Can you work PT

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Nov 15, 2007

To Pre-CRNA Inquiry Forum.

dfk, RN, CRNA · Nov 15, 2007

Hi every one, I hope some of you can answer my question regarding working and being in the anesthesia program. I am the bread winner in my home, and I find it difficult not to work. Is it possible to work pool on weekends at least 2( 12hr ) shift?

you can try, but it's highly ill advised..

shandsburnRN-CRNA · Nov 16, 2007

I have heard of some doing some PRN, but most I have talked to do not reccommend it. I start in January and I will not be working, I planned financially to be completely unemployeed while in anesthesia school to be on the safe side.

A friend of mine that's in his 3rd semester worked 3 8-hour shifts a week during the first semester but said it close to impossible. School all day, work 3-11, study until 3 or 4am, then up at 6 for school.

tonyccrn · Nov 16, 2007

what are you talking about, 2 12 hour shifts weekly, biweekly, monthly. I think it is highly unlikely you are going to be able to work. from all the people I have talked to, they say it is very very difficult to work while in anesthesia school. some i know have worked, but that didnt last very long. especially considering you have a family, the little free time you have you may want to spend with them rather then working. just my opinion.

loans, loans, and more loans sounds like its the way to go.

UCDSICURN · Nov 16, 2007

Hi every one, I hope some of you can answer my question regarding working and being in the anesthesia program. I am the bread winner in my home, and I find it difficult not to work. Is it possible to work pool on weekends at least 2( 12hr ) shift?

Don't bother. It's not worth your time, energy, or sanity for a couple shifts a week. You'll be spread thin and burn out in no time from the combination of work and the rigors of the program.

I'm the bread winner also. I have a 300k mortgage to pay for, commute costs, tuition, books, living expenses, etc...for a family of four, soon to be five. I refuse to work now and kill myself any further. School alone is difficult enough. If you work a couple 12's a week and go to a CRNA program full time, you're taking a real gamble of not being able to finish, or take it for the 2+ years. Take out the extra bit of loans you would be saving and save yourself some sanity and give yourself the best chance of successfully navigating anesthesia school and coming out a competent provider.

Just my 2 cents...

thompv · Nov 16, 2007

Thank you for the advice, your situation is similar to mine and I will do the loans.

QuestForWa · Nov 17, 2007

What about maybe picking up one wkend shift a month? The idea would be to have earned income to contribute to a Roth IRA as the salary bracket of most CRNA's preclude you from being able to contribute. At~27.00/hr. and one 12hr shift per month, that's roughly 4,000 in one yr and the taxes on that EARNED income would likely be negligible, allowing you to contribute the max amount. Then live off the loans for everything else...does that sound logical?

Please tell me there is room for 12 free hours a month as an SRNA!:uhoh21:

Keep in mind I'm approaching this as a 23yr old, so the time advantage of compounding interest in this idea is huge compared to someone starting at 35 or so.

CRNA, DNSc · Nov 17, 2007

The amounts that you can contribute to 401K and/or 403b accounts after you are a CRNA far out weigh the earnings on that small amt in the Roth. The real issue is are you putting sucessful completion of the CRNA program at risk for a paltry amt? Risk a large future payoff on current attempt to earn a small amount- doesn't really seem worth the risk!

ready4crna? · Nov 17, 2007

Quest-

Sure, there are twelve free hours a month....unless you physically need sleep.

I have learned in my short time here in school that you live for the college breaks. Weekends are for catching up (currently on my 9th hour of studying, only 5 more to go to be current in all my classes)

I do have a classmate that has a true photographic memory and an IQ in the stratosphere that can take time to do other things. So if you are like this, than you may be able to work during didactic..but, NOBODY works in clinical. (If they say they are, then they are lying or the program director needs to step it up a bit.)

I'm with CRNA,DNSc on this one. If you go in NEEDING to work, or plan on saving money by working- Factor in a plan on paying back your tuition/loans on a nurses salary.

QuestForWa · Nov 18, 2007

Thanks for the input. That puts things into better perspective from a SRNA/CRNA viewpoint. Sounded like a good idea at first. But I was even a little hesitant to plan on this after thinking about it.

So if you're only going to class/clinical and then studying would you recommend to take out loans just to cover expenses(with some buffer) or give yourself a normal yearly salary like others have recommended? It never really sounded right to me take a higher loan to have extra money when you have no time to spend it on anything.

Frigle · Nov 21, 2007

I'm in anesthesia school right now and I have four kids and I am the soul bread winner also. I am just taking out enough loans to make us comfortable. We really don't live much different than we did before. You have to keep in mind that you are going to be making about 3-4 times more than you are making now when you get out. Don't kill yourself in school. Do what it takes to make good grades and finish. Sincerely I guess I could work now, but why? When I start my 3 days a week clinical next semester there will be no way to work. Then for the next 5 semesters we will be in clinical 5 days a week, so I would say just don't kill yourself. Do good in school. Good luck.