Becoming a nurse..

[trish820]

I am trying to decide whether to go to nursing school or not. I haev always wanted to go but here is what I am dealing with..

I work 1 evening a week and every other weekend at the hospital now, I will start my pre req and be gone 2 other nights a week for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, so that is 3 nights a week and every other weekend for winter and spring quarter. I will take summer quarter off and then my dd is going ot go to preschool next fall for 2 1/2 days so I can do some classes while she is in school then. Then the next year when she starts kindergarten I can start my nursing classes but I am afraid that I will miss her kindergarten and 1st grade years and I will never get them back. I look at it 2 ways, it is better to miss the early years then I can work my schedule around her school schedule (I am going to work 11P to 7A after graduating) The other way is, you only have them young once and I don't want to regret missing them later.

What to do????? I really want to become a nurse but I am in the medical field already as a PCA (Patient Care Associate) so I am helping people already, which is what I really want to do.

Thanks for listening!!! :balloons:

Trish

[AnnSN]

Hi Trish,

I can tell you that nursing school is a full time job. There is no other way to do it...believe me, if it could be done slower, I would have found out by now!! The credit load is decieving, at least hear in MD. Nursing semesters in our RN program are 7-9 credits, but I have to put in at least 30-40 hours a week reading and studying. And I am a faster reader/learner than most of my classmates. Only you can answer your question, but you need to decide if and when you can handle the full time job of nursing school. Good luck, and trust that you will make the decision that is best for you and your family! Ann