LONG..Recently seperated, continue with nursing with 2 children or stay in accounting

[amyleadon]

Well okay, I will make it as breif as possible.

Okay my husband and I were planning on me going to nursing school in a year(end of 2011 or beginning in 2012). Several months ago, I found out he has been having ongoing RELATIONSHIPS with 2 women. Keys to one of their houses, going out in public, paying bills, planning on a baby, etc. So whatever, I'm leaving in 2 weeks.

Now one reason I was so set on going to nursing school was because I had his support, help, income, etc. I will be 31 this year.My husband and I have 2 children. 2.5 and 6 months.So now that I have to be on my own, I initially decided I would put it out another year(say starting in 2013 instead), that would give me time and opportuntiy to pay off debt, get at least one of the children in pre k, etc.

I am still taking pre-requisites and all and I plan on doing that all year. What I want to know is will nursing as a profession and career be suitable for me as a single mother. I am all about being involved in my childrens school, activities, projects, field trips, sport practices, events, etc. And I'm worried I will not be able to. I planned on doing all this with my husband. Now I don't have any doubt that my soon to be ex-spouse as well as his family, will not be there. They are very supportive family and love to do everything together, well rounded, etc. I also have a great relationship with my in laws and plan on having one with my soon to be ex husband. I guess I will not be able to make it to every game, or this and that.

And I know that new nurses have to usually work nights and weekends, how will I have time to spend with them. Will I have to give up my weekends all together.

I am seriously thinking about giving it up, but I would like to know how it works for anyone else going through the same thing. I'm just scared I will miss out on critical quality time with them.

[Catch22Personified]

If this was five years ago, I would have strongly recommended you to go into nursing as it would have been a flexible career. Right now Nursing Jobs are scarce to new grads.

[shoegalRN, RN]

I agree with the previous post.

I am a single mother to a teenager and I am involved in his activities as well as school. I work weekend option (every Sat and Sun night) so I can be available during the week. I must be at home in the evenings to go over homework, attend boxing lessons, etc.

I work 2 nights and get paid for 3 with full bennies.

This position is hard to come by, since there are alot of single mothers and fathers who work this schedule for the same reason. Alot of them save on daycare cost.

I am unable to tell you what the nursing field will be like in 2012, but it's hard right now for new grads to land a job. I graduated in May 2009 and it took me 3 months to land my first nursing job.

I would atleast continue with the pre-reqs and then re-evaluate once you are done.

Good luck to you!

[amyleadon]

That is just the thing about it too. I won't even be done with pre-requisites until the end of this year. And if I need a year to get financially stable that mean actualy nursing school won't start until 2013. Then another 2 years of school. I won't be done until 2015. My kids would be 7 and 5.

And I have no idea what the nursing field will be like.

I would be 35 years old then. Not that its old. But I'm just trying to figure out if I should just start really networking in my current profession and try to move up that way.

Nursing was a family goal. I was absolutely sure it would work then, but alone, I have no idea. And the thought of losing time with my babies hurts me. I don't want to if I don't have to.

[shoegalRN, RN]

That is just the thing about it too. I won't even be done with pre-requisites until the end of this year. And if I need a year to get financially stable that mean actualy nursing school won't start until 2013. Then another 2 years of school. I won't be done until 2015. My kids would be 7 and 5.

And I have no idea what the nursing field will be like.

I would be 35 years old then. Not that its old. But I'm just trying to figure out if I should just start really networking in my current profession and try to move up that way.

Nursing was a family goal. I was absolutely sure it would work then, but alone, I have no idea. And the thought of losing time with my babies hurts me. I don't want to if I don't have to.

I started nursing school @ 32, graduated @ 35, will be 37 in a couple of months.

And I did it ALONE, as a single mother, with a mortgage, two cars, a teenager, and bills. I left a very stable job in corporate america to fulfill my dream.

I saved up money for 2 years while completing my pre-reqs and getting an Associate's Degree while working @ my previous job. I had enough money to live ONE year the day I started nursing school.

The second year of nursing school, I worked PRN as a tech, also had a buyout from previous job, in addition to my savings, so was able to live another 8 months without worrying about money. I took out the bare minimum in student loans to cover the rest. My student loans will be paid off next year.

It can be done. It will take alot of planning and sacrificing (sp?), but you can do it.

I planned on being a nurse in 2004 and gave myself 5 years to do it and I did!

[netglow, ASN, RN]

You know, all things considered and unforseen, I would just keep my focus on my current career. Sure, take a class or two if you want/can. But, my advice would be to not enter a nursing program. Pretty sure nursing is tanking, as far as being a good job, now and in the future. The "zenith" it had, has died. Just too many people in it and going into it.

[Bobbkat]

To be honest, with 2 really young children it will be really hard, and you'll have to accept the fact that you will miss a lot. I was in nursing school with a baby (well, she was a toddler by the time I graduated), not divorced but husband lived 800 miles away so essentially a single mom as far as care was concerned. I had to scramble, I had to miss things, I had to be gone a lot.

Now that I am working as an RN, I had to accept the hours that were offered to me. I work four days a week (40 hours), an hour from home, and rotate days/nights. When I have to work a 12 hour dayshift I don't see my daughter at ALL. I love, love my career, and my husband is incredible supportive, but it has definately come with it's sacrifices. My daughter doesn't seem to be any worse for it, but if I wanted to be super involved in her outside activities (she is just reachign the age were she is attending birthday parties, daycare wants parent involvement, etc) there would be a problem. She went to her first birthday party: I had to work. Family picture day: I had to work. You get the picture.

Can it work? Sure, obviously I am doing it. But if you are really looking to stay super involved in school activities/baseball games/etc, I would think twice about it.