Help! How many hours a week can a full time student work???

Published

I am a transfer student to Molloy College in Baldwin, New York and will be taking full time courses in the Fall of 2010. Currently I work 40n hours a week and realize I will have to cut down the amount of hours i work dramatically before the start of school. How many can a nursing student work and still be successful in thier course work? I know it varies from person to person but an opinion would help. Thanks you!

Specializes in MICU - CCRN, IR, Vascular Surgery.

First year of my ASN program I worked 15 hours a week while in school full time and got mostly As. 3rd semester is a slightly smaller class load so I'm going to try to work 24 hours a week (2 overnight shifts a week). Not sure what I'll do my final (4th) semester, probably 12 hours a week.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You can work as many as you let yourself...My first 3 semesters of school I worked 40 hours a week. The last 2 semester I got an externship and quit my old job...but they capped me a 2 12's a week. I would have liked to do 3 12's a week, but oh well. I'm an RN on that same floor workin my 3 12's now lol

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB/women's Health, Pharm.

The program I teach in suggests no more than 20 hours per week once you start clinicals in Sophomore year. While some students manage more than this, they either struggle academically, or are grouchy and very burned out.

We did some calculations. For the 7 credit class I teach (3 hours of lecture, plus 12 hours per week of labs or clinical), you can expect to spend 30 hours total on the above plus reading, assignments, and studying.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
The program I teach in suggests no more than 20 hours per week once you start clinicals in Sophomore year. While some students manage more than this, they either struggle academically, or are grouchy and very burned out.

We did some calculations. For the 7 credit class I teach (3 hours of lecture, plus 12 hours per week of labs or clinical), you can expect to spend 30 hours total on the above plus reading, assignments, and studying.

What school admits people in to the nursing program when they are only 2 nd year students? Cc?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB/women's Health, Pharm.

The BSN program I teach in is on a quarter system. Students are admitted directly into the NU program, which means they do not take prereqs and then reapply to get into nursing.

If they stay on track and get all sciences done with a grade of C or better, their first NU course with clinical (mostly lab, with some clinical in agencies) is in the second quarter of their Sophomore year. Their first full fledged clinical is in the third quarter of their sophomore year. They have 6 more quarters with clinical over their Junior and Senior years; as a result, they graduate with more clinical time than any other program in the state.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
What school admits people in to the nursing program when they are only 2 nd year students? Cc?

The college (BSN) I'm attending we start NS our sophomore year. From my understanding it's pretty common to start the 2nd year if you begin at the college which you attend NS. Maybe it's a private college thing?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, EMS.

You can work full time and be a full time student. I did it, and I was an Accelerated BSN student. However, I worked as a caregiver and was able to study on the job. I am thankful that I worked during NS, it forced me to manage my time well and prevented procastinating. I graduated with high honors, and I am not a braniac!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Like a drug, every person is different.

I plan to go to nursing school full-time and work part-time (>20hrs/week) keeps me in check with reality. It sucks having to study and never socialize outside of your nursing school.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I don't know what your situation is like, but there is no way I could work, take care of my 3 kids with a husband who works afternoon shift, and then attend nursing school. But that's just me.

If I did not have my family, I would probably be able to handle 20-25 hours per week.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would recommend not working...but if you must, my program recommends 16 hours or less per week

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER/ ? Labor and Delivery?.

I worked 36 hours/week in a busy emergency department, for the first 2 years, but starting the 3rd year, I had to drop down to 24 hours/week, which was SO helpful....I would suggest not working more then 24 hours. I worked full and part time night shift, but I was able to do some homework on our rarely slow nights... It also depends on what kind of work you do, if you have a job that can allow for a bit of homework time, then maybe you'd be able to work a little more then 24...but ultimately, you just need to finish school!

It also can depend what type of program you are in, BSN or ADN...

Hope that helps!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have no choice but to keep my 7-4 pm full time office job in corporate America while I attend NS full time at night/weekend. Those of you who have a choice not to work, you are certainly blessed. I have no husband and a college aged son so I have to keep up with mortgage and household expenses on my own. Since this is a 2nd degree for me I can only get student loans. Since my credit is not good, I cant take out private loans to meet living expenses. I have no choice but to do both work and school. I couldn't have done this when my son was little, but I can now when I don't expect to have a life outside of work, school and studying. But for only 16 months accelerated program, I can do it.

Teachers can just shove it if they think they can dictate how much a person can work unless they are going to offer to pay for the student's living expenses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion