Looking for advice from students with jobs/families

nrenteria · Jun 13, 2008

I have to work also. I plan to continue working while in nursing school. To prepare for it, I've taken just about all of the prerequisits required. I took them one at a time b/c I have to work also. My husband is very supportive also. That makes a big difference. Remember that it's a journey. One obsticale at a time, one class at a time and you'll get there.

I will cut back on the number of hours I work while in NS, but will still need to make some money to keep afloat financially. I've also paid for my classes as I've taken them, instead of taking out a loan. That way I won't have such a big debt to repay at the end of it all.

Good luck on your journey.

jennafezz · Jun 13, 2008

I also recently got married, and I'm also 20, so we're in the same boat it looks like :) I was also making around 10$ an hour when we got married, 9 months ago.

My advice.. find a non-nurse job at a hospital! It's hard, and it might take some time, but I'd work on your resume and learn some quick skills (10-key, medical terminology, etc) and just search for a job at a hospital until you find one. Hospital jobs usually pay really well (I make 17 an hour now) and they will be flexible with nursing school when it comes. Also, hospitals will usually pay for a lot of your school costs, if you agree to work for them for a while after nursing school. Maybe try the admitting department, or be a unit secretary or a file clerk or something. Even food service workers at hospitals make 15$+ an hour.

amjowens · Jun 14, 2008

While I respect the opinion of people so against taking out loans for school, I'm of a completely different set of thinking. I don't have other debt, and my credit is healthy, so I wouldn't exactly call myself a "credit" person, but education is an investment, like a house loan or something (well, this market may have changed that one!).

That said, I recommend applying for financial aid. The people in my class who work full-time (well, only one made it through first semester), really struggle. While it can be done (many people on this site have successfully worked full-time and finished NS), you're going to need to be really honest with yourself about the time YOU need/investment YOU need to make to do well. And, it's not a good time to discover that you need more time to study in the middle of the semester when you're relying on your full-time income.

I think of NS as a time of real investment for the rest of my life. If I can get through this relatively short period, giving up a lot of my normal "luxuries" and dedicate myself competely, I'll be giving myself a gift that keeps giving (and hopefully sharing my "gifts" with others as a nurse!).

Once you decide to become a nurse, though, nothing will stop you, and you'll find a way if you really want it! Just be humble and do your own thing, with your own unique situation. Good luck!

studying... · Jun 14, 2008

Jessyka, I worked for smokey bones for years(also Darden), you might want to try talking to a manager about letting you train to be a server or something as your hours will go down exponentially in regards to the money, it's also more flexible usually(depending on mngr.s). Best of luck

notoriouslysimple · Jun 17, 2008

Thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate it! I've been in contact with a CNA training program that I'm trying to get into. That way I only have to work at the restaurant for a little bit. I'm crossing my fingers I get in!

AB092504 · Jun 19, 2008

I have to work also. I plan to continue working while in nursing school. To prepare for it, I've taken just about all of the prerequisits required. I took them one at a time b/c I have to work also. My husband is very supportive also. That makes a big difference. Remember that it's a journey. One obsticale at a time, one class at a time and you'll get there.
I will cut back on the number of hours I work while in NS, but will still need to make some money to keep afloat financially. I've also paid for my classes as I've taken them, instead of taking out a loan. That way I won't have such a big debt to repay at the end of it all.
Good luck on your journey.

I agree w/ everything from this post and am in the same boat. I've also been taking one class at a time (prereqs) while working full time and trying to take any gen ed's I still need that I didn't get from my first Bachelor's degree, so that hopefully I won't be completely overwhelmed w/ classes/clinicals when I start NS. And I've been paying as I go, I'm really hoping to not have to take out any kind of loans but we'll see...

I also agree w/ having the supportive spouse. My husband is not thrilled about the idea of losing me for 2 years but he understands that if I'm going to make a better life for myself and really for the both of us, we're going to have to get through this little bump in the road.

Take it one day at a time, just as said above. I had a professor once who said to write down all of the prereqs and classes that you'll need to complete for your entire degree and as you complete them, cross them off the list, you'll be surprised at how quickly time flies. I completely agree w/ this. I started this journey almost two years ago and I can't believe how far I've already come.

Good luck w/ your CNA course! I'm sure you'll do great and good luck w/ everything!