I hope I'm not alone........

[rscs92]

I've been an LVN for a few years now. I'm wanting so desperately to transition to a RN but am having trouble finding a program that fits my schedule. Most programs locally encourage you to work a MAX of 20 hours a week and the program classes and clinicals are during the day. I can't survive on 20 hours a week. I need to work full time but I really want to go back to school but I keep running into road blocks. Please, any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

[NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN]

Plenty of students work FT even with the strong recommendations from the school not to do so.

I won't lie. It sucks. It's exhausting. And then it's over.

The biggest thing is having an employer who will be flexible with your work schedule so that your hours aren't conflicting with when you need to be in class and/or clinicals.

[NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

You have to do what you feel you need to do. If you think you can handle fulltime work and school, go for it. You won't know until you try. Start out with one or two classes and see how that goes. Tweak your course/workload based on the experience of your first semester. By the middle of your second semester, you'll be an old pro at juggling both. Most employers are supportive of higher education. Maybe you could inquire about a weekend work schedule or Baylor-type situation with your employer.

When I did my LPN-RN bridge, it was online and my work hours were practically non-existent due to economic downfall. So, it all worked out well for me. When I did my online BSN program (after completing the general education portion, i.e. exams), I scheduled work hours for every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. On Sundays, I would review the assignments for the upcoming week; and on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, time was devoted to coursework only.

This time, two days shy of one month away, I will begin the MSN pursuit. This will be the first time ever that I will be working fulltime while pursuing any type of degree. Again, though, this will be an online degree (with some preceptorship hours done at my job at some point). We'll see how it goes.

One thing that I've always tried to stand by is that I will not work on a day that I have designated as a class day (even if it's online); and I will not do any class work on a day that I have to work. This helps to prevent burnout and sensory overload. Granted, this works better if you're on 12-hour shifts. Not many choices if you're working a Monday-Friday gig.