So very scared! Can I do it?

GratefulHeart · Dec 1, 2006

i work full time as a medical receptionist right now from 8-5. the school i want to go to is mon-thurs 5-10pm and on sat from 6:30am to 3:30pm for the part time program. i am married and my husband doesn't make a lot of money so most of the income is on my shoulders. the school starts in april and it last for 18 months. my husband doesn't think i am going to be able to do it. he said he thinks the only way i can do nursing school is if i go full time and work part time but at this time we are not able to afford that.

does anyone else work full time and go to school part time with the same hours? i am so scared because i want to be a nurse so bad but i think he is right. i am not going to be able to work full time days and go to school at night, still find time to study and be a wife.

any ideas?

maybe he should be the one trying to figure something out to make it happen, especially since you are willing to make the sacrifice to go to school and work some too - as most of the income is on your shoulders. he could temporarily (18 months, right?) get a second parttime job or check into loans / scholarships for you - that is *if* he is behind you in this. is he supportive of your plans, trying to talk you out of it, or?

mgalloLPN · Dec 1, 2006

We have been married for 6 months and together for 6 years. He has known from day 1 that I wanted to go to LPN school. He says that I should do whatever I need to and that he can't make decisions for me. I guess I was just hoping for a "It's going to be hard but you can do it if that's what your heart wants" or something like that instead of "I don't think you are going to be able to do it since you will be away from home 13 hours a day and never have time to study. You will probably have to go full time in order to keep the grades up. You can't go back full time now so you may have to wait a few years to go back." When a few months ago, he said once he got settled with his new job in Disney World that I should check in to going back to school and go talk to the schools in January. I am not sure anymore. I thought he supported me but not so sure after today.

RNwntaB · Dec 1, 2006

I know you didn't ask this, but...

I HIGHLY recommend getting your degree before kids come into the picture!

The kids will definately add to your list of things to juggle!

As far as your work schedule & school...I really don't know if it will or will not work out (i'm sure this would vary from person to person)...I guess if all else fails, you could enroll with the plan of completing in 18 months, but if it gets too hard & you're struggling, you could sit-out until your "life" will allow going to school easier & re-enroll. (Keep in mind, you more than likely wouldn't pick-up right where you left off...)

I'm just now taking (1) pre-req at a time, on-line....I'm married with two kids, a 50 hour a week job (from home), & I do fine as far as "time" goes. However, I do worry about how my "time" will be once I start nursing school.

18 months is really not very long....I'm sure once you graduate you will look back & be so thankful you made the leap now! It only gets harder as you get older!

I hope it all works out!

Best of luck!!

I look forward to hearing what you decide!

augigi, CNS · Dec 1, 2006

It depends a lot on what sort of hours are required by your program. I did school fulltime and worked part time for my BSN (worked in a nursing home as an aide). If you're organised, it shouldn't be too hard.

mgalloLPN · Dec 2, 2006

I know, I don't want kids until I finish school. I am just worried that if I don't go back now, I won't ever. I just wish an answer would fall out the sky and hit me on the head to let me know if I can do this or not. I was not very good in high school. I struggled with math badly. Everything else was ok but I am not a good studier and I have problems with reading comprehension. NOt a great test taker either.

GratefulHeart · Dec 2, 2006

Well the way I see it is that he *too* has something to gain from you finishing nursing school. Working as an LPN should improve your family income, correct? If that's so, then what is *he* willing to do to make that happen? If nothing, then I think it's only fair for you to know that/hear that NOW before you get yourself into that position.

I hope I'm not sounding too harsh, but I've personally been down this road. My dh wasn't willing to go back to school himself or to get a second job to help improve our finances, and I realized that honestly I wasn't willing to kill myself to make it all happen on my own. I needed him to step up to the plate in some way - to show me that we were a team and that he was willing to put out in some way too.

He eventually did come around - decided that he was willing to take over a lot of the running around and responsibilities with our kids that I had been doing. He was also willing for us to assume some temporary debt while I finished school (which he was NOT willing to do when we first talked about me returning to school).

Do yourself a favor, and find out what he is willing to do to help make it happen.

8o)

mgalloLPN · Dec 2, 2006

Thanks GratefulHeart. I don't know why his is being a turd about this. It's really hard because he knows this is what I want. I think I will talk to him tomorrow. He works until 1am so I can't tonight.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Dec 2, 2006

It's got to be something you're both willing to sacrifice for....this will be tough for both of you either way...but he does stand to benefit in the end as another poster pointed out...working and going to school is tough, particularly when you have a lot of things pulling you in other directions...my kids are grown, but even then they have a hard time understanding my time commitment...it's "only" 18 months...it will be grueling while you're doing it, but he could help you study, try to pick up overtime or a second job, or help out more so that you could spend the time you need to get through school....it does only get tougher as you get older and have kids, mortgages, car loans, retirement, etc....

I really wish you the best of luck...

PG02 · Dec 2, 2006

I think that you guys should really talk this out. This would really benefit you guys in the long run. We can't really comment on your situation but perhaps your husband could find a better job or take up another one. You have to look at it for your betterment. I think anything is possible and sacrifice is neccessary for anything that has to be done in life. I just implore you to not add any kids to the eqaution just yet.

BSNtobe2009 · Dec 3, 2006

I think your husband needs to pick up a second job so you will be able to work part-time and study.

There is no way, I would attempt that schedule. I would physically and mentally break down in a month.

Tell him that marriage is a team-effort, and the household income is his responsibility too. Don't take it all on your shoulders girl!

sassyRN73, RN · Dec 3, 2006

You can do it just try working it out together. My husband is working it out with me and I'm going into my last semester of ADN school. It has come with alot of long talks and sacrifice but my husband has been behind me 100% and that alone has helped me tremendously. I couldn't be anywhere close to attaining my goals if he had not stood behind me. Our extended family has also helped alot and I could not begin to thank them. Just try to talk everything out and take it one step at a time