Can you work and go to nursing school?

Junebugfairy · May 13, 2010

we were told that nursing school was our job, they advised us to either not work at all, or not work more than 16 hours a week.

i am a bartender, so i can work 2 6 hour shifts and make 300-500 a week just doing that.

if you can work in a bar, bartend, waitress, or something very flexible, you can certainly work while in school.

my clinicals varied from 6am-7pm! boy, oh boy, did they vary. not only that, but you have to look over everything the night before and show up early.

the 5 f/t workers in our class dropped during the first semester, and we lost a few 30 hr part timers.. it's tough, because you can end up studying 3-4 hours a day, at least, which leaves little time for work.

if you must work, i recommend finding an employer who can offer flexibility, such as a cna position 1-2 days a week/maybe even prn.

i have been a cna for 10 years, but i only worked prn because bartending pays much better considering the length of time i work and the money. unfortunately, you are only young for so long, so i cannot bartend forever, but it is fun while it lasts.

Snickerdoodles · May 13, 2010

It sucks to work during nursing school! I worked 2-3 days/week and it was hard to keep up with homework and studying. And I was never someone in high school, or through my pre-reqs that needed to study. I worked 35/week all through high school and made honor roll. I was able to do some studying at work (maybe 2 hours/week) during nursing school. Depending on the job you have it might be ok. I had a couple friends who worked full time ( I still dont know how!) but the majority of the students didnt work at all, or very little part time. Especially those with families/children. It depends on your job and you studying habits.

Nursing school was so much more stressful than any other classes I ever took. And I heard that a hundred times before I started, but you have to be there to know what I'm talking about! Work now as much as you can, get some dough in the bank!

My advice is not to stop after your LPN. You will have a hard time getting a job in a hospital. One more semester is worth it! Good luck with everything! I hope that helps!

p_hawk · May 13, 2010

I work 36 hours a week and am a full time nursing student in an Associate RN program. I'm set to graduate in December.

I won't lie, it's not easy. I work weekend nights 12 hour shifts so I get all my work done on the weekends and can concentrate on school during the week. It does suck when we have all day Friday clinicals and I have to be at work @ 7pm on Friday nights...

I work in intensive care in a hospital so they are understanding about my schooling.. and I learn *a lot* at work because I pay attention and ask lots of questions.. and I'm blessed to have nurses that I work with that are wonderful and teach me things. Lab values.. meds.. stuff like that I see a lot of at work and it's helped me immensely.

All that being said, and like I said before, it's NOT easy. We don't have classes on mondays so I can sleep then... but there's many a week that we've had a test on Tuesday and I'm so wiped out I didn't get any studying done like I'd like on Monday night. But if you're stingy with your time and very dedicated it can be done. It just takes a lot of time, dedication and a commitment to the fact that you'll have no life outside of work and school until school is done with. Weeknights are spent studying to make up for the weekend time that other students spend in the books.

Good luck to you. We all have lives to manage, just keep pushing forward, take one test at a time and you'll make it through!! :)

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · May 13, 2010

You will find that you do what you need to do..I worked 40 hours a week(I was a surgical technologist before) during Nursing 1 and worked 32 hours a week(with some weekend call)the other 3 semesters. Graduated with a 3.27 GPA too. It wasn't easy but I was 32 when I started school and wasn't going to take another loan and certainly didn't expect anyone else to support me.

It can most certainly be done. I had classmates that both worked and had kids too and they graduated.

p_hawk · May 13, 2010

You will find that you do what you need to do...

That. Indeed.

LeaRNed · May 13, 2010

I am in a similar situation.I am a working LPN now, starting RN clinicals in fall. Right now I am the sole provider for my family and must have money to make ends meet. What I plan on doing is working a few days a week and taking out extra student loan money so that I can ensure my children will be fed and sheltered. Remember, where there's a will there's a way!

EmmyBee · May 13, 2010

I started school last May and resigned from my job. My RN program is set-up more like a part-time schedule, where we basically only have two days of lecture and one day of clinicals. So after the first semester, I decided to work as a Hospice nurse. I work anywhere from 1 to 3 nights a week. I get education benefits from the military, so I can afford to be a little flexible with how many hours I work. Many of the other LPNs in my class work full-time though.

caktuz · May 13, 2010

There is a saying "If there is a will, there is a way". I had seen few of my classmates who were working part time while attending nursing school, but I think some of them were not able to graduate.

I think the most realistic answer to your question depends on your strengths and weaknesses. If you tend to procrastinate paper work and/or reading assigned chapters for the week, you are taking a big risk when you choose to work because as you know by now that pursuing a degree in nursing takes tremendous amount of work and studying time to complete.

On the other hand, if you know your strengths and can relay on your consistent study habit and punctuality, working part time is just a calculated risk you will be able to manage.

The answer is ultimately depends on your honest assessment of yourself and of course the number of hours you will be working per week when you decide to work.

BluegrassRN · May 13, 2010

Of course you can.

This topic has been done to death in the student section. Please, students, do searches before you post about work and school, HESI, NCLEX, ATI, etc etc. And try to post in the appropriate section. And moderators, it'd be great if topics would be moved to the correct forum, when appropriate.

floridaRN13 · May 13, 2010

I was in my 40's and single when I began nursing school and yes, I worked full time all through my Associate's program to become and RN and graduated with honors. I went to school during the day and worked 4pm-1230am after my school day ended. My advisor had recommended not to work more than 20 hrs. per week, but in my case, I didn't have the option. I decided to take it a semester at a time to see if it was doable. I got about 4-5 hours sleep most nights. I do believe God blessed me with health and stamina, because normally I need 7 hrs. per night to function. I didn't have much of a life during this time, but I did reach my goal and graduated with honors. I am glad I did it.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 13, 2010

I worked 32 hours per week as an LPN/LVN while completing an RN program, and I even graduated with honors. Contrary to popular belief, full time work can be managed at the same time as full time school. Some of us are single people who do not have spouses or family members to help us out financially.

I worked the weekend double shift at a local nursing home as an LPN/LVN charge nurse. This entailed working 16 hour shifts every Saturday and Sunday from 6am to 10pm. Since I had Monday through Friday off, I used these days off to attend school, commute, and study.

When I had initially enrolled in the RN program, the director of nursing education had also recommended that students avoid working because their grades will drop. Not all of us have the luxury of simply not working. My bills aren't going to wait. In addition, I wasn't going to take out loans just to have money to live on.