Maximum work hours

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Jan 16, 2009

It depends on what you can do. I worked 36 hrs a week during 2nd, 3rd and 4th semesters on a busy post-op neuro/ortho/medical floor...learned a lot, saw a lot, and took my RN job on the same unit. We all get along, and I don't know if I would have quite as much confidence in my current skills without that practice. I think I could cath someone in my sleep now!

Do whatever you have to to make ends meet.

Cilantrophobe · Jan 16, 2009

my school suggests no more than 20 hours. I guess it all depends on how well you can study/work with a certain amount of sleep.

caliotter3 · Jan 16, 2009

You should also consider commuting time when going from job to school and vice versa. I had an hour and a half commute that became old very quick when going from night shift at work to school. You will also find that instructors don't like it when you enter the classroom late. Also, I highly recommend that you keep the fact that you are working and other personal info to yourself. My school actively discriminated against working students; something I wished I had known before I divulged this info. As long as you make it to class and clinical and your performance is good, there is no reason for the school to know that you have a job.

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Jan 16, 2009

I work 35 hours a week. I have my own office, computer, printer and etc.

When I have down time I study, I write papers, I do research, I do careplans, However, on my busy days, hardly anytime to study. It just depends on what work you are doing.

pam619 · Jan 16, 2009

Thank you so much! It makes me feel better to see others who are working and making it work with school & studying. I'm looking at working no more than 15 hours a week.

shann106 · Jan 16, 2009

I work 40 hours a week, I am the only person in my class working that many hours. Our school suggests no more than 20 hours a week, and only if you cannot survive without the money. They strongly advise you to not work at all.

I wish I didn't have to work so much, but I do, and I have to adjust.

SBT85 · Jan 17, 2009

I work 2-3 12 hour shifts a week depending on upcoming exams. My first semester in nursing school I didn't work @ all. I'm in my last semester now where we have to precept 60 hours ICU and 144 hours med-surg plus class days, exams, and 2 8hr community clinicals so my working will be cut short. I have a classmate who works 40 hours a week @ night. She sometime comes straight to class from work. Its amazing how she does it but she has survived thus far.

I think how much you work depends on how you adjust to classes and how your personal finances will allow.

amjowens · Jan 17, 2009

It all depends on your situation. Other than first semester, I'll be scheduling virtually all of my classes online, with one clinical per week. I've already taken a lot of the classes that I could take before the program started. For ex., one of my classmates is taking 18 hours, with pharm, anatomy/physio, nutrition, plus nursing skills and nursing concepts this semester. She is a single mom of a small child. We were chatting today in skills, and I was helping her with taking blood pressures. She'd never done it in her life. With me having already taken pharm, all bio sciences, and nutrition, PLUS me having just graduated from a LPN program with a solid basic skills set, can someone actually set a 15 hour or 30 hour work limit for both of us to be okay? I'd say not. We are all in the same boat in our classes, but we definitely have different paces as to where we are at the moment.

The most important thing is to KNOW YOURSELF (HONEST APPRAISAL), don't let your mind be swayed by other people's opinions of YOUR situation, and do your very own thing (HAPPILY and, usually works best to do it quietly I find!).

User123456 · Jan 17, 2009

I dont work outside the house thank goodness I have a hubby that can support us on just his income, however I am raising two toddlers which is more than a 40 hour a week job. I dont think i could work outside the house and do nursing school, but cudo's to those who are making it happen. :)