What is/was your job going through grad school?

[403RN]

Going through the MSN program and working in a nursing position, would you recommend working a 3 12-hour shifts schedule, a M-F dayshift schedule, or doing something totally unrelated such as being a waitress with a varied schedule (all with an overall goal of doing well in school and being able to pay bills). I realize many factors play into this, but I'm curious about what current and past students have done. What has worked well for you? What hasn't worked well for you?

[Teleflurry, DNP]

Full time surgical ICU nurse, working my three 12 hours shifts a week on nightshift - plus overtime shifts - married mother of a two year old son, and pregnant with my second son. Currently in the BSN-DNP Adult/Gerontological Primary Care program. Have been called superwondermommy. I just like to keep the lights on. :)

[rachel0609, ADN, RN]

I'm a HH RN Case Manager, I work Mon-Fri 8-5. I'm married and I have 3 little ones, my youngest is 8 months. I'm not worried about keeping up with the didactic portion, it's fitting in the clinical that I'm worried about. I'm excited though!

I have applied to Simmons College and Frontier for the fall semester FNP.

[Palliative Care, DNP]

I stopped working at the hospital last June. I taught clinicals for a community college RN program last Fall. It's too much to work full time and be a full time grad student. I'm not working this semester or any more at all until I finish my final year of the DNP. I struggled to keep up and that's not worth it.

[Dixiecup]

i was in a totally online program. Took two classes per semester including summers. I worked as an ADON at a skilled nursing facility. I could flex my hours to fit my needs as long as I got my 40 hours in so that was nice. The last year I pretty much worked every weekend and then the rest during the week. Mostly days but I could also come in on evening shift after doing clinicals in the day. I was lucky to work at a facility that let me pick and choose my hours! Still had BIG student loan debt as my job just paid the bills and the school I attended was expensive!

[jessica.lanelle]

I am the clinical staff nurse for an outpatient surgery clinic 8-5, M-F, and I fully intend for this to be my job throughout school. I was able to keep this job throughout my MSN in Admin/Management, and since I am doing the ACNP track, with a focus in ER/urgent care, I have found it pretty easy to get my clinical hours in during nights and weekends.

I attend the University of Arkansas, and the program is almost totally online, so that helps quite a bit, as well.

Also, I work at a university, so I have good benefits-a lot of vacation time-if I need it, but I try to save that for Vegas :)