Newly single mom....will nursing still work for me?

scrlet · Dec 19, 2012

I'm a nursing student right now and I will tell you that when I was going through my divorce I waited until my kids were both in school full time to do it. I did take PSW though and got a job in a LTC facility and worked straight afternoons pt. My kids go to their dads house every weekend, so I usually worked at least every other weekend. But it was hard during the week because I would have to be at work before they got home from school and didn't get home until after they were in bed. I missed them of course, but the reality of it all is, no matter what job it is, everyone has to pay their due's and put their time in on the crappy shifts. I just made sure I made the most of the time I had with my kids. And with the amount of money I made there, I didn't have to work ft, so that was at least a benefit. I also always made sure my kids knew why I had to work, appropriate to their age of course and we made it work. It hurt my heart some days when they were sad and not gonna lie there was the extreme rare time I used my sick days and stayed home with them when they asked. You will figure it out. I did, everyone who posted before me did. Just make sure you don't have super unrealistic expectations going into it and you will be able to make it work. Good Luck!!

InfirmiereJolie · Dec 20, 2012

Nahla if you are not working how are you going to support yourself and your children, though?

I'd say stay in school and work

somenurse · Dec 20, 2012

If you do love nursing, and you do want to stay in school, go for it. It can be done. I did it.

If you do love nursing, you can have time with your children, and work, too. Many nurses who work the 12 hour shifts, find having four days off each week, is a big plus for parents. Some of them string up their days, to get as many as 6 days off in a row, without using any vacation days.

(of course, during the stretches you string together 12 hour shifts, you will only see your kids parttime).

Doctor offices and some of the outpatient clinics of many types often are mon-fri jobs, no nights, no weekends, no holidays, almost like school days.

School nurses, of course, can be off in the summertime, too.

Some moms find night shift works better to avoid calling sick when their kids are home sick,

but, missing sleep can be hard, too.

Some nurses find home health might offer more flexible hours than a facility might.

out in the workforce,

There are various options you can find, to suit your own life. But, you should also know, the heyday of the nursing shortage is mostly over in most places, it's not as easy nowadays to find work,

as it once was.

I only skimmed, but, i didn't catch how old your kids are?

If your kids are very small preschoolers,

IF IF IF you do have the option to stay home,(?) i always like to see very small kids being raised by one of their parents.

Babytimes go by so fast, and never come back again.

But, this is not an option for many families to have,

and some moms need to leave the home cuz 24/7 motherhood is no piece of cake, either, (for real, i have coworkers who say they come to work to relax, ha ha! not that nursing is easy, nope, is kinda joke that her kids were making her bonkers)

or they'd feel so unfulfilled without following some goal, etc,

and we all do the best we can with the cards we are dealt.

If you would be working anyway, (gone from home) i don't know if that is dramatically different hours-wise,

than working as a nurse, or going to school.

One can be a mom, (married or not) and go to nursing school fulltime, or work fulltime,

and be a mom parttime. It takes a committed, energetic person,

and a network of support,

but, it can be done. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!