Right now, I work three days a week and make somewhere between 300-400 dollars for about 20-25 hours of work. Keep in mind, too, that I am in Wyoming, and wherever you are, it might be higher. Also, some states pay 2.13 an hour for servers, and some pay at least minimum wage. The real money is in the tips. It depends on how busy the place you work for is, obviously, and how high the typical check average is. That, combined with student loans etc., and my two kids and I are managing and I've got enough time for them and for studying.

Deana

One great way to make work WORK for you during nursing school is to take on a casual/part-time role at a local nursing home as a nurse's aide. Yes from what I understand it's a pretty "minimum wage" type arrangement, but you'll be working shifts so you'll be getting penalties.

I work at a local dementia unit as a casual employee. This means that I get penalties in lieu of leave (about 20%). I also get extra pay for working evenings, and extra pay for working nights. Weekends get paid more (I'm in Australia so it might be different, but it's time and a half for saturdays and double time on sundays).

I attend school fulltime, but the nature of lectures, tutorials and clinicals being at odd hours mean that I can "fill in the blanks" in my week with shifts at work. There are some other advantages:

Working nights and evenings mean that you often have quiet periods when the residents are all sleeping. So you can take your textbooks and flashcards along and study.

It integrates well with your studies - I get clinical practice in wound dressings, medications and all sorts of diseases. This means that I do better at check-offs than I otherwise would.

You can be a bit creative! My dementia patients love "games"...the simpler the better. I will sometimes make "games" that help me to study - one favorite is taking along my flashcards with the answer on the back. I get them to take turns in quizzing me - they love to try and trip me up! They get company and mental stimulation and I get to study!

Also, as aged care residents LOVE to chat - you can chat with them about what you are learning at school. As I'm giving someone a wash or dressing them, I'll chat about some of the things I'm learning at school. Even the ones who can't talk or understand appreciate the comforting voice...and it reinforces my learning as when I sit at an exam I can remember, "oh yes...I was telling Gladys about glomerular filtration!" lol

Even though the pay seems to be low if viewed "by the hour", you'd be amazed at how it adds up. I clocked up 39 hours last week and still managed to get to school every day, do an exam AND study.

Best of luck! where there's a will there's a way!

That sounds like a terrific option, Kathy. But...don't you already have to be a certified nurse's aide in order to work as one in a nursing home? :o

Angel

One great way to make work WORK for you during nursing school is to take on a casual/part-time role at a local nursing home as a nurse's aide. Yes from what I understand it's a pretty "minimum wage" type arrangement, but you'll be working shifts so you'll be getting penalties.

I work at a local dementia unit as a casual employee. This means that I get penalties in lieu of leave (about 20%). I also get extra pay for working evenings, and extra pay for working nights. Weekends get paid more (I'm in Australia so it might be different, but it's time and a half for saturdays and double time on sundays).

I attend school fulltime, but the nature of lectures, tutorials and clinicals being at odd hours mean that I can "fill in the blanks" in my week with shifts at work. There are some other advantages:

Working nights and evenings mean that you often have quiet periods when the residents are all sleeping. So you can take your textbooks and flashcards along and study.

It integrates well with your studies - I get clinical practice in wound dressings, medications and all sorts of diseases. This means that I do better at check-offs than I otherwise would.

You can be a bit creative! My dementia patients love "games"...the simpler the better. I will sometimes make "games" that help me to study - one favorite is taking along my flashcards with the answer on the back. I get them to take turns in quizzing me - they love to try and trip me up! They get company and mental stimulation and I get to study!

Also, as aged care residents LOVE to chat - you can chat with them about what you are learning at school. As I'm giving someone a wash or dressing them, I'll chat about some of the things I'm learning at school. Even the ones who can't talk or understand appreciate the comforting voice...and it reinforces my learning as when I sit at an exam I can remember, "oh yes...I was telling Gladys about glomerular filtration!" lol

Even though the pay seems to be low if viewed "by the hour", you'd be amazed at how it adds up. I clocked up 39 hours last week and still managed to get to school every day, do an exam AND study.

Best of luck! where there's a will there's a way!

That sounds like a terrific option, Kathy. But...don't you already have to be a certified nurse's aide in order to work as one in a nursing home? :o

Angel

most nursing homes are desperate for aides. Many of them will train you and pay for you to take the exam in exchange for working for them for a set period of time.

A

most nursing homes are desperate for aides. Many of them will train you and pay for you to take the exam in exchange for working for them for a set period of time.

A

Thank you so much for all your responses, everyone. Just knowing it can be done is already an encouragement for me. I'm probably worrying way too early anyway. By the time I finish my pre-req's (going PT) and get through the year-long waiting list to get into nursing, it'll be 2007. :rolleyes: I guess that does give me a lot of time to start selling stuff on Ebay or at garage sales for extra cash! LOL

Is there any possible way to get financial aid with a previous bachelors degree? Our CC's nursing program does not charge tuition, so it's not school that will cost me...it's the "working for less money" that will.

Here's another question for you all: What about the "Mommy guilt" of not seeing much of your kids (because you're in school all day and working all night)? :o By the time I start nursing classes, my boys will be 8 and 11.

Angel

Thank you so much for all your responses, everyone. Just knowing it can be done is already an encouragement for me. I'm probably worrying way too early anyway. By the time I finish my pre-req's (going PT) and get through the year-long waiting list to get into nursing, it'll be 2007. :rolleyes: I guess that does give me a lot of time to start selling stuff on Ebay or at garage sales for extra cash! LOL

Is there any possible way to get financial aid with a previous bachelors degree? Our CC's nursing program does not charge tuition, so it's not school that will cost me...it's the "working for less money" that will.

Here's another question for you all: What about the "Mommy guilt" of not seeing much of your kids (because you're in school all day and working all night)? :o By the time I start nursing classes, my boys will be 8 and 11.

Angel

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