Working while in nursing school?

Nursing Students General Students

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I often get discouraged by my mom and other people saying "you don't have it that hard", "I did it, so can you", type deal because I do not currently have a job, and I have not had one at all in nursing school. I commuted my first semester and ended up failing because I could not handle the commuting and having to get up at the crack of dawn for clinicals and classes. I am mainly a night person. My mom went to school for 7 years to obtain her educational degree. Yes, she had me and my brother and a family to take care of.. But she consistently throws up in my face that her getting her educational degree to teach is just as hard as nursing school. I really beg to differ, but I still get upset and cry and feel like a failure since I do not have a job an all. I applied for tons of hospitals and no call back. My mom does not pay a single dime for anything that I have. I use strictly loans. I just want to know if its really doable and worth it? I usually go to school 4 to 5 days a week. I really want something in the medical field, but I feel like the hospitals aren't willing to hire many people right now. I live in an area where there are only two hospitals. I do not have a CNA license either. There is only one hospital in my area that allows you to be a PCT if you have completed your first semester of BSN. My family and my boyfriend live an hour away from me. It's just a struggle to me to sacrifice the little time I have to spend time with them versus having a job.. My mom says that's a sacrifice you have to make.. And I am like really? Do I have to? I go to school with nobody I know.. Not that it matters, but my boyfriend is my best friend.. And the person that helps me get away from reality. It's very important to me to see him atleast every two weeks. I don't know what I need to do.. Any advice?

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Specializes in Public Health.

Tell them to mind their business! If it works for you then you don't need a job!

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Working during nursing school is hard. As long as you are prepared to pay back all the extra money you are taking out, then go for it. You may find the extra loan burden to be hard though.

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If you want to work during nursing school, you will; if you don't, then you will not. It doesn't have to be healthcare related either or even full time. At least for now. No offense bc I do not know you or your situation but trying to work while in nursing school isn't exactly the worst thing that can happen for you. It really comes down to your priorities, what you want out of your life, how school will be paid for, etc etc. I hate to play devils advocate but it does sound like your mom had it way harder bc on top of having a family, she too did all that was necessary to earn her education.

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I guess it is not the fact that I do not think that she did not have it harder in that aspect. I just feel like going to school for elementary education is not as challenging as going to nursing school. I know it has it challenges, but my mom did not have to study at all for stuff. It was mainly projects. I am not saying it is the wrong thing to do even though all my instructors tell me NOT to work if at all possible. My school doesn't offer night classes or I probably would do that. My schedule is very inconsistent as well. Mon I will be at clinical from 1 to 7. Tues ill be at school from 830 to 11:50. Wed clinical 1 to 7. Thurs 9:00 TO 12:50. I feel like employers really do not want to have to "work" around your schedule esp if they have someone willing to work any shift. I guess the truth is I don't want to work every weekend. Like i said, all the people I know live an hour away from me. I work on weekends, I will never get to see my family or my boyfriend, and we have been together for almost 3 years. None of my roommates are people I know or grew up with. I only know all the people I go to nursing school with just because I go to nursing school with them. I live in rural area where I would make 7.25 an hour starting out. I know it is some sort of income, but I would not be able to get enough hours in to be able to not get a loan. My mom worked and still got loans and is in debt worse than I am right now. I guess all I am saying is am I wrong for not choosing to work and do I look like some lazy bum for choosing not to? It's an emotional battle where you want to conquer it all but is taking up your time with school and work and not cherishing time with people you love worth losing to make buck? I guess I just see that different. You can make money the rest of your life but you can't get memories back nor can you get someone back if they decide to pass.

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I am not saying everyone has that option because I know you have to work in order to live. Trust me. My mom made 12,000 dollars a year for 7 years. I know what living off a bare minimum is like, and she having to take care of two kids. I know people have children who are divorced or have husbands that do not make enough. I realize in their circumstances they have no choice, but is it wrong for me to choose a different way if those aren't my circumstances?

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Oh I though your mom went to nursing school. Honestly I don't know what its like bc I live in a urban/suburban area of New York where I don't have to travel an hour. My school, home, and work were all within 15-20 mins of one another. And starting salary as an aide while I was in school was 2-3x the 7.25 you'd make. Yet again, it is a lot more expensive living in NY. However the point is, you need to make decisions for yourself. If you can get into a hospital to gain experience before you graduate, I'd say do it and make sacrifice because that will make getting a job easier in the long run. Regardless, I would stop centering this decision around having a boyfriend. It's nice to care for someone but if he cares for you back he'd support you as you grow personally and professionally. As well, if you really want to work and go to school, weekends, nights, and free time is the time to do it. If not then don't. No reason to feel like a bum but it's one of those situations where you either do it or not. I'm not sure how expensive school is where your from, but I definitely could not have paid for school and my life expenses without working. If you don't need to, then focus on school.

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Where I have been in school working while in a nursing program is not recommended. If you have to then you have to. But if you dont have to then don't. Right now nursing school is my full time job, period. That is my priority and I have a few kids. Working would be helpful in a few different ways but it isnt going to work. And I wouldnt let anyone make me second guess my choices.

Dont work. Just focus on school and quite competing with people over who has it harder. We all have our own life circumstances that make it harder for each of us. Its just life. You wont get a tv movie for having a hard life.

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I work part time as a Nursing Assistant in ICU, commute an hour to school, and am raising two boys (6yo & 2yo). I don't work there because of money; I do it for the experience. I have been there since my first semester of school and will more than likely have a job in critical care immediately after graduation. Even with my crazy hectic schedule, I'm in the top 3 of my class & I attribute it to the nurses and intensivists at work. Their willingness to teach is incredible.

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I haven't started nursing school yet but I am starting in August. Prior to now I've always worked, I have 4 kids and make good grades. It's all about how bad you want it. If you can make it with loans its your business but I wouldn't want to pay all of that stuff back.

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I wish I would have made different choices beforehand as far as saving money, but I guess I wasn't sure if I was going ADN or BSN. I worked while taking my pre-reqs (I had a full pell that covered it), and I could have saved money then but didn't. I made about 430 dollars a month, but I had other obligations to pay for. I still could have saved though. I guess in my circumstance it would be nearly impossible to work now and make enough money to pay for school, rent, bills and such. I def should have planned better in that aspect and trust me, I tell my little brother every day! Boy get a job now and save!! Thanks for all the honesty though.. I am still really young.. 22 so I guess I have a lot to learn, but I definitely never have made anything more than a little above minimum wage for pay and that was 7.75. Maybe some miracle will happen and I will get a tech job. I have applied about 10 times over the summer with a completely open schedule with no call back lol

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If you've never done elementary education and she's never done nursing then I think neither of you really have any room to talk about which is harder. I have a biology degree and am in my last semester of nursing school. Nursing school is more time consuming by far, but biology was much more difficult. It's really a wash as far as which degree makes my life crappier while getting :) And if you can make it not having a job, then don't have a job. I see no point in making life harder just because someone thinks it should be.

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