possible to work during NP school? or loans?

Nursing Students Post Graduate

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I am planning on attending an FNP program. I am starting to think that it would be a very bad idea to work and go to school at the same time, especially if I want to get it done within 2-3 years. Is it realistic to take out school loans for all of the NP program so that I don't have to work? The loans would also have to cover the cost of living/rent etc. I am very hesitant to work during school..any advice?

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Specializes in Family Med, Adolescent Health, Lactation, Teaching.

no answers so far, huh? i'm wondering the same thing myself. originally i planned to stop working entirely, though lately i've had second thoughts and was wanting to maintain my per diem status. i've gotten conflicting advice/attitudes from the various people with whom i've discussed this. when i went to my immediate supervisor to discuss it, i found out that she is in school full time in addition to working full time (four long days a week, four lectures on her day off) in addition to having a five year old son. whoa!!!! that's more than i could possibly handle! i have kids and already only work 2 shifts a week, so for me it's a question of whether i should cut down to one shift/week (or less) or just stop. i'm leaning towards working a couple of shifts a month if they'll let me do that.... but even that i'm not sure about.

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Specializes in nursing education.

In my experience, most people work while in NP school. I work at a clinic that attracts RN's that want to go to school, and NP students getting clinical hours- most of them working also- so I've seen lots of people work varying FTE's while in MSN programs.

I am currently working .6 FTE while working toward my MSN part time.

In the nursing theory class I am currently taking, every week we have to apply a theory to our practice. The couple of students who are not currently working are at a disadvantage there...as well as in patho, where the lecturer asks about current practice and interesting current cases to bring interest to the lectures.

Especially if you feel that you are getting good experience, I think it's best to keep working.

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Specializes in Family Med, Adolescent Health, Lactation, Teaching.

hmm. i'm certainly getting experience at work, but i've already got years of experience there. i just feel like if i work weekly i'll either have way too little time w my kids (could never help them w homework and would probably be even more overwhelmed w all the odds and ends responsibilities like paperwork from their school etc) and/or i wouldn't study enough. if i didn't have kids i could definitely see doing it. but i'm not a super-go-getter type in terms of packing in 18 hours of productivity in each day, so even then i can't imagine doing full time for both school and work.

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Specializes in nursing education.

YMMV. Why don't you talk to your advisor to see what he or she recommends?

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Specializes in Couplet Care/Newborn Nursery.

I worked full time while going to school for my MSN (almost done). I will start the FNP program in August and will work part time, but I have a feeling I will eventually go per-diem because I will be required to attend clinical a minimum of 3 days per week. I am married, but with no kids. I think it all depends on the person and their ability to manage school, work, family, etc.

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Check out this FNP program. Frontier Nursing University - Distance Education from the Birthplace of Nurse-Midwifery and Family Nursing in America

Might be a good fit for you. It was recommended to me by an MSN educator that left teaching ( poor pay ) and used it herself. She loved it.

Jim

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Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.

If there are agencies that supply RNs to hospitals this is what I did working for my BSN, worked as a "rent a nurse". Made more then hospital RNs and could set my schedule. I worked on weekends and went to school Mon-Fri. For my MSN/FNP I worked pt/prn in the ER which did not do strictly 12 hour schedules, there were 4 hr/y6 hr/8 hr/10 hour shifts. I worked about 20-25 hours per week. I started my MSN, single mom with 4 y.o. but had lots of help with child care from my parents. Plus commuted 90 miles round trip to school and to work. Had GI bill so have never had student loans.

SailorNurse, MSN, FNP

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I work nearly full-time, and attend FNP school FT. I don't have children, and I have not taken out any school loans. I think most people in the program do work if they have the opportunity to do both.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I am going to work prn when I can throughout my DNP program. If that becomes too much then I will not work at all. The faculty at Loyola axtually recommends that the students do not work during the 3 year program.

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Specializes in CTICU.

I worked fulltime (M-F 8-4 plus on-call duties) during NP school but I was lucky to have a flexible employer who let me rearrange my schedule at times to go to class or do clinicals. I used a lot of my vacation time on clinicals.. haven't had a "real holiday" for the past 3.5 years... but graduation is 7 days away and I made it! I was not eligible for loans being a non-citizen so I paid upfront as I went, plus a few scholarships and tuition assistance from my employer.

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My experience has been that most attending school for APRN specialty roles like NP, CNS, etc. actually work while going to school. Honestly, though it's tougher, I think it offers a much better learning experience and yields a better nurse in the end. You get to see the things you're learning about in action at work on a daily basis.

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