Going to nursing school soon, should I keep my job?

stressgal, RN · Jun 1, 2006

I am just finishing a 2 year ADN program and there is no way I could have finished with the grades I have had I kept working. Check with the program, you will probably find out that the grading scale is much tougher in nursing school. The course load is MUCH heavier. There are those who worked, due to necessity, throughout our program. But most worked weekends, or with a schedule that allowed flexability to get in 24 hours in two days. I think attempting to work 5 days a week is undoable. Nursing classes require so much more of your time, mental ability, and physical energy than any general ed class. It really was a full time job for me.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Just set yourself up for success.

sunnyjohn · Jun 1, 2006

Your work schedule looks decent. IMHO as long as you stay at least 2 days ahead on homework and readings you should be okay. Lots of people say the prep time BEFORE clinicals (going up to the hospital, getting patient info, creating a care plan) is the killer. If you can study some at work, you might also be okay.

You do have all day Friday off. I suggest you use it to catch up on homework, GET AHEAD on reading and all assignments, do housework and run errands. If you study on Saturday mornings you can fully enjoy Saturday evenings and all day Sunday relaxing. A quick refresher on Sunday nights would be a good idea

Honestly only time will tell if the workload is too much.

I wish you success. and will be pulling for you. An RN license along with that CPA is ceratinly a boon

rhp123 · Jun 1, 2006

I want to make myself a little bit more clear. I went to a local community college part-time during the past two years and pretty much done with all non-nursing classes, except for Eng Comp I and II. Right now I am taking Microbiology, and I'm already start to feel the symptoms of lacking of sleep.

The two posts confuse me. I have my own office and computer, I can study some during the work, but not much. I want the company keep my health insurance. I have special situations that I have to decide what to do with the work in a couple of days.

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2006

If you are already feeling the sx of lacking sleep when you are only in Micro I am here to tell you it will only get worse (like you couldn't figure that out:lol2: )

That said, working and NS IS doable but you will have no other time to do much of anything else other than work, study, read, do a careplan, or practice skills. Monday thru Thurs you will pretty much get nothing extra accomplished so Fri, Sat, and Sun you will have to consume yourself with NS. If that is something you think you can deal with then by all means go for it. It all depends on your program too. Once you get in you will know more. For instance, how hard your instructors will be, how helpful your notes from class are in studying, how much reading you really have to do to get the grades you want. Like another poster said, only time will tell. I WOULD NOT quit your job before school starts however, anticipating the worst. Wait till school starts and if you end up saying "NO WAY!" then jump ship. It could end up being easier than you thought and you may kick yourself for quitting before you really got the chance to see.....

Anyway, congrats on getting in to NS!!:biggringi Way cool that you are getting your CPA too. That is nothing to give up either!! Hard decision.

sunnyjohn · Jun 1, 2006

... Right now I am taking Microbiology, and I'm already start to feel the symptoms of lacking of sleep.

...
The school schedule is:
Class - Mon, Tue, 5pm to 9pm
Clinical - Wed, Thurs, 4:30pm to 11:30pm
And I have to work Mon through Fri, 9am to 2pm.

If this is your full class and work schecule (meaning you don't have to put in extra class hours to finish up English Comp) then then my previous post fits. Do everything you can to get those English classes out of the way before you start.

Nursing school plus 25 hours work will feel like you worked 80 hours in four days.

I agree wil Thrashej, Don't quit your job until AFTER you've gotten a few weeks into the nursing program. It may turn out to be easier than you (we) expect and you will progress nicely. Hedge your bets. Health Insurance, a partial paycheck AND a CPA are nothing to sneeze at.

marvinskbaby1 · Jun 1, 2006

I'm in my third semester of nursing school with 2 more to go. I had a part time job working in a library 20 hours a week a found it difficult to study, do care plans, etc. The work load is much heavier that you think not to mention the stress. I quit my job after I failed my second adult health test. I got an A on my next test after that because I had time to devote to my studies. My advice if you don't have to work don't. 25 hours a week may not seem like much now, but can turn out to be a disaster. good luck.

shock-me-sane · Jun 2, 2006

i think it's do-able. i work 25-30 hours a week and am at the end of my first year of school. what varies for me is that i work on the weekends and do not work 3 days during the week.

you might want to find out at what point you will be required to go and pick out your patient at the hospital ahead of time to do your prep work. this takes up a TON of time. in that situation your schedule probably wouldn't work.

good luck. i would say hang in and then quit if it comes down to it.

spottybug · Jun 2, 2006

I just finished my first semester of nursing school this May and I have worked either full-time or part-time throughout the pre-nursing school and did work part time (about 25-20 hours) per week throughout this last semester. I think that it gives you a nice balance between work and school, and I thought it wasn't too hard. I guess it depends on what kind of work you do. I am a casino Black Jack dealer and I worked mostly evenings and nights with a fairly hectic schedule and still managed a 3.5gpa. But- I have no children, no other responsibilities but work and school. I did, however, just get a job as a nurse tech/unit secretary in a busier ER for this area and in my interview, nurse manager said that she preferred people who did work through school. ?? I thought I'd share my experience with you to help, good luck with nursing school!!

rhp123 · Jun 2, 2006

Thanks all. I'm sorry I replied late.

I just called the program director, she told me in the evening program, many students work full-time, 5 days a week, and most of these studentsl make through the program. Except some cut down work hours in the last semester.

I asked her about how early to come to the clincals to setup, get patient information, etc., she said they do not have that requirement in the evening program. Students just need to come to the clinicals a couple of minutes before 4 pm.

From what she said looks like I can try to work full-time when going to NS, don't even need to cut down work hours. That surprises me a little bit.

Maybe that is because evening students have all general education courses done. Day program students have general education courses left, that's why one lady in the program advise them not to work over 20 hours a week.

I think also most students entering evening programs because they want to keep working. If most students have full-time jobs, accordingly, the instructor, the program, is less time-demanding than day-programs.

sunnyjohn · Jun 2, 2006

Great news! It sounds like you've picked a really flexible program.

I'd still give some wiggle room in case things get tight. Who knows? Maybe you will get out with a 4.0 since you'll only be working part time!

Get that CPA! It will come in handy when we nurses start sticking it to the hospital bean counters and start demanding the higher wages we deserve!

I can see it now, RHP123, RN, CPA...

I'm so excited for you! :lol2:

transducen, BSN, RN · Jun 2, 2006

I want to make myself a little bit more clear. I went to a local community college part-time during the past two years and pretty much done with all non-nursing classes, except for Eng Comp I and II. Right now I am taking Microbiology, and I'm already start to feel the symptoms of lacking of sleep.
The two posts confuse me. I have my own office and computer, I can study some during the work, but not much. I want the company keep my health insurance. I have special situations that I have to decide what to do with the work in a couple of days.

Please don't kill yourself, you'll burn out. :nono: I know few people who have been able to work like that and keep up. I know you hate to leave your job, but have you considered working as a student worker? They usually work with your classes and require as little as 10 hours a week of work time.