How did you balance a family and an Accelerated BSN program at the same time?

tencat · Feb 13, 2010

If it were me, I'd swallow my pride and accept the offer of babysitting and a roof over my head while I went back to school....it was hard enough to do a BSN with husband and a 2 year old. I cannot fathom doing it with two little ones and no significant other for support. It is intense and stressful, but worth it. I sympathize as I'd rather poke my eyes out with a stick than live in the same TOWN as my father, but if I had to, I would.

dorzlei · Feb 13, 2010

hi! when i started taking BSN, my kids were 3yo & 8 yo. we have no helper. we live away from my mom & dad, &my in laws too. finally finishing BSN after 4 years is a mystery to me...but i'm sure you'll find a way too. just be open to suggestions & be willing to accept help...

Zookeeper3 · Feb 13, 2010

I really may have read your post wrong... so bare with me, you are not a nurse now, and want to do the full become an RN with a BSN and move to do so?

If so, I'm going to be blunt honest because you asked, if not skip to last paragraph. I had three children under 5 when I went to an AAS nursing program and worked part time because I had to. Loans in the first two years did not cover enough. I also had my inlaws that watched my kids while in school, during clinicals, for tests and when I was about to crack... and I still almost cracked daily.

I've now been a successful nurse for 15 years but never can look back and see how I did it. I rarely slept, had a supportive husband who did all the cooking and cleaning with a full job himself and the in-laws when ever and what ever I asked.

I am NOT trying to talk you out of nursing, and don't know if you need a BSN in CA, but I strongly as I can possibly write, say, that you will need all the help you can get, the kids will need family because you will be gone(even while at home) and you can't get enough loans to sustain you. The financial burden alone is crazy.

I won't share all the hell I've been through, through the years, having the "out-laws" help raise my kids, but I had to to be able to provide a better life down the road, and it was hell. I had to give up my power struggle, let them do as they saw fit because WE needed them.

Since I've graduated I moved 700 miles away, they just left from a brief visit and I have control back.. financially and with my children. I don't think you're in a position to fight for that control and do nursing school, somethings got to give and you'll have to choose. 30 plus years of good employment is worth the short term either having to live/get help from parents or doing an ADN and moving away.

food for thought from a fellow struggler... who had a husband to assist.

milwerica, MSN, APRN · Feb 13, 2010

I totally agree with a previous poster and do the online BS to BSN accelerated programs. I am at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and it is all online. No commute to school nothing. I am also a single mother. My daughter was 5 months old when I started to the program. I started in may 09 and I graduate may 2010, 1 year. Though you have to have a Bachelor degree in something already. I love online classes, I get to spend time with my daughter and I am getting a degree. Though it is a lot of reading and tons of clinical hours so you will need a babysitter at least 25 hours a week to get the reading and testing done.

Good luck

nvsmom · Feb 13, 2010

I totally agree with a previous poster and do the online BS to BSN accelerated programs. I am at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and it is all online. No commute to school nothing. I am also a single mother. My daughter was 5 months old when I started to the program. I started in may 09 and I graduate may 2010, 1 year. Though you have to have a Bachelor degree in something already. I love online classes, I get to spend time with my daughter and I am getting a degree. Though it is a lot of reading and tons of clinical hours so you will need a babysitter at least 25 hours a week to get the reading and testing done.
Good luck

I checked this school out...I'm glad I did! There are 2 class start dates, on beginning Oct-Oct and May-May. Do all pre-reqs have to be completed at the time of application? If so, then I would have to consider applying for he class that starts next May.

Although the program seems very attractive, I wonder if it is recognized in California. I don't want to go through it and then find out I'm ineligible to become an RN in California.

nvsmom · Feb 13, 2010

Ok, as I researched the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh a little more, I saw a list of states that recognizes the program...and California is not one of them! I plan to move to Texas but would like the opportunity to work for a couple of years to save $ in order to buy a house. We'll see though...