Help! I think I need to be a nurse! :)

Delicate Flower · Jun 21, 2014

I think if you have your heart set on homeschooling your children for the entire lenth of their school career, it would be hard. Even if you work nights, you have to sleep sometime! 11p-7a would be more do-able, but 12 hour shifts are a lot more common, especially in acute care.

But then again, if it's what you need to do, then the fact that it will be hard probably won't stop you :)

anixon · Jun 21, 2014

So I am terrified! I have been toying with the idea of getting my CNA license and working graveyards to help support my homeschooling family. My husband works during the day so I need a solid night time job - I am a true night owl anyway...
So the more I research and read and learn... and the more I stand in the nursing section at the book store in front of all those nursing books... and the more I think and search myself... the more I realize I need to go all the way here. This calling has actually been sitting on my heart since high school I just never listened to it and here I am, close to thirty, knee deep in raising a family, homeschooling, embracing the stay at home mom, homemaking calling and I can't help but realize that as my kids get older, I can totally do this.
But I am so scared! Not because I think I will fail (because I know if God is calling me here, He will equip me) but because I seriously had given up all prospects of "having my own life" while my children were young and so even imagining me doing anything like this is just nuts! In a good way.
What was it like for you when you first realized you were being called to nursing? If you were called. Where were you in your life's journey? I can do this right! LOL I can homeschool in the day and start this as a 3rd shift CNA by night slowly working my way to RN as my kids get older and can handle more of their own.

Hi Shan,

I am a homeschool mom... Been doing it for 8 years and also just finished working on my pre reqs. Not sure the ages of your children but mine are 8, 11, 14. I am waiting to be accepted into Duke ABSN program for this spring. I think if it's in your heart...like it is for me and has been since I started college back in 1995 (I'm 37) then you should do it. Just take your time though. Work on your CNA and maybe a bio class while you homeschool. It's what I did. I think you can do this. I have taught my kids to be very independent ... For this reason! I know that they are getting older and I want a life for myself as well. I also have thought about working evenings or nights my first year so I can be home... You can do this!

staycalm · Jun 21, 2014

Anything is possible. My own mother graduated nursing school the same month I graduated from highschool. I can speak from both perspectives (growing up as a kid with a mom in college, and as a nurse mom).

My reflections on childhood: I went to public school-- my mother worked full time, varying her jobs to accommodate her school schedule. She spent her evenings & weekends studying or writing papers. Most of my childhood memories are of her at the table studying. No bad memories. She is super caring and loving. I definitely learned the value of what an education will provide-and how much work it can be. I'm not sure how she would have been able to finish nursing school if we were homeschooled. The clinicals are similar to another job themselves.

As a mom, I LOVE my career choice. I've been able to find the right balance of career & family. I cut back my hours with each kid, also changed eventually from nights to days. Working nights does equate to more family time, but it does come at the cost of sleep. Sleep deprivation will result in being sick more often. I also found myself just longing to sleep even though I was up with my kids. I think working days to my surprise actually works better for family life. My best nurse friend homeschools. She was struggling working 2 12hr shifts/week and fully devoting to homeschool what she felt she needed to, and had to cut back from work. It's difficult to switch gears after a tough shift, being completely drained in every capacity & turn around recharged the next day.

If you are felt called to this profession- I'd say you have the perfect heart for it! It will tug at your heart strings until you explore this further. It's not all about being compassionate & kind; there's a TON of charting, policies, continuing ed, etc.

I agree with taking a 6wk CNA course. This will allow you to explore the atmosphere of nursing, as well as different subset areas & also provide experience if you decide this is something you want to get a degree in. You will get an idea how you feel in the environment (but keep in mind not your point of view, but the nurses in the units you work in). There's a lot of variety (just like nursing). I didn't care for most of the units when I was in school, but learned what I do love. I have several co-workers who got their CNA, as mothers, worked, then decided to jump into college mode- & it was a rough few years for them & their young families. They made a lot of sacrifices to graduate- but it paid off in the end.

Don't let age sway you from it either. There's plenty people choosing nursing "mid life"!

Best of luck! You can be a great example to your children by following your heart & your calling!

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Jun 21, 2014

I don't know if I was called.... But I was 29 and decided it was ok for me to pursue a field I was interested in. At the time, I had a high schooler, a middle schooler and 1 who was just about to start kindergarten. It was a big change from being a stay at home mom.

Along the way as I was taking RN prereqs, I became a CNA. During this time I fell in love with becoming a nurse. I had the fortunate opportunity to work in a large hospital as a 1:1 CNA and I spent so much time observing the nurses. I didn't know exactly what they were doing or why but I loved watching them provide care, give meds, teach, etc.

Now that I am a new grad Lvn, I'm still in love with the idea of growing in this profession. I want to be a skilled competent kind compassionate nurse, like the ones I worked with. I love going to work--ok, sometimes I think I don't want to go in, but once I get to work, I usually get in my "mode" and love love my job.

ShanMiran · Jun 22, 2014

Thank you for your encouraging words ladies. I am getting really excited for this!!

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Jun 23, 2014

Just going to throw this out there, when do you plan on sleeping? I think it's a valid question before you spend the time and money on this. I applaud anyone that can homeschool because I do not have the patience for it. You need to really think this out. I did my prereqs while my son was in school during the day. The last thing I wanted was for him to suffer because I decided to go to school.

I am 38. Many people think you need a "calling" to be a nurse. I disagree. I have always had an interest in the science and medical portion of nursing. It is a lot of work. I went through a divorce at the same time I started my prereqs which is another reason I didn't want to disrupt my son's life. The divorce was hard enough on him. I wanted to make sure I was there for him as much as possible. That also meant keeping me healthy as his mom. Just make sure you are taking care of yourself. I would do one of two things depending on the ages of your kids. If they can kind of self guide themselves through schooling I would maybe attempt taking a couple of night classes and studying while your kids study during the day. Do not worry about becoming a CNA right now. Just work out a goal and start working on it. If you want to be a CNA period then take the class and work on that. But don't homeschool, become a CNA and work all night, and do nursing school. I don't think that is possible.

Make your husband a part of this journey. Sit down and talk to your family about what your goals are, and have their support. School will be much easier if you have support. Make sure they understand what you are going to do and you all are on board.

HappyWife77, BSN, RN · Jun 23, 2014

I am usually all for getting CNA but in your situation I would say....just work on your RN degree and sleep at night. See if you can do online prerequisites and study while your kids are homeschooling as well. Then cross the other bridges when the time comes. You will need to be there for your kids and working 11-7 will spread you very thin. If you can get away with not working in school....Go for it.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jun 24, 2014

To answer your question, I didn't feel "called" into nursing when I decided to become an RN. I was a CNA, enjoyed it, and decided that furthering that path would have more job security than the music degree I was working on. A couple years ago though, I began to feel called to use my skills to help persecuted Christians (strongly considering VOMedical). What was it like? All I ever wanted was to be a SAHM. Until about a year ago, we couldn't afford for me to be one with assisting my husband's retired parents and his foreign missionary sister, plus providing for our own kids. Now he's a CFO and we could manage quite well...but like your post title says, "I *need*" to do this. Or rather, I at least need to stay in my unit around critical trauma, embrace my floats to Burn when I'm needed there (lots of my colleagues grumble), learn all I can, and see what doors God opens. I do only work part-time though.

Like the PPs have said, I too think it's an awfully big bite to chew to work as a CNA, homeschool, and go to nursing school yourself. You will be spending a fair amount of time in your clinical sites in addition to class time...honestly nursing school is at least a part-time job in itself. Plus being responsible for the education of your own kids. If your family doesn't need the income, prioritize your and your kids' schooling.

I "know" someone from Internet land who homeschools her kids and works 2 12-hour shifts per week as an RN. Is it easy-peasy, no, but very doable according to her. And like you said, if this is really God's will for your life, He will help you through.

Good providence on your journey! :)

Jillybean48 · Jun 24, 2014

I had a baby my senior year in high school. Graduated high school at 17, and went straight into nursing school. Worked a full time job while I was in nursing school. Had the baby in day care while I was in school. Had family/babysitter/and boyfriend (now husband) watching the baby while I worked. I graduated LPN school on the National Dean's List. I studied all hours of the night every night while rocking my baby; I even read from my med/surg book to him and it put him to sleep every night. I think that may have been a mistake because he is now a 23 year old hypochondriac. If you feel this is what you were meant to do then you can do this.

RNbygrace13 · Jun 27, 2014

I first felt called to nursing when I was 16. I fought it with everything I had. I was on track for med school and to be honest I thought nursing was kind of "meh" at the time. When I graduated high school I had already finished almost semesters of college while working 35 hrs a week to help my family. When I started undergrad my advisor recommended I major in something other than a science to be a "well rounded candidate" meanwhile I met and married the man of my dreams. I wasted so much time and money trying to not be a nurse. When I started nursing school I knew I was in the right place. I started my first day the day after I was discharged from the hospital after a csection and did 12 hr shifts after being woken up every hour by a child who did not sleep through the night until 13 months old. It was the most difficult 2 years. I made A's and B's and passed my NCLEX on the first try with the minimum number of questions. It is hard and it will flip your life upside down for awhile, but possible and worth it if its your calling.

Help! I think I *need* to be a nurse! :)

Help! I think I need to be a nurse! :)