Is school still overwhelming if I don't work and have no kids at home?

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Hi - I hear so many people say that nursing school is super difficult. Well, if I don't have to work and have no children at home during the day would it still be difficult to get all the work done? Or, is it difficult in a different way? Thanks in advance for any feedback! :)

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

I think you are blessed! I can't say whether it would be difficult or not because I don't know what kind of student you are.

Much luck to you in your studies!

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Did you ever hear that old saying "the job will expand to fill the time allowed"?

I've got 2 kids and a husband and I find school to be challenging but do-able. I have worked very little since starting nursing school, but I have not missed much in the way of soccer games, etc. After the first semester you should have time for a part-time job if you want one. Or fast-track. At my school the first semester is very difficult and the volume of work is intense. After that it lessens a bit.

I went to school with engineers, chemists, biologists, pre-med grads (like, didn't make it into med school), and every one said that they didn't expect nursing school to be this hard. So, it's hard. But it's do-able.

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Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.

It is hard to answer your question. It depends on how well organized you are, how committed you are. If you do not waste your time, you should not have any problems. Those of us who have to work, to take care of our children, we are forced to be very organized, very efficient. You have the luxury of having the extra time we do not have. Do not waste it. Put it to good use.

Woody:balloons:

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Specializes in CMSRN.

It is all about who you are. I did it with two small kids (half of the time they were in diapers). Even though I did not work, I handled the managment of the household while my husband scrounged around for every hour of work (he was laid off from a very good paying job one month before nursing school started)

Needless to say at home stress was very high and found nurisng school almost easy in comparison.

However I did go to school with someone who was in her fifties and did not need to work for the time being and had no kids or husband. She retired from a job she had for over 25 years.

Her stress level during school was so high that our psych instructor encouraged her to see her PCP.

All in all, I find it is what you make of it. Everyone has stress factors and each of them are interpreted differently. Some people only need to worry about about whether their clothes are wrinkled while others have stress about when they will get their next meal. Yet each stressor achieves the same level of anxiety.

If you have conquered high stressors previously (at least what is considered high stressors) then it is likely you will be able to get through nursing school.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU, Neuro/Trauma stepdown.

That depends on if you are used to hard work and being able to dedicate yourself to something important. Yeah, it's overwhelming no matter what, but without a job outside the home, nursing school is your job.

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Specializes in ER then CVICU now.

To echo others, it depends on what kind of student you are. I did not work while going to nursing school, nor did I have children, but I was still stressed and overwhelmed at times. I admire those who's gone through nursing school with children and a job, kudos. :up:

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Specializes in ER/ICU, CCRN, SRNA (class of 2010).

I didn't think so, matter of a fact I never opened a book really. The only classes I studied for were the non-nursing classes. I worked about 24-32 hours/wk as a cna in a nursing home my last two years of school.

My first semester I took 17 credits, worked 32 hours/wk, and had a girlfriend who was in school 90 minutes away in Boston. I would visit her on the weekends. I did not feel like I was over doing it but I came down with Mono. and ended up in the hospital with severe dehydration. Yikes, I was pretty close to having to drop out due to missing clinicals, but they were understanding and let me make it up. So my last bit of advise is don't be a quitter!!!!!! If you can get into school you can graduate, many aspiring nurses quit at the drop of a hat.

-Smiley

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From experience, I'd have to say I do believe -- even w/o an outside job, kids @ home, etc -- that Nursing school is / can be overwhelming. I think the BEST thing to do in ANY situation/circumstance is to find your very own BALANCE. It will not be like anyone else's. It will be extraordinarily individualistic. I believe that BALANCE is key, no matter what.

I worked FT and went to school FT for years and years and years. (I feel like I'm living in biblical times --checks calendar -- am I 901 yrs old??) -- I have extremely high expectations of myself. During that time frame -- I HAD to become "ok" w/"getting by" I'm sad to say. I did the best I could under the weight of my circumstances at the time.

But--I'm EXtremely grateful to say that at the beginning of this year (Jan) I was blessed to be in a situation where I do NOT have to work. I can NOT even express how appreciative that I am -- knowing things can change @ the drop of a hat. With that being said -- I feel, for the 1st time in AGES that I am being afforded the opportunity to DO MY ABSOLUTE BEST:) It is a very good feeling.

Do not get me wrong: it is still extremely challenging. I'm just oh-so-thankful to feel like I'm doing my best:)

Best of luck to everyone:):):)

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To repeat what several others have said, it all depends on you, what kind of student you are and what you make of it.

I have several classmates (myself included) who have kids, husbands, jobs (some work part time, some full time), etc and they are doing very well. And others who have failed out for a variety of reasons.

On the other hand there are quite a few who don't work, and have no children (some are very young 18-20ish living at home w/their parents, some are a bit older just with no job or kids) and like the ones with kids and jobs, some are doing very well, others are failing out.

I actually think that with no job and/or kids, it makes it WAY to easy to "do it tomorrow" type thing. Since there are no kids/job, all the free time before and after school does make it so very easy to say, ahh, I'll study tomorrow, or I'll do that paper over the weekend. I will admit, when I had vacation from work and my kids spent a long weekend with family, I kept putting things off and some of my worst test scores were during that time. For myself, my added responsibilites in addition to school make me buckle down and do what I have to, when the time is available.

Again, I guess what I am saying is how rough/easy school is depends on the individual person.

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That's something u have to decide 4 yourself.

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I don't find it too bad, with a husband and three small kids!! I go to uni with single people who are always saying How do you do it?! or are asking for extentions on assessment! But you manage. I manage!!

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