Is it possible to work while attending RN school?

mamayogibear · Jul 28, 2011

I sure hope so because I am a single mom with no child support so I will have to work part time while in school. I have 2 interviews for CNA jobs at LTC facilities in the town I'm moving to for school so hopefully I'll be able to work and learn/discuss school material

Nickinj120107 · Jul 28, 2011

i'm going into my second semester of four in the rn program, and i can tell you it's hard to work and go to nursing school. i was going to school full-time and working 20 hours a week (i had to cut down from 40 hours a week). i managed to make the dean's list, but i was getting about 3 hours of sleep every night! going into this semester i'll be working about 8 hours a week as a home health aide, which i'm hoping will help. as long as you don't neglect all the reading and studying that goes into nursing school, you'll do fine even if you are working. nursing is hard because there's sooooo much to learn in such a short period of time (a semester), and you're dealing with people's lives so you have to get it right. i don't think the actual content is that difficult, it's just a lot. good luck!!! :nurse:

deez · Jul 28, 2011

I graduated with my BSN. For me personally, and those I went to school with, it was very hard to have a job during nursing school. Jr and Sr year it was probably the most difficult to have a job. During this time you not only have all your class work and tests, but you also have clinicals (which is a part time job in itself 8-24hrs/wk), and your clinical paper work (which is usually about 20-40 pages long). Thus, in one wk, you may have to study for 1-3 tests; go to clincials; go to classes; write and hand in clinical paper work; and if its a real bad wk you may also have a speach to give, a paper to write, or both.

However each school is different. Some schools dont even have clinicals (not sure how they can get away with that one). Either way, nursing school is intense. As they say " You will eat, sleep, and breath nursing". There will be many nights where you only get a couple hours of sleep. If you NEED a job,I highly recommend working during your off time as much as possible and save so you have some money put away for the school year. What was left of my student loans also went to help me live and pay my bills.

I say give it a try and see how well you do. Worst case scinerio, you ask for less hours. Its better to have the job and realize you need to cut down on hours, then to not have a job and realize you need one.

Sorry...Its late at night and I realize im probably all over the place. I hope i helped a little though. I wish you the best of luck in school. Its tough while you are in it, but you actually kinda miss it when you're done.

Iridescent Orchid, CNA, LPN · Jul 28, 2011

It can be done, but from majority of what I've read around here and from other students in my area - others find it really, really hard and it's a continuing struggle. Don't work during Nursing School unless you absolutely have to. You'll always have to work, but school is temporary in a sense, so do the best you can and don't neglect yourself from learning. I do understand, on the other hand, that for some people, they have no choice, but to work...but if you have a choice, by all means I'd say it's in your best interest not to work.

I do believe it helps to keep a job that will work with your school schedule...but many of us don't have that, which is my current problem. I'm practically forced to leave my job, because they had a fit when I submitted a change in hours request (note: it was just an 8-hour decrease) and practically said they couldn't change my load in hours, but could change my times. I don't HAVE to work, I still live at home, just paying car insurance, gas, and a cell bill...I'm not going to work and go to NS since I truly don't have to. But, everyone has different situations, just do what is best for you. It's possible, you just have to focus and learn the balancing act! :) Best of luck!

windmill182 · Jul 28, 2011

It really depends on your program and your time management skills. I have seen single moms go through nursing school while working 24 hours a week and do great! However, I have also seen people with no kids and no job fail out of nursing school. I don't think you can really have a for sure answer on a question like this. My Nursing program says that they only recommend working 16 hours a week. They even gave us an extra day off during the week (Fridays), so that if we need to work we can. Maybe, ask the head of the Nursing dept at your school for their opinion? Good luck! :)

AmberLeigh000 · Jul 28, 2011

Thanks alot! I will probably wait until I start to get the feel of things and determine from there if i should work or not. I dont HAVE to work but I do have bills and i dont want to drain my savings account I guess i could get a student loan to help out but im just not a big fan of them considering i already have a small one...

Is it really that bad to get student loans to pay bills?

ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2011

yes..

ashulee89 · Jul 29, 2011

If its not mandatory, no. I wouldn't work. I'm in an online ADN program and its hard working 6 days a week and then going home trying to focus. Rest assured, it can definitely be done. There are plenty of people around here who have done it. I think its wise to see how stressful nursing school is. If you decide you can handle a part time job, more power to you. :) If not, no big deal.

Goodluck!

NurseNancy88 · Jul 29, 2011

I would say it can be done. People in my class worked part time as PCTs or CNAs on weekends and I had a part time job as a private caregiver with very flexible hours working 1-3 hours/day about 2-4 times a week with a stroke patient. There's no way I could have worked a rigid schedule, I needed flexibility because sometimes it is hard to predict how long and assignment or studying will take you. However, you don't want to burn yourself out either, I would say nursing school comes first and is priority while you're in school. It's not worth sacrificing that for a low paying job that barely gets you by.

cdchucky · Jul 29, 2011

I have worked pt. time through 2 semesters so far and have managed well. You need flexibility from your employer though or it's not possible.

Chimera21 · Jul 29, 2011

My concern right now is that I have a decent job - I make about $17/hr at a law firm. I am TERRIFIED of eventually leaving this job to go to school - I'm sure I can handle pre-reqs and work, but after that is seems like a nightmare, as this is a 9am-6pm office job.

I'm pretty much on my own in this regard - I'm in my late 20's and I don't have parental support or the ability to just not work. How do others in my situation make it through school on only part time wages?