Help - I'm Starting prereq course next week, to keep working full time & PRN??

[Tony1790123]

I'm an LPN graduated Aug 2009, I plan on starting A&P I pre-req course next week and I'm trying to decide whether or not to keep working full time and PRN. I work PRN on a med/surg floor where I get tons of experience and stress as a primary nurse with 12 hr shift (5-7 pts) and I work FT as a med nurse at a Veterans Hospital an hour away with 8 hr shifts.

I get tons of experience with the PRN job, but the VA job is restricted to passing meds and doing whole shifts of patient care only (CNA). The PRN job is much more stressful with more flexibility in scheduling which should make it easier to work around class time, but the VA job is much less stressful with shorter shifts which would be easier emotionally taking classes. Both jobs are night shift, with the VA midnight to 8am and the PRN job 7p to 7a.

Would you keep both jobs and take classes (1 or 2 classes at most per semester), once prereq are done, I'd be full time student with another decision point about the job. There is a chance I could get picked up by the VA to pay for my RN school and pay my salary while attending school once I have a full year at the VA (2 months there now).

Any thoughts? I'm thinking I could easily do the pre-req and work at the VA, but I'm not learning much there, but it's not very stessful, RN's do chart checks and calls Dr and does assessments (I do those at my PRN job), I pass meds at both jobs.

I could stay at the PRN job and go to school, use my GI bill to pay for it and reapply at the VA once I'm an RN. Commute time is 35 min, this job pays more than VA job, but no benefits.

I could stay at the VA and hope to get picked up for the full ride with pay they offer (not guaranteed) but get less experience over the course of the year. Commute time is 1 hr, 10 min each way, just costs more in gas and time.

Any suggestions (hopefully positive).

Thanks

Tony in TN