PT opps for new RNs & How do MOMS do this?

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Hi Everyone - I'm new to this forum and I just started my first year of nursing school this year. I've already done a year of pre-reqs and am in a 2-yr evening ADN program.

I have 3 children. Up til this year we've been homeschooling. This year we put our oldest in public school for various reasons, and will be putting our 2nd oldest in next year (4th grade and 3rd grade, respectively). My youngest is only 2.

Here's my problem: I don't want to work full time when I get out of nursing school; I am stressing already because next semester we've already been told that classes start an hour earlier (4pm) and the sitter we use now will not be able to be here that early (she's a high school girl,and I'd have to leave at 3 to be at school on time). Already I don't know what I'm going to do.

I've wanted to be a nurse for a very long time, but the thought of never seeing my children is really making me want to quit. Even if I put my youngest into Full-day kindergarten when she is 5, that's still not for another 3 years, and we had planned to homeschool her for a few years anyway...

I guess my questions are, can a new RN really work PT and still get good experience? Are the only shifts 7-3 or 3-12? And, is this really possible? I know I haven't even mentioned my husband... he works a normal 8-5 computer job, half an hour away from home; he is home early one night a week for me to go to class, my clinical is on the weekend right now.

Please, someone, write back and help me out. I'm starting to be very worried.

Thanks -

Karen

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Hi Karen - first of all I'd like to commiserate with you. I well remember the years when I was in school and away from my kids. :(

I waited until my youngest was in 1st grade to enter the program. I had also homeschooled my children - I wanted to make sure they could at least read well. :rolleyes:

I didn't have to work - we were poor anyway as my husband's job is seasonal. But we didn't have a house payment at that time so that helped alot.

My mom lived with us too and helped with the childcare. But I remember many nights crying over the dinner dishes wondering if I could do this. My husband was very supportive and said "yes, you can".

As to working part-time - I highly recommend it. I work part-time, 4 days every two weeks and wouldn't do anything else . . . well, except if I won the lottery I'd be a stay-at-home mom in a New York minute!:monkeydance:

Yes, there are part-time jobs . . . free standing surgery centers are good places to work . . .you start the IV and do vitals and then recover patients and send them home. No weekends. No holidays. It works well for women with children.

I don't know exactly how to advise you regarding the time spent away from your kids right now - I still feel great guilt about it. And our #2 son started having problems during this time - problems that I missed seeing.

It isn't a cakewalk. It IS doable. I was 38 when I went back to school.

I'm 49 now with a 5 year old, a 17 year old, a 21 year old and a 23 year old.

steph

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Thanks Steph -

Thanks for the kind words.

I am also 38, will be 39 next mth, so in a way I feel as if this is a now-or-never kind of thing. I probably shouldn't think that way, but I do. I mean, what is the harm in me backing off, waiting 3 years, and doing it then. Except for the fact that all the A&P, microbiology, human growth facts are in my head right now, and I have $500 worth of books sitting around waiting for me right now...

My husband is also very supportive, does all he can with the kids and housework and such, but I can tell it is wearing on him too.

I guess this is part of the age-old angst women go through- how to do something that can enrich themselves and their family without taking away from the family. How I wish I could have done this when I was 20.

Thanks again -

Karen:rolleyes:

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Thanks Steph -

How I wish I could have done this when I was 20.

Thanks again -

Karen:rolleyes:

Karen - I drill it into my kids' heads to get their education before they fall in love, think about marriage, have kids. :rolleyes:

However, I did just that - majored in Social Work. And even I ended up back in school later in life.

The best laid plans of mice and men . . . and women. :wink2:

steph

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I am almost done with my program and have done it with kids. I am a bit freaked as well about my hours, but I know somehow it is going to work out. Some hospitals have weekends only. Many local hospitals will pay you for 36 hours if you work 2 12 hour weekend shifts. My kids are older and everything happens on weekends so it won't work for me. It has to work out though so I just have faith.

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in a way I feel as if this is a now-or-never kind of thing.

o.k. let's look at this positively

first off, there are plenty of part time, half time, three-quarter time positions available. You will be a nurse, and nurses are in demand. I have a friend who works three 8-hour shift, 3-11 per week. She gets full benefits including insurance, 401k, etc. AND works at a magnet hospital no less. She makes about $32/hour, after getting her degree two years ago. The 3-11 shift would be very doable, as you could get some after school care from high schoolers or other moms.

second, as far as feeling that biological clock ticking (but now it's ticking because of career, not babies LOL), I went back to full time school last year and I'm 46. So, hey! at 38, you're still young.

Third, look at the tremendous benefit that your family will incur from you going back to school. a) your children will get a first hand demonstration of the importance of a good education. b) your children will see you studying and putting education as a priority c) your children will become more independent and self-reliant d) your children will see caring for others modeled in a very personal way.

So. I had to work through the same fears and feelings. I'm watching my kids closely (age 11 and 14, just entering the minefield as far as choices that lead to permanent effects) and I'm not taking any of the time I spend with them for granted. You and your husband will have to decide whether or not you should push on...but this won't be forever. Soon you'll be out of school and working. Ask yourself, in 3 years, will I think it was worth it?

"Wrong decisions reveal themselves in time and corrections can be made."

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I am so GLAD I found this board.

You are right,right, right. I do have 3 girls, and IMHO it is very important that they see women taking on careers. Being a SAHM is a great thing, but what happens if you are suddenly widowed (one of my greatest fears)?

I do have a previous Bachelor's degree in Business (was a computer programmer for 10 years) but would not want to go back to that.

It WILL all work out. It just has simply got to.

Thank you ladies -

Karen

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My husband said the same sort of thing when I expressed fear about my age. "You'll be 40 and a nurse or 40 and not a nurse, which one do you prefer?". :mad:

steph

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I just turned 39 :biggringi .

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I'm in a BSN program and am homeschooling my kids :) I'm 32 year old.

Have you thought about working a weekend shift or a Fri-Sun type of shift? With all the extra money it would be like working full time and a lot of the hospitals offer Baylor shifts where you work weekends but get paid full time. I think there are a LOT of options out there, just depends on the hospital.

I think you just need to take it one year or semester at a time. Try not to get too worried looking ahead in the future.

Do you belong to any homeschooling groups or know any homeschooling teenagers that could help watch your younger kids in the afternoon when you go to school? That might be an option you could start to look into.

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