I want to be a nurse so bad--but don't know how to make that possible

[kayty2339]

First off, I will start by saying that I have a great desire to become a nurse. So much so, that for the past year it's pretty much all I've thought about. I'm almost done with all my pre and co-requisites. I'm taking Microbiology this summer and then I will be done with everything except for the core nursing classes and clinicals. Once I get into the program I know the class and clinical schedule will not be flexible as my classes are now. Being that I work full time and my family needs my additional income to get the bills paid, I don't know what I'm going to do. There is the option of keeping my full time job and doing the night/weekend program but that means I would be working and going to school 7 days a week. Clinicals are sat. and sun. 7-7 every weekend, classes are tues. and thurs. nights from 5-10. When would I ever see my kids? This is not an ideal situation for me at all. My kids are young and I don't want to be away from them that much. The other option is to quit working (or work very part time) and my husband would get a second job. He is a firefighter and works 24 hours on 48 hours off, so he could possibly find a job as an EMT or ER tech 3 days a week/12 hrs a day. That would almost supplement my income. But when I mentioned it to him the other night he was concerned about himself never seeing the kids. He is supportive of me becoming a nurse, he knows I really want this. I know he would do this type of schedule if he had to, but I hate to put that much of a burden on him. I don't know what to do. Going to nursing school is very important to me. I feel like this is something that I have to do. I'm getting really stressed and disappointed trying to figure out exactly how I'm going to make this work. We've even thought about selling our house, but we'd have to do work to it, and in this economy who know how long it would sit before somebody actually bought it. Is it crazy that I would sell my house just so I can go to nursing school?? If we didn't have the house payment and could rent somewhere for a lot less, I know we could make it work. But that seems pretty much impossible too. Anyways, I just needed to vent and get this off of my chest. For those of you that pray, can you please send some prayers my way for some guidance? And if this is in God's plan that he please open up the doors for me?

Well, Thanks for listening!

[mongo73]

I will pray for you and your family. God will make it possible for you . He has done so much for me, and I am sure he will Bless you.

[OnMyWay2MSN]

Sending prayers and good thoughts...everything happens for a reason, it is not a matter of if you'll become a nurse it is only a matter of when....best of luck to you

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Do you have to take the full load of classes? It might be a do-able idea to just take one or a few classes, and take longer to graduate, but still be able to have time with your family...

[mommybess, BSN, RN]

We sold our home and downsided our vehicle when I made the decision to go to school. I was not working at the time but we knew it would require my husband to be at home more. I was able to get a Pell Grant to help with the cost of school and income needs at home for my pre- and co-reqs. In nursing school I received a scholarship that paid for everything! Look into the Pell Grant and apply for scholarships. You can make it work... it's worth the scarifice and committment. But it's tough!!

[msteeleart]

I know how you feel. I have a 4 year old, a husband and a house. It is so hard. I wish I could take the accelerated nursing program at a hospital affiliated nursing college but I will probably have to do the part time take twice as long route at the local community college. Oh well.

Maybe you could find a part time option if there is a community college in your area. Since you have all the pre-reqs done all you would have left is the nursing part. Then you could try to find a part-time job at a hospital to help with tuition and bills.

Good luck and don't give up hope because if other people do it then you will be able to do it too.

[Halinja, BSN, RN]

In order to go to nursing school I sold my house, moved to a city where housing was less than half the price, worked part time, and lived on a lot of beans and rice, no new car, no vacations, no cell phone, no amenities. I had grants and took out student loans and lived on part of it. We never set the air conditioner lower than 86 degrees in 105 degree weather. We didn't heat the house in the winter at all. It worked, I made it through. All of us made sacrifices, including my children. I don't regret any of it, nor do they. But it required totally ripping up our lives and living extremely frugally for four years. How bad do you want it? How much does your hubby want you to have it? It's hard. Really hard. But if you want something badly enough, you CAN find a way.

[rn/writer, RN]

What kind of job do you have now?

[Delirious]

I waited 20 years to go to nursing school. My first BS degree was in Business, but I knew before I graduated with it that I didn't belong in the business world. After graduating from college the first time, I got married and had 3 daughters. I worked on prerequisites while they were young, but it seemed that each time I was accepted into nursing school something happened. I got pregnant, we moved out of state, or whatever. It wasn't until my oldest daughter was 16 and driving that I made the choice to finish my nursing degree. (By this time I had completed all of my nursing prerequisites.) I was also working full-time. I enrolled in the 19 month nights/weekends program, and I was like a bull in a China shop getting my nursing degree. I too was very determinined. I, however, did not have the spousal support that you seem to have. My encouragement came from my daughters. I worked in a hospital and my supervisor was very supportive and as accomodating and flexible as she could possibly be with me. During my most difficult final semester (Critical Care), I dropped down to part-time at work and supplemented my income with my PTO (paid-time-off which is basically sick leave). When the final semester became too much for even part-time work, I took out a private student loan and lived on it until I started working as a nurse. I also needed the time off from work to study for my nursing boards. Last August 2008, I passed my boards on try one. I have been working on a Med-Surg floor for the past 5 months. I tell people I have no regrets about going to nursing school. And looking back....I have no regrets about the way I did it. Honestly, had I not done it then and the way I did, I don't believe I would have had another chance. I'm 42 after all. Working on the floor and having 7 patients/night wears me out. But I go home and get some rest, and the next day I'm ready to do it all over again.

Because your children are small, your case is a little different from mine. But if you are determined to be a nurse, you will be. Best wishes....

[shakeytails]

Where there's a will there's a way, right? I'm 43 and lost my job last fall. Right now I'm taking classes and trying to get into one of the community college nursing programs. I'm living off savings and a part-time job. I'm hoping to get a CNA job (as soon as I finish the class) that pays half-way decent somewhere that will be flexible with my school schedule and help with tuition reimbursement.

I wouldn't even think about selling my home, but I have a farm with a minimal mortgage that would be extremely difficult to replace- and it's not like I can take 17 horses, 3 cats and 6 dogs to an apartment, anyway!

I don't think it's crazy to sell your house to realize your dream, but a student loan might be a better idea. I do think it's slightly crazy to attempt to work 9-5 full time and do nursing school too. You are in a great position to work part-time, though, since you have all your non-nursing classes out of the way.

There's all kinds of ways to save money/cut expenses. Get a cheaper bare-bones car, cut satellite TV down to the bare minimum plan, same with phone services. Dry your clothes on a clothesline. Turn the heat down and the AC up. Check out thrift stores for clothes. Learn to cook cheap, and buy only sale items. Heck, I haven't bought beef other than hamburger on sale since October! Discover one-check rebate programs from places like Walgreens and Rite-Aid... using these programs I haven't actually bought shampoo, toothpaste or toothbrushes in at least a couple of years. Forget eating out, and pack a lunch. Start now and you'll be that much farther ahead when you do take the plunge.

Definitely check into financial aid programs. If you get $3000 in aid, that's $3000 less hours you have to work.

Think positive! You CAN make this work.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Y'know ... back in the "olden days," like 20 years ago ... people didn't buy a house until they had finished their education and gotten financial stable. They didn't give themselves mortgages, buy a lot of furniture, etc. until after they had their careers well established. People rented and bought used cars, etc.

I didn't buy my first home until I was 44 years old and finished with grad school.

There is nothing wrong with selling your house and reducing your expenses. In fact, that might be a good thing if you can get a reasonable price for it and have any equity. More people should consider it.

How much of a student loan would you need to get? A small student loan is not a horrible thing. Just be careful not to get to deeply in debt.

Good luck to you. I hope you and your husband find a way to cut back on your epenses (by doing things like maybe selling your house) so that you can find a way to make the finances work while you go to school.

Is it possible for you to get a job in a hospital that will help pay your school expenses?

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I would for sure look into Fin. Aide, student loans, I now with my school, I can get a student loan for 9500 my first semester, 10,500 my second year, I am not a fan of debt but I am willing to get Student loans so I can attend nursing school. I don't work now and we could probably swing me going to school on my husbands income, we have been paying cash so far but just for a few classes, but the biggest thing will be full time childcare for my 2 year old daughter and after school car for 2 of my sons while my oldest is in Football. After Football season he can watch the other 2 boys. But it looks like childcare for her is going to run around 230 a week and that isn't even my other 2 for after school.

My husband might be able to make it work but i don't want to put that kind of stress on us. We already sold our house when we moved here to CO a couple years ago. But I am going to get the loans, we don't qualify for the aide you don't have to pay back so this is my only alternative. I cut up all our CC long ago and the Loans are a lower interest rate anyway.

Maybe this could be an option for you where the pro's outweigh the cons. Regardless, I will keep you and your family in my thoughts. Good luck to you.