Childcare and clinicals

[Twinmagic]

I'm in Nashville TN and I will hopefully be attending TCAT Nashville for the LPN program in May 2018. Thing is, I'm currently 24 weeks pregnant. I've already put in an application for early head start, but their hours for infants are 8AM-2PM which even for a parent with a regular job is absolutely ridiculous. It is however free. They have an early drop off and late pick up which is 6:30AM-5:30PM but you have to pay $65 per week which even though is significantly cheaper than regular daycares, an extra added expensive of $260 is really breaking me. That's not the problem though, the problem is once we start clinical the start time will be 6:45AM with some rotations (L&D) being one of them, will be 12 hour shifts lasting until 7PM. I've googled searched so many daycares in Nashville and the surrounding area and for most 6AM is the earliest drop off time with 6PM being the latest pick up times. I will be a single mom, and while the instructor says she has lots of single moms in her class, I can't help but wonder if these ladies have family or friends that look after their children or if their children are old enough. Both my parents have passed, my grandma is too sick and I wouldn't want to put that burden on her. The only other family I have in this state are my uncle and his wife who both work full time and sometimes aren't home until after 8. Doing this program really means a lot to me; I'm a CNA currently and have been for 4 years but I want to further my education and better myself for my son. Any advice? Or anyone whose been or is in a similar situation? I don't want to let this hold me down.

[Twinmagic]

Thanks anyway...

[elkpark]

"Thanks anyway ..."? Did we not answer quick enough to suit you? Maybe no one is responding because no one has any good solutions for you. You want to go to nursing school, you're going to have a new baby and you need childcare. Yeah, with the hours most daycare programs offer, and the hours that nursing school requires, that's going to be a challenge. Have you looked at any of the online services that advertise individual babysitters for in home services? Maybe some individual who watches children in her home who would be willing to accommodate your scheduling needs? You're going to have to be creative to figure this out. Nursing students with childcare needs need to have a Plan A, and a Plan B for when Plan A doesn't work, and a Plan C for the days that both A and B fall through, etc., etc. Nursing programs are notoriously (necessarily) unforgiving about absences, and you'll have to have reliable childcare whenever you need it, in order to succeed in school. I hope you'll be able to find a way to make this work for you. Best wishes!

[caliotter3]

I found that with unusual work hour requirements, I was forced to hire a private sitter. Finding one is no small feat. I had no subsidy programs available to me, it was totally out of pocket.

[ProperlySeasoned]

Agree with Caliotter- You need a nanny. The added bonus is your kids sleep schedule will not be dictated by your work/clinical schedule. I understand this will be tough financially, but you may be able to obtain loans, as you will be in school.

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

I used licensed home based child care for the majority of my time in nursing school. I did have a subsidy. If you are low income it may be necessary to look into this.

[Kturner1990]

I attended LPN school there. My kids went to a daycare in ClarksVille but some of my classmates kids attended a daycare at a church down the rd and the hours worked. Not too expensive. I wish I remembered the name. I'll see if I can find out

[Kturner1990]

And if this helps the earliest we had to be at clinical there was 6:30 and we always got off in time to pick up before 6pm. It could obviously change but they've always stuck to that time frame as far as I know. They know they have mom's that have to wait on daycare to open and have to be there before daycare closes. I didn't have any issues unless my child was sick. Always have a back up. None of our clinical rotations ever ever lasted past 6pm unless they changed things. We were actually usually done by 3-4pm.