How to work childcare into nursing student schedule

[mmt4]

I have a question for anyone who is or was a student in any of the nursing programs in Las Vegas (ANY- LPN, ADN, BSN, accelerated post bacc BSN...any of the schools).

If you had to work childcare around your schedule of classes and clinicals, how did you do it? Were you able to find a center that had extended hours, or did you hire an in-home person (like a f/t nanny or a part time college student), or did you find a home childcare provider? Did you choose a certain program over another b/c of the schedule?

We are probably moving to Nellis AFB and my husband is going to have an erratic schedule and be away from time to time - there is no way I can rely on him for childcare at any time, including weekends. I have 4 kids - one will be old enough (probably turning 13 by the time I start school) to stay alone after school a few hours and hopefully even get himself on the bus in the AM, two are elem school aged, and one will be preschool/kindergarten aged.

I am getting tired of putting off going back to school b/c of childcare logistics! Any suggestions or personal experiences as to how you pulled it off would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[dreamct]

My husband is in the AF as well, we have one child 2 years and I just graduated from UNLV in May. We opted to put her in a home daycare setting, more attention, reduced germ factor and we were lucky to find a very flexible and loving in home daycare provider who was licensed with many credentials. My spouse was also of no help with drop off and pick up d/t scheduling. The hours for UNLV were not bad clinicals were not as long as some of the other schools. Some schools have 12 hour clincals from the get go where as UNLV was 0630-1530ish until 4th semester then 6 weeks of 12's. If you will be going to to UNLV let me know and I can give you some ideas and the schedule.

[mmt4]

Thanks. We won't be going til next summer and even then it would be at least another year before I apply to anything. My science classes were done in 1993-94 with As and A-s but they are too old (with the exception of the program at CSN that allows you to test out) so I'd need Bio 223 and 224 all over again if I did a BSN.

I'm not decided at all what I want to do but a huge hang-up for me is childcare - I don't want to put my heart into finishing application requirements and get excited about something til I know I can logistically do it. The one thing I have decided is the accel BSN at NSC would be too much for me with 4 young kids and an absentee husband. I am kind of leaning towards a BSN if I do pursue nursing b/c my undergrad work is in Community Health (after I changed majors from pre-BSN way back) and I am most interested in things like Public Health and Health Education moreso than bedside care, so I'd like to be on an educational/career track that leads in that direction. Then again, I may need to wait til my kids are older for something as rigorous as a Nursing program - which as you know means after we are at Nellis for 4 yrs, we will be overseas for probably 4 yrs, then I can only hope we are somewhere that has the degree program. So, I'd wait 8 yrs for the chance again. I am pretty sure I am going to do something, even if its just a 1 yr program in something, while in NV, b/c I have for the most part been a SAHM for 10 yrs and my education is stale.

Did you use an on-base home care provider or were you able to find someone off-base?

I think my biggest concerns are finding someone that will take the kids early enough and be able to get them to school, and also pick them up or meet them at the bus and take them after school late enough (for late clinical days).

I am happy to find someone who understands the issue about not being able to rely on the spouse for anything. I know mine's schedule changes some days while he is at work (say a plane breaks and he is 200 miles away from base - he's not coming home til they fix it or send a truck. He has also gone in for "office work" days and ended up on training flights)

[dreamct]

We used an off base childcare provider since we live about 20 minutes away from base it would not have made any sense and again we found a wonderful lady so that helped. Keep me posted....I know lots of military spouses and we can help you get adjusted.

[mmt4]

Thank you! I will. Now just to get my hubby to actually put in for the assignment (its special duty and they have a number of open slots for it - he was told if he puts in for it he will get it - he is 99.5% sure he is putting in for it).