Seems like nursing school isn't for people with other responsibilities!

[marij]

I am enjoying school, however I am tired of getting the lecture about "nurses are needed!!" and "more people should go to nursing school!" when it honestly seems like most nursing programs are only good for people who have no responsibilities outside of school.

I have had several classmates have to drop out because the clincal times changed and they aren't able to swing it with their work schedule. Also, the requirements for the program that go way beyond GPA! In my program, the students MUST have a car. Not "reliable transportation" but they must own a vehicle. Usually every week, professors will tell us something that has changed on short notice and we all have to scramble to make plans to cover our jobs, and family responsibilities. I go to community college, and it is still expensive. We had a book that cost $1000 this semester. I can't afford these things without a JOB. Not sure how I'm supposed to stay in good standing at my job, if every week I'm calling out or trying to switch shifts.

Honestly, I'm lucky because I don't have kids which would make all this even harder. There are some students in class who don't work, and parents that pay their tuition and give them spending money allowances. Seems like they are the perfect candidates for nursing school because they have nothing to lose. Our professors regularly keep us past class time and tell us that "study group" is mandatory. I usually leave because I have to go to work after class.

Ugh im just getting burnt out and ranting!

[Lucydog14]

Many people can and do manage school with other responsibilities. But you need to put school first. They aren't going to arrange school around your life.

[Orion81RN]

Waiting on that $1,000 book answer.

I wouldn't be a nurse today if our program required us to OWN a car. I lived 2 miles from the school. Walked many times, even in rain and snow. My first year of clinicals was a 10 minute walk down the street at the hospital I worked at.

I was extremely lucky though, bc my MIL let me use her car quite a bit. I took taxi's to and from school a few times with bad weather. I bought a car my last year of school.

[Orion81RN]

Many people can and do manage school with other responsibilities. But you need to put school first. They aren't going to arrange school around your life.

My friend even gave her 3 kids to their dad for a year while in nursing school.

Either nursing school means enough to you to make the sacrifices, or it doesn't. And if it doesn't, that's ok.

[subaquatique, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I have an issue with this post.

Our ATI package was probably $1000 broken up into 4 semester payments, plus about $500-1000 TOTAL worth of other books (Med Surg, Maternal Child, Psych, drug guides, IV fluids, etc etc), but everything besides the ATI was on your own terms- so lots of people in my program rented or borrowed the books from the school library and paid exponentially less! Plus there are always programs that are available for low-income students that help with textbooks and uniforms (WIOA, CalOpps, etc). I am interested to hear which book you paid so much for and why you didn't get it used or as a rental.

I saved up $100 a paycheck (and more whenever possible) over two years to be able to pay for nursing school. I lived on an extremely tight budget, worked part-time, and had a two year-old child when I began. I drove a 16-year old car and made friends with whom I could carpool, which saved on gas (and wear-and-tear). I had two unexpected deaths in my family during the course of the program, a major surgery, and one wedding. Three girls in my class gave birth during the program, all in different semesters. One with twins during the second semester, and she never even missed a day of class (she missed the last week of the semester, but she completed the work and took her final before she left to go have her babies). Multiple people in my class had a spouse that was deployed during the program, all of whom had small children and no family in the area. And one girl, who is my hero, has three kids and worked a full-time NOC shift during the entire program. She would literally work a 12-hour shift and then come straight to class. She was exhausted, but she did it.

These are just a handful of examples in my class of people who decided that no obstacle would come between them and their dream. We did lose a few people who complained about the lack of accommodation, that had "too many things going on" with their jobs, or just had too much drama in their life to pull their sh*t together. Yes, you have to be responsible for your transportation- it's not a job where you can show up late, and as someone mentioned, you can't always take public transportation at 6am to your shift. You need to manage your time effectively. Trust me, we all know how hard this is, but I can attest that it is 100% possible. It's a big BIG part of what we do as nurses. The other part is sucking it up and being accountable.

I know that you're just venting, and I get that, but nursing is a HARD job. Nursing school is also very hard, but I promise you that it's possible to work part time (or full-time), have a small child (and a spouse who is never home to help), budget appropriately and work your ass off during holidays, drive a ****** old car and carpool with classmates, and have terrible things happen in your personal life .... and get straight A's. I did it. It took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, but it's worth it, if this is what you really want to do!

Good luck, and stop looking for excuses! Look for solutions!

[T-Bird78]

I was a divorced, single mom, working part time while going to nursing school. I was late for school one time because my son had kindergarten orientation that morning. It wasn't easy and I couldn't have done it without my parents, but I did manage it.

[Have Nurse, ADN, RN]

What book is $1,000?

Yes. I wondered about that too.

[future_acnp]

Your school sounds "interesting". My school definitely gave us a layout of the entire semester on the first day so we didn't have that problem. Many of us worked, I worked from the first semester to last so it just depends on the program. $1000 book? Just no. Are they kidding?

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I have one thing to say.... Amazon.com for your books! Don't go to the school book stores!