Oh! The sacrifices we make just to get through nursing school

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Specializes in LTC.

What have been your biggest sacrifice since starting nursing school ? Has it been work, sleep, money, relationships, or etc. ?

Well for me my biggest sacrifice is my job. Due to stress of working a non-flexible job and scheduling conflicts with clinical I'll will be leaving my great paying job steady job in May, in order to complete my nursing program in July of this year. So for 3 months I'll be living off 9 bucks in hour doing home health care as CNA and my student loans. Can I make it ??? I have no choice. I'm scared yet happy . When I tell my non-nursing student friends they think I'm crazy. They say " What ! let me get this straight... You're quitting your job in the midst of a recession just to finish nursing school " I reply " Yes I am, its a no brainer... Continue to work and stress my self out while going to school, or make a sacrifice that'll enable me to work less and have more flexible hours and become and nurse in 4 months." :rolleyes:

These are just the sacrifices I have to make. Since the very first day of NS I wanted to quit working. However, I hung in the fight and kept going. Now, I know its time to make school not work a prioity. So now I need to formulate a budge for my next 2-3 pays and go from there. :zzzzz

Sigh- It'll all be worthed. May be busted broke now, but not forever ! :nurse:

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Specializes in HCA, Physch, WC, Management.

I am in a very similar situation. Working a very low-paying job that I have been at forever only because they will work around my school schedule and then I won't have to deal with trying to find and start another job until I finish school. I am so unbelievably broke and it's really depressing. Luckily I have a very caring and understanding and supportive boyfriend (who is an LPN so he totally "gets" it) who helps me out with household chores and other stuff. I just tell myself every day that it will NOT be like this forever and in the end it will be worth it. Keep your chin up. You do know it will be worth the sacrifice. Good for you for at least doing something worthwhile and related while you're in nursing school though! I used to love home health. I learned so much.

GOOD LUCK!!!

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I sacrificed my husband of 11 years. Actually, I can't blame it entirely on NS. After all, NS didn't make him cheat, now did it? Perhaps it made me more unpleasant, though?

On the bright side, I'm no longer dragging a wounded beast around on my back! I may be lonely, but he's not taking advantage of me anymore, either.

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Specializes in Critical Care-Neuro/Trauma ICU.

I'm so sorry you're hitting the "sacrifice" part of the equation that is NS! I am finishing my second semester and so far I have lost my job (not fired...just had to quit), lost valuable time with my 7 year old daughter, and now lost my boyfriend of 4 years...one week shy of our anniversary. I can't blame NS COMPLETELY for losing him...in fact it was a bit of a relief...but he told me he felt neglected and called me selfish for focusing on school. But you know, our instructors told us this might happen...and we become better nurses and better people because the things we sacrifice along the way make it all worth it in the end! And I hear ya about being busted broke...I'm trying to make mortgage, car, AND bills on student loans that are barely enough to live on!

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Specializes in Telemetry.

Oh boy, my last class will be in October and I got laid off in December...I am so tired. I just have to wait until the sun rises.

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I'm with you girls... I'm missing out on tons of precious time with my little boys and it definitely added to the stress on my marriage which is falling apart.. Well we are seperated now. Can't blame it on NS but it certainly didn't help any!! I've managed to hang onto the good job that I have but can only work limited hours so I've lost 1/2 the paycheck I'm used to.

But.... Don't forget it will all be worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least that's what I tell myself everyday!!

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Specializes in LTC.

i hear what you guys are saying...the other day as i was taking my daughters home from school, who are ages 7 and 5, so i could meet my study group for an upcoming test my daughters asked me where i was going and why couldn't they come with me. i simply told them that i had to study and they started crying and told me that i don't love them and i love my friends more because i spend more time with them. that was all it took for me to cry and try to explain to them that i do love them with all my heart. so when i came home and we walked in the door my husband asks me why were we all crying and i told them what our girls think and he told me that they would be okay and he will talk to them some more! i thank god everyday for a husband who is supportive and willing to help out as much as he can.

when i started nursing school i had no idea how much time it would take away from my family but i have to remember it is all worth it in the end!:flwrhrts:

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What have I sacrificed for NS?

My sanity.

But I have to say, it's worth it. Being sane wasn't too much fun anyway, and I don't actually miss it **too** much.

Best-

Lovin' Learning

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Specializes in Neuro.

So far:

2 relationships

3 friendships

My social life

1 better paying job

At least an hour of sleep a night

Right now I am working as a delivery person because the job is low stress, good hours and awesome tips. The two relationships were not worth the effort to me (I like my free time to be spent alone). All of my friends aren't in college, so I give up alot of time with them for class/studying/going to bed at 8 the night before clinicals...

Overall...completely worth it.

Most of my friends are jealous that I am moving forward and have something major to look forward to. :nurse:

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

I sacrified free time, so I haven't been able to go out/talk to friends and family much...neverminding that I've had to give up almost all of my hobbies. Life really is just school, school and school...which after two years is starting to take its toll on me.

My better half has been very supportive through this though, and has been great in spending extra time with our son since I'm always studying. The son (4) is actually not taking it too badly. I do stop studying to play with him for a few minutes when he asks (I've had to set limits otherwise he'll keep asking q5 min), I set aside time early in the morning so we can have some together time (son's an early riser, so we're talking 0500), and at bedtime, I've read out loud from my med-surg text so much that now his favorite book is the "body book" :D

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Specializes in LTC.

This thread is bitter sweet. Bitter d/t our major sacrifices and sweet because we all know that we are not alone in this. I'm grateful for God first of all for giving me the strength I need to get through nursing school this far, and next I'm thankful for a loving fiance and a supportive family. My family is taking such a big load on my behalf and I'm just so thankful. My fiance is also very supportive and loving. I really do feel like the luckiest girl in the world. After I finish NS in July we'll be getting married in Aug. He is even paying for most of the wedding and my mom will help out also !

We all have great things to look forward to, but right now its just so hard. If we can just get through the next few minutes, hours, days ,weeks, and months we will be ok. : )

Thank you all for sharing. This have been very encouraging for me.

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Specializes in Peds, Ob-Gyn, NICU, ER.

Wow!! It is amazing how much we all have in common! I went through a divorce @ 23 yrs old 2 years ago!! Im 25 now! Because of that, all of my classes were behind. I failed two classes, and Im still paying for it, trying to raise my GPA. On top of the financial burden that he left me! Credit card debt is a pain. I have 3 jobs. It's insane.. i barely sleep. And im not even in nursing school, yet. I'm still working on raising my GPA because of those F's from the divorce. I want to quit my day job, and just bartend.. I think about it everyday. But i need health insurance, i need to pay off my debt before NS.. so many things to take into consideration. But then i think. If i just give up my day job, and focus entirely on school, and it will all pay off in the end.

I always tell myself Everything Happens for a Reason!! It will all work out, for every bad there is always a good!

Everything will work out ladies!!! Stay focused, determined, and finances are just material, dont let it over rule everything else!!

We are all in this together!!!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

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