CNA job and College?

AJ_427 · Nov 25, 2011

Nursing homes are pretty good with students and working with them so work won't interfere with school. I have a fixed schedule at my facility and I am not on-call. The way my week looks like: 5 times a week I go to school (M-F), I go to work for the night shift on Friday, I also work the night shift on Saturday, and afternoon shift on Sunday. I work around 24hrs per weekend (about 30hrs if you count the commute). I get one Sunday off per month.

This is the 2nd semester that I've worked this way and it's tough. This job eats up all my weekend that I could be spending on studying. I told myself that I am either quitting in January or I'll be working once a week.

Learn from my mistakes: don't let work interfere with school. You grades will drop, just like my did. Those grades will stay on your transcript and you won't be able to do anything about them. The toughest time would be when you have to take a lot of science courses. I'm not pre-nursing so I take advanced chem, bio, and physics courses and they require a lot of studying.

What I suggest you do is to find a FT or PT job at a nursing home right after you graduate (summer). You will get to know the facility and the residents. Once you start college, work only one or two shifts per week maximum.

caliotter3 · Nov 25, 2011

Long term care facilities usually will work with a student's schedule, but not always. I worked a full time regular night shift schedule while in school, with the approval of the DON, when she hired me. You will discuss this upon hire and come up with an agreement that works both for you and the facility's need. Many students work only on Friday through Monday or Sat, Sun while in school, others will be on call. It just depends on what works for you. If you approach an employer that can not or will not work with your school schedule, you just go on to the next facility.

maggiex3 · Nov 25, 2011

I work at a LTC facility and I have been working there for the past three semesters as a full time college student (I'm currently a junior) taking five classes a semester and at least one class a summer semester, at a fairly prestigious private catholic college in my state. I work every Wednesday and Friday evening as well as every other Saturday and Sunday evening. It is not a decision that should be taken lightly but it is doable if you put your mind to it. My grades have no slipped since I started working, if anything they have improved because I learned how to better utilize my time, and how to better prioritize my assignment. If you are straight forward with your director of nursing at the time you apply for a position they should be willing to work with you, at least that is what i have found -- I am given time off at finals when I need it, I am allowed to change my schedule to fit my school schedule with each semester, however I do provide my facility with free reign over my breaks: I work full time over my winter break, I give up my spring breaks, my holidays, in addition to the majority of my summer.

It is all a matter of how dedicated you are. No one can answer for you as an individual, are you the type of person that can handle maybe getting a little less sleep some times? Can you prioritize yourself and make sure you get all your work done? Are you willing to do some of your homework on your break? These are just some of the problems I've run into. Also are you going to be upset if you don't get a "normal" college experience and you can't go out on Friday or Saturday night because you had to work? Just think long and hard before you make any commitments, you don't want to wake up in four years and say "wow I wish I had been able to go out with my friends more"