clinicals + full-time job = ?

MMARN, BSN, RN · Feb 2, 2006

I know it's possible. A couple of the girls in my class are doing it. However, they struggle and lose A LOT of sleep. Many are quiting work. Nursing school is a job within itself. You have to read, read, study, learn, study, learn, read, LEARN. Then, you have to make sure you have the willpower to do all of it. I currently am in a part-time job. VERY part-time. I work only two days a week, and I still feel as though days don't have enough hours. When you have sooooooo much to read, there really isn't enough time. However, like another poster wrote, it has to come down to you. If you can do it. If you have enough determination in order to make it work, then you can. It's up to you. Personally, I couldn't do it. It's very difficult.

My schedule:

Mon.: Mandatory 2 1/2 hrs. in lab. Go to hospital and get pt info for clinical the next day, look up info on drugs and different research on them, study, study, study. Work 3-8pm.

Tues.: Clinical 6:45-5pm, study, read.

Wed.: Off, study, study, church at 7:30pm.

Thurs.: Class 9-12, study group in library til 5pm. Church at 8pm.

Fri.: Class 9-12, study group in library til 3pm.

Sat.: Work for 8 hrs. Study.

Sun.: Church at 11:45. Study group in coffee shop.

Basically, I make and have a social life IF I have some time off. Otherwise, my butt is on this chair in front of the computer doing research, studying, and checking this web site. If you can work full time, and it is inevitable that you must, then go ahead. Just remember that you will become the pro of all pros in time management. Nursing school is tough without adding too much to it.

Mave.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Feb 2, 2006

We strongly recommend that our ADN students not work more than 20 hours per week. We find the majority of the students who are struggling or in danger of failing are those who are working fulltime hours. As someone already stated, nursing school in and of itself is a fulltime job. For each hour of classroom lecture, the student should ideally be spending 3 hours worth of personal study time, in order to succeed.

cobra1 · Feb 2, 2006

thanks for the replies; right now my schedule is like this:

go to work @ midnight, surf the net, sleep or b.s. maybe 1 hr actual "work".

get off @ 8:a.m. grocery shop, cook, drink beer, watch t.v. till 3 or 4:pm, crash, up @ 11:pm, go to work start all over again...

new schedule if possible:

go to work @ midnight, study nursing all night 6-7hrs, off @ 8:a.m. go to nursing school, sleep when i can, @ work, @ home or call in sick or take vacation; and get paid 25+ an hour. it's gotta work.

CRNAhopefulguy · Feb 2, 2006

its very difficult. I've learned the hard way working to much. I am a workaholic, have been since hs. I would work long schedules in hs. Would go to school at 7 till 3, then sports practice after till 5, and then work 5 till 11 every day of the week, m-f. then on the weekend i worked another job. Been working two jobs for the past 2 yrs now. I work a total of 40 hours a week in 3 days. I maximize my weekends working 16 hours each day. Its very tough and at one point i killed myself. Patho + Micro + Nursing + 11-7 5 days a week + 2 8's = formula for disaster. You live and you learn your limits and right then i did. Now I still work 2 jobs but only work weekends and its doable, but during the weekend you dont have much studying time. Thing is i dont HAVE to work, but i WANT to work, cuz im a workaholic and i enjoy not having to worry if i can afford something or i can go and just spend a few hundred now and then brush it off. plus paying tuition on my own, car, etc, im pretty financially secure. I think i might cut down one shift so its only 32 and give myself a break, cuz by sunday nights, im exhausted. GL tho and remember to study as much as you can.

Trauma Columnist · Feb 2, 2006

I did it too. I won't say that it was fun, because it wasn't, but like other posters the kids gotta eat. I worked full-time (3-12's) night shift as a unit clerk while I was in the LPN program and then worked full-time nights as an LPN while in the ADN program. Good luck - I tried to break it down semester by semester to make it more doable.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Feb 2, 2006

I did it, worked full time and did classes and clinicals, even got a second major. I also graduated with a 3.8 GPA. It is completely possible, but you will have to put your mind to it.
I found my job, in health care actually helped me a lot in my classes, because I had generally seen all the conditions we learned about, and the attending in my ED actually helped me study for NCLEX (She used to gather all the Med students around and see if they knew the answers to the review questions....oftne they didn't).
At the time, I was not married and didn't have kids, so that was a help.
I pretty much had Foxy Hills same schedule. I worked 7p-7a every friday and saturday night, and then 7a -7p on Wednesdays the day we had off.
It worked out.

We'll have to remember that story when the interns act holier than thou - your attending was a wonderful lady!!! :specs:

KatieBell · Feb 2, 2006

We'll have to remember that story when the interns act holier than thou - your attending was a wonderful lady!!!

Yes, she still is. Smart, and appreciative even tried to get me a raise as a Nurse aide because she couldn't believe how little they make. I think we provided each other with an education.

AuntieRN · Feb 2, 2006

Like everyone else said. It can be done. Hard but it can be done. I worked fulltime 6 days a week up until this semester (4/5). Now I only work 2 12s on Fri and Sat night. Thats about all I can handle now. I will add this though...When I was doing my pre reqs I worked fulltime 11p-7a...then went to school from 9-3 most days...now that was hard. I had an awful hard time staying awake in class. But only you know if you can handle it or not. Try it who knows. Good luck

liljsmom02 · Feb 4, 2006

my first day i heard the same line along with bursing school comes first. excuse me, my children come first and they need to eat so work is up there on the list. my schedule:

Mon: 6:30 am to 3:30 pm clinical

Tues: same + 4-7 work

wed: 8:00am to noon class. 12:30-2:30 lab 3:00pm-11:30pm work

thurs,fri,sat,sun 3-11:30 work (w/ everyother weekend off

besides this i have a 3 and 10 year old who play hockey in the morning on the weekend and the 10 year old just finished basketball. i am pregnant and vomit all the time.(luckily my husband and mother have been great support and help) i graduate in may with a 90 average and my family still likes me. next fall Disney World!!!!!!

if you have too, you can do it. good luck.

ftrnrs · Feb 4, 2006

need help hir too..am a nursing student and im planning to work.My mom just cant afford my tuition anymore, and i dont wanna stop studying..im planning to work as a medical transcriptionist or nursing assisstant..can anyone give me some advice about those two fields i want to work in:confused:???

what these do i need to know so that i will be hired??I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP :uhoh3:

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 7, 2006

=. my schedule:
Mon: 6:30 am to 3:30 pm clinical
Tues: same + 4-7 work
wed: 8:00am to noon class. 12:30-2:30 lab 3:00pm-11:30pm work
thurs,fri,sat,sun 3-11:30 work (w/ everyother weekend off
besides this i have a 3 and 10 year old who play hockey in the morning on the weekend and the 10 year old just finished basketball. i am pregnant and vomit all the time.(luckily my husband and mother have been great support and help) i graduate in may with a 90 average and my family still likes me. next fall Disney World!!!!!!
if you have too, you can do it. good luck.

Wow-wee! That is impressive. :yelclap:

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation and have a blast at Disney!!!:smiley_aa

foxyhill21 · Feb 9, 2006

At least with a medical trans. u can sit down at a desk and work (maybe u can even study), NA taking care of pt. least time sitting down (maybe depending on hrs, pt ratio...etc

need help hir too..am a nursing student and im planning to work.My mom just cant afford my tuition anymore, and i dont wanna stop studying..im planning to work as a medical transcriptionist or nursing assisstant..can anyone give me some advice about those two fields i want to work in:confused:???
what these do i need to know so that i will be hired??I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP