Full Time Job AND Nursing School?!?!?!?

CHPN1680 · Feb 26, 2005

I did exactly that and it was exhausting! I was an LPN at the time and was working as an MDS Coordinator in a LTCF at the time. Finally, in the fall prior to my graduation, I had to quit my full time job as there was no way to coordinate clinicals with work hours. I went to work for an agency which I said that I would never do. I couldn't see myself walking into a facility and taking over a floor of patients that I did not know in a facility that I was not familiar with. It turned out to be the best decision I could have made! The agency paid much better than my full time job. There ended up being an abundance of weekend shifts available at the same facility (often at time and a half). I could work 3-4 shifts on the weekends and maybe one during the week which allowed me to focus solely on school/clinicals during the week.

I am not sure what your background is but even if you can get CNA certification, agencies pay pretty well on the weekends. You can generally get health insurance through school.Do what you need to do and be creative with your schedule. Above all, make time to relax. You would be amazed how much a few hours of dedicated play time or R & R can do for you.

Good Luck! Hang in there!

peaceful · Feb 26, 2005

How many of you out there are in a position where you have to work full time in order to support yourself, yet you are attempting to go to nursing school at the same time? I am doing that currently, and I must admit to being overwhelmed. I am unsure how I'm going to participate in clinicals AND work full time at the same time. Anyone else in this position? Is there anyone out there who has done this before? Encouraging words would be very much appreicated at this point. :-) Thanks!

I completed BSN a couple years ago and would not of been able to work full time, but also was a single mom. I got through school and supported my family through grants, scholarships, and low interest school loans. Don't sabotage yourself and try to do it all, nursing school is demanding and difficult.

Nikki730 · Feb 26, 2005

I'm working full time in nursing school and it's pretty awful. My job (I work in quality assurance, as a laboratory technician), lets me use my vacation (3 weeks per year) as well as personal time (48 hours per year) in tiny increments, if necessary (1 hour & 1/2 hour chunks, respectively). So I go to clinicals, and make up the hours on my job at unconventional hours (7:30pm to 11 something, or 6am to 8:30am, etc.), after every one's gone home, or before they come in. I'm in my 2nd semester doing this and it's really wearing on me. Nightmares, nervous stomach, sweating episodes, depression, etc. Sometimes I feel a little envious of the patients I take care of (because they are laying down, get to take naps). Kidding. :rotfl:

I'm LIVING for Spring Break. I try not to look too far ahead (like this fall & next spring) or I would feel even worse. :crying2: My plan works for me right now, since my job is flexible and I've been there a while. But I could see how some jobs wouldn't have that flexibility. But now I'm starting to worry about externships, and how I won't be able to do one over the summer. :uhoh21:

Sorry, guess that wasn't very encouraging after all. :chuckle

Harmony213 · Feb 26, 2005

I work with an LPN who did that when going through LPN school. I guess she had been a CNA at a nursing home and was working there full time in the evenings and going to school during the day. She had been out of school for a quite a few years too, so school was even more difficult for her. She told me that when she got home after hte 3-11 shift she studied for awhile and usually woke up at about 4 am to study early and then go to class! She also had kids, and they encouraged her to keep going. She told me she ended up graduating 3rd in her class which is pretty good! It just shows that hard work pays off even if it really stinks at the time! I hope this story is encouraging to you because it is to me.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 26, 2005

When there's a will, there's a way. I did it by not having any coreqs and took only nursing while working fulll time. I sacrificed a lot in the terms of sleep, relationships and social life, but did it.

If you want it bad enough you'll get it. It will be very hard, but you can do it!!! Good luck, take one day at a time.

Trauma Columnist · Feb 26, 2005

You can do it! Is it fun? No. Is it miserable? Yes. However, it can be done. I did it - worked full-time as a medical transcriptionist while in LPN school, worked full-time as an LPN while in an ADN program and on and on. Good luck...

inodou · Feb 26, 2005

I am working 40 hours a week and have a 4-year-old son. I am almost through my first year in a 2 year ADN program. So far my job has been very flexible with me (I am a 911 emergency dispatcher) I am just hoping I can keep it up during my 2nd year. My advice is don't get discouraged and take time to sleep occasionally (I forget to do that sometimes) and good luck.

DelightRN · Feb 27, 2005

I did it, too. It wasn't fun, but I did it, and I graduated #1 in my class. Yay me! :)

Fraggle · Feb 27, 2005

I cut back to part-time, 25 hours. I use vacation time to supplement when I can't work that many. I guess I can do it with 40 hours, plus school (only nursing courses, no co-reqs.) But I don't want to sacrifice more sleep, me-time, etc. I wouldn't graduate any sooner, I'd just have more money to spend and less time to enjoy it. However, that's assuming you can make it on less wage each week. Overall, I'm a better student and a happier person at the same time, this way.

How many of you out there are in a position where you have to work full time in order to support yourself, yet you are attempting to go to nursing school at the same time? I am doing that currently, and I must admit to being overwhelmed. I am unsure how I'm going to participate in clinicals AND work full time at the same time. Anyone else in this position? Is there anyone out there who has done this before? Encouraging words would be very much appreicated at this point. :-) Thanks!

michelle95 · Feb 27, 2005

Right now I'm working over 60 hours every two weeks, as well as school. This summer I don't know what I am going to do. The first six weeks is 135 clinical hours and the second six weeks is 180 precept hours...not to mention class. My job cannot hold days for me so I guess I'll apply for loans to get us through.

My school only has students going to clinicals for 180 hours the first three semesters. Why oh why they wait to cram in over 300 in the last semester, I'll never know. And they just went up...it used to be 120 precept hours.

I know I'll be so glad when this is over.

sofaraway04 · Feb 27, 2005

I dont understand how you could possibly work full time, can only be that your scheldule is different to my schools. We have clinical shifts 4 days a week mon-thurs and then lectures 9-5 on a friday. and when we are on our teaching weeks we have mon-fri 9-5 lectures and seminars. the only possibility is to work at weekends which most people do. i usually do one agency HCA shift at my local community hospital.

I think that there should be more grants so that people dont have to work while training