How many work and go to nursing school?

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

:unsure: How many people work and go to nursing school? I have a full time job at the hospital in the ER and I also start nursing school in a few weeks! After attending orientation I was filled with anxiety! Our instructors and the dean urged us to not work at a job if we did not have to. Our minimum amount of work during the week during school would be about 50 hours and if I included mt 40 hour work week I feel it would be difficult to do both. Like other nursing programs, if you fail twice during the program you are done and cannot reapply! I do not want to put myself in a position where I am failing a course because I am working and going to school and then only have one shot left to pass.

I asked to go to POOL at my job where I will only have to pick up a minimum amount of shifts during a period of time so I have more time to study at home and focus on school. However, I do not know if I should just leave my job all together (I am blessed to have a father who will take care of me financially during school so I would not have to work). If nursing school is as time consuming and as difficult as I have heard, should I just quit all together? I am stuck with this split decision because I do not want to close my "door of opportunity" in the hospital. If I do then it will not be as "easy" to get a job as a nurse once I graduate (I'm optimistic lol). What should I do?!

Thanks for any input from all of my current and former nursing students! :)

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I am now a nurse but I did work while in nursing school ans raised a family! The nursing student who work with me in the ED do work full time and go to school full time as well! Is it easy? No! It's hard as hell! It's all about time management and dedication! Everyone is going to be different with what they can handle and how much they can fit into how much time! Most of us who do work while in school have to now because it's fun lol! But it's certainly doable ;-)

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Hi I'm currently enrolled to get my associates degree in nursing and I work full time. It all depends on you and what you can handle. If I didn't have to work full time I definitely wouldn't do it. I work in the minor emergency department which is kind of like urgent care at my hospital. But I've managed to have a B average and am about to start my 4th of 5 semesters. So I know if I didn't have to work full time I could dedicate more time to school and have an A average probably. But think long and hard about it and good luck with your decision and nursing school! :up:

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I work 32 hours (hopefully more once the summer ends and there are more hours available) at a nursing home, but I'm enrolled in evening/weekend courses that my employer is happy to work around. I told my boss during the interview process that I intend to get my nursing degree, and she's pleased to have me working hard and advancing.

I will say the lack of free time is not so great, but the residents at work make everything worth it for me. They're some of my best friends.;)

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I am a wife, mother of three teenagers, AND I currently work 18-20 hours a week while in nursing school. I could not even imagine working any more than that - I consider it a good day when I can squeeze in a shower.

That being said, there are people in my class who do work full time (mostly graveyards). Everyone's situation is different, and when you are in nursing school, it is all about give and take. The more hours you work, you are going to have to sacrifice somewhere else... sleep, time with family or even studying.

Good luck

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.

Hi - I am an RN - I worked full time while going to LPN school and then worked full time as an LPN while in RN school. Wasn't the most fun but it can be done.

There were quite a few nights where I had clinicals 6 to 2, worked my LPN shift 3 to 11 and had to finish care plans or a paper when I finally got home.

Anne, RNC

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Specializes in Psych, LTC/SNF, Rehab, Corrections.

I worked while in LVN school. 32 to 40 hours. I was a CNA working HH then, eventually, double weekends

Some shifts are better than others. Try to find a weekend position, if you can. If you work nights or evenings and attend full-time?

It's going to be more difficult to excel at school.

It can be done, though.

If everything falls into place, I plan to relocate and start the RN bridge this fall. I will be working FT and it's doubtful that I'll even be able to find a weekend slot. You do what you must, though.

On the bright side, there's a definite payoff. Most working students tend to have positions by graduation. That's how it worked with my class. The ONLY people with GVN slots were those who worked as CNAs and PCTs. 'Graduate' nurse positions (gn or gvn) are hard to come by. Most of these facilities don't advertise them and won't touch a new nurse until they've passed NCLEX.

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Specializes in oncology, MS/tele/stepdown.

I worked full-time my first month of nursing school, and it was very challenging. I went down to about 24-32 hrs/week and it was so much more manageable. BUT, I know people who worked full-time AND raised families AND got the top GPAs. I don't know how they did it!

I would definitely not quit your job. I don't know how it is in your area, but around me, the new grads who got jobs were the ones who worked at hospitals during nursing school. I wouldn't want you to not be able to succeed, but I would hate you to waste an "in" for when you graduate.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

I work two jobs.

It is doable.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

I work 24-36 hours a week and I'm about to start my senior year in a BSN program. If money weren't an issue, I would probably work a shift or two a month, just for experience sake and to keep my foot in the door. However, with a family of four, and income to replace from past employment prior to nursing school, I have to do it whether I want to or not! I am either at work, school or clinicals at least 6 days a week. I'm happy when I have one day off a week.

Your ability to work during nursing school largely has to do with your motivation. Do you need the money to survive? Are you dedicated to becoming a nurse? Do you have a family to feed & provide for? It often seems to be the students with families who works more hours and have excellent grades, but they have huge motivating factors. I wouldn't have had the motivation I have now back when I was 20! And I definitely didn't, I quit a bachelors engineering program at 19 to get married, but then again money wasn't an issue at that point :)

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Your grades will suffer if you work full-time. Most students work some hours during the week to be able to afford stuff. I don't recommend more than 24 hours a week. I worked nothing first semester (I did both nursing and paramedic at the same time that semester so it was like working full-time), 2nd semester 24 hours and an additional 12 hours every other week, third semester I did 36-48 hours if not more each week, and the last semester I will work only 24 hours one week and an extra shift every other week.

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Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.

I think going to the pool is perfect. I've been told its extremely hard to do well in nursing school and work. I have a hard time doing my pee reqs and working so I can't imagine ns and working although I will have to at least work part time most likely. Even if it's just for gas money. I would work as much overtime as possible during breaks and such and just work as little as you can throughout school.

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