full time and get it done, or part time and work?-LONG

[jboykin5]

Okay, so I would like the general opinion and advice on something a tad bit complicated.

I have a year until nursing school to make up my mind on this issue. Currently my husband is the only working member in the family, with myself being a full time student and a mom (I have a 1 year old little girl). My husband is a pipeline welder and makes amazing money - when he works. This is usually a seasonal occupation and he is usually unemployed for 4-6 months out of every year . When this happens, we go through our savings and things get tight and stressful. I have found it very difficult to find a part time job to fit in with my 18 hour credit load this semester (which includes 2 condensed A&P courses). I am an A student and a hard worker by nature though. My question then is whether or not to go into nursing school part time. After researching this site, I found out that nursing students can work as nurse techs, and with a little more research, found that the money isn't all that bad (especially in times like this, when the supplemental income would be very welcomed). Working in the hospital would provide: excellent health benefits, my foot in the door to work at that same hospital when I graduate, and them reimbursing tuition (and the school I plan to go to is expensive). The catch is that it would take me 3 years, instead of two, to graduate So my question to y'all is which would be the better option given our situation: an extra year in school to help supplement our income and give me an edge both for employment and experience, or grin and bear it for two while taking the added stress? THANK YOU!!

[KareBear0609]

What is more stressful...?

Working and managing school OR not working and having to pull money out because your husband is laid off????

[Saysfaa]

I think it is a nobrainer to take the extra time.

With the income, insurance benefits, and reimbursing tuition, how can there be any financial advantage to earning a nurses income one year sooner? What other advantage is there to getting done in two years instead of three?

Along with the foot-the-door, there you can get references and not nursing but at least related work experience to put down on your resume after graduation. There is also an advantage to having experience and exposure to provide background for what you study in nursing school.

Plus less stress will be better for you and your family, so will less debt.

[futuremomnurse]

jboykin, I feel for you. I am in a very similar situation, or will be. My husband is a truck driver and makes good money as well but works 6 day/week. I am currently at home with 2 babies, 1 yr old and 2.5 yr old. I will be going back to school full time this summer with my mother in law watching the boys. My husband and I will be making a lot of sacrifices until I can get a good job but I feel that those sacrifices are investments in our future. Following the clear cut schedule that my wonderful school advisor outlined, I plan on getting a part time job when I start my Nursing I since it will be the only class I will be taking during that semester. I hope to get a part time job in the medical field to help my resume since I've only been in the business world before this. Following her schedule, the earliest I can take my boards would be May 2014 which I am fine with. This is the best case scenario and my goal.

I wish you the best of luck. I hope you update us with your decision and how it's working out for you and your family.

[jboykin5]

Thanks for the replies! Yeah, I thought it was a good idea, I guess you can say that it was a matter of getting my husband feeling confident about it. I know if it doesn't work out, for whatever reason, then I can switch (but only once!) into the full time track.