Are you working while going to Nursing school?

[Maliatc]

I'm curious...did you guys work while going through Nursing school? I'm 24 years old, and I have a stable 7-5 job. I make decent money working in a city government job. I have my own place, I have a car payment, and I do have some bills. I attend night school in trying to get my Bachelors in Business (HR), but now that I'm getting closer to getting it, I'm starting to realize that this is not what I wanna do for the rest of my life. I've ALWAYS wanted to be a nurse! I really really wanna do this, and I started looking at programs at some community colleges by where I live. THe route that I'm going is to get my ASN. The problem is that alot of the classes are during the day...in fact, I think all the classes are during the day, so I guess that means that I would not be able to keep my stable job that I have now. How did you guys do it? Did you not work at all, or did you work part-time? Or were you able to work a regular full time job and getting your RN license at the same time?

[JenRN_2B]

I don't work full time, but I do work and have a husband and kids. I'm a CNA in a LTC facility. Since they're open 24/7, it's easier to get my hours in and still have time for school. Of course, time for sleep is another story...LOL

[CaterpillarGirl]

Have you ever worked in restaurants? I wait tables ~20 hrs/wk and make on average about $20/hr. I find it's perfect for school, since I don't start untill 4:30pm, and I'm done by 10:30. Plus, it gives me experience dealing with rude, obnoxious people :)

[nurse1day]

I currently work 40 hours a week and it is definitely hard. If you don't have to work don't but if you do and you are dedicated then you can do it. I am currently in a community college program and in an evening and weekend program so clinicals and class are in the evening or on the weekends.

Good Luck! :)

[blkdawn]

I'm like the above-poster. I work 40 hours a week while attending a night/weekend program at the community college. Most of my fellow classmates (about 95%) also work 40 hours a week.

Whether or not you can do it is all about you. How badly do you want this? Will you be able to make straight A's in nursing while working 40 hours a week? Not impossible, but probably not. The only person in our program making STRAIGHT A's (and I'm talking 95 and higher on her tests) works part-time. The rest of us sometimes make A's and sometimes make B's. Whatever. We're doing it.

[PennyLane, RN]

I didn't work for the first semester of my BSN program, but over winter break I started working flex (less than once a week) at a local hospital as a tech. I mainly survive off student loans and the few thousand I had saved up before starting school. It can be done.

Oh, and I'm totally on my own with a mortgage and three pets.

[Riversong]

I'm a single mom of two teenagers, going to school full time for my ADN, and have to drive an hour each way just to get to school. Lots of us out here do try to work and go to school full time, but it's definitely tough. I study an average of 4 to 7 hours per day during the week, and sometimes as much as 8-10 hours per day on weekends. I guess you could work, if you don't require much sleep. How did I find time to even post this? Ha -- I'm on spring break. I still plan to study 2-4 hours per day all week! It can be done, but do it before you have kids if you can...

[RedSox33RN]

I'd like to work as a CNA next summer after I completed 2 semesters of nursing school. I think it will be good practice for me, plus get my kids ready to not have me around as much.

[mamaof3]

I am a single parent too. I currently work about 30 hours a week, while attending school on a part time basis. I started out just taking night classes. When I ran out of those, I had to rearrange my work schelule to accomodate for my day classes. I start the nursing program this fall. I have heard that it is hard to do nursing and work. So I am applying for a school loan to cover some living expenses, just in case I need to cut back on my work hours. You can do it. It just takes some planning and a little creativity. Good Luck:)