Not working during nursing school?

ahosoda · Jul 7, 2015

Since taxes exist, I rather have those people who honestly need it benefit from it.

I know for a fact that I needed it. If I needed that assistance, I am sure there are plenty of other people in the same boat as me. Every nursing school is different, maybe your school was easy enough to work. I can't think of anyone in my program who is working, except for summer jobs.

I think you need to do a little more research on taxes. Student loans costs taxpayers BILLIONS. Healthcare costs taxpayers BILLIONS. I don't want to pay for people's hospital bills who didn't take care of themselves their whole lives. Personally I would rather have my taxes going toward a hard-working student who is working day and night to get on her feet over someone who chose to eat fast food because it was all they could afford and now they have diabetes, heart failure, etc and can't afford the hospital bills.

ahosoda · Jul 7, 2015

People are so quick to judge people's struggles without knowing the full story. Show some compassion. I would be extremely afraid to have any of you people as my nurses if I were a patient. Judgmental, unmindful, uncaring, and quite frankly inhumane. It is judgmental people like you who cause people to turn away assistance that they desperately need, but are too afraid to ask for out of a fear of being judged. It is a shame. I beg that you do some research and educate yourselves.

Red Kryptonite · Jul 7, 2015

Disagreeing with you does not make me uneducated. Now who's judgemental?

ahosoda · Jul 7, 2015

Disagreeing with you does not make me uneducated. Now who's judgemental?

I'm not saying they are uneducated because they disagree with me. I am saying they are uneducated because they choose to focus on one aspect of the situation, being food stamps. There are so many other factors at play that are more detrimental to their taxes that I mentioned: healthcare, student loans, debt, poverty... I could go on. These issues deserve more attention than me asking for food assistance.

Alisonisayoshi, LVN · Jul 7, 2015

I'd personally appreciate my tax dollars go to feeding a student trying to make a better life for themselves. I'd much rather feed a student and their family than a meth head.

ahosoda · Jul 7, 2015

"Food stamps are the most effective economic stimulus available. $1 in food stamps creates $1.76 in economic activity."

There are a lot of eligibility requirements that I feel like people are unaware of to apply for food assistance. You can not be a dependent to apply. For my situation as well as most others, this equates to no financial support from family or a SO. Additionally, the government will only cover a 3 month unemployment period. I am employed on-call. However, the amount I work depends on my school load, as you can see if you read my first post. School to me will always come first, so I only work when I know I can mentally afford it.

Do not paint welfare and food assistant recipients as "lazy". This truly has a more detrimental impact than I think most people imagine. I was hesitant to apply for food assistance for so long because of this stereotype. Perpetuating this stereotype is unhealthy for our society. I did NOT apply for EBT because I wanted a low-stress experience, as a previous poster implied. I did it so I could work my butt off, and so I could literally survive on the most basic human level imaginable (Maslow's hierarchy, anyone?). Every person I know who receives government assistance works harder than anyone I know.

On the other end of the spectrum, I know a lot of people who could benefit from welfare, food stamps, or other charitable organizations but are too afraid to get help because they don't want to burden taxpayers or "mooch off the system". Their children are starving. They don't take their medications because they can't afford it - usually medications for mental illness. My friend went to jail because he couldn't afford his medications for bi-polar disorder. The ripple effect of these things undoubtedly causes your precious taxes to increase more than paying for a couple loaves of bread and a gallon of milk every month.

Sorry for ranting. This all struck a cord with me, I really do wish nurses of all people would have 1) some compassion and 2) some common sense.

NurseIndependa · Jul 7, 2015

Every nursing school is different, maybe your school was easy enough to work.

This is an assumption, but I highly doubt that CocoaLoverFNP (a nurse practitioner) went to an "easy school" while working.

Personally I would rather have my taxes going toward a hard-working student who is working day and night to get on her feet over someone who chose to eat fast food because it was all they could afford and now they have diabetes, heart failure, etc and can't afford the hospital bills.

Of course you are saying that... you are the one using government assistance! How is it fair that one student works during nursing school to support themselves just to have taxes taken from their paycheck & used to feed a student who chooses not to work or take out a loan?

Jules A, MSN · Jul 7, 2015

Sorry for ranting. This all struck a cord with me, I really do wish nurses of all people would have 1) some compassion and 2) some common sense.

And I wish those who are able to help themselves would do it even if it is uncomfortable and save our precious resources for those who truly need it like your friend who I can guarantee you did not go to jail simply because he couldn't afford his medications. Your point that people can't get medication they desperately need solidifies the argument that those of us who are able should not willingly burden our system. I would also guess food stamps consist of more than a few loaves of bread and jug of milk

Call me whatever names you want. I will not agree that it is not possible to work in some capacity during nursing school. If your children were "starving" I absolutely would feel more charitable although I would still think you should work. Its just my opinion and we can agree to disagree.

Golfer87 · Jul 7, 2015

I'm not saying they are uneducated because they disagree with me. I am saying they are uneducated because they choose to focus on one aspect of the situation, being food stamps. There are so many other factors at play that are more detrimental to their taxes that I mentioned: healthcare, student loans, debt, poverty... I could go on. These issues deserve more attention than me asking for food assistance.

Please discontinue engaging in conversations with anonymous mean spirited individuals.

There is no worthwhile positive resolution to this type of activity.

CocoaLoverFNP · Jul 7, 2015

This is an assumption, but I highly doubt that CocoaLoverFNP (a nurse practitioner) went to an "easy school" while working.
Of course you are saying that... you are the one using government assistance! How is it fair that one student works during nursing school to support themselves just to have taxes taken from their paycheck & used to feed a student who chooses not to work or take out a loan?

This. Thank you!

defying.gravity · Jul 7, 2015

For those of you that didn't work during nursing school and are single with no one to support you how did you pay for your bills and expenses?
I'm taking the prereqs now and applying and this is my biggest worry as everyone said I will have to significantly cut back.

I can't answer this with personal experience because I always worked through school even when advised not to. I was a single mother with a newborn during my BSN , also working full time in addition to university. My biggest regret was not realizing how fast babies grow and missing out on that, nursing school didn't suffer, nor did my full time job. Sleep deprivation and abusing my health by overworking was something I had to adjust later because it did catch up to me, but it wasn't so bad that I wouldn't do it again. I don't know if my attitude is a healthy attitude but I grew up in an era and in an environment where we needed to push hard to survive, most of my colleagues from that generation work on retraining ourselves to not be workaholics as a response to stress. Not an easy habit to break.

If working is not an option at all, I believe student loans can help with a certain amount of life expenses. Depending on your state and the school you attend, you may be eligible for grants as well. FAFSA is the form you fill out for that. Call the financial aid department of the school you are interested in and learn about any resources available for your situation. These days there seem to be many, it wasn't always that way.

Maybe entertain the idea of saving for another year or two with your current job and living off that while in nursing school.

ahosoda · Jul 7, 2015

This is an assumption, but I highly doubt that CocoaLoverFNP (a nurse practitioner) went to an "easy school" while working.

There is a difference between "time-consuming" and "easy". Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't they design most graduate programs around the idea that these people are already RNs and they should keep working? Of the NPs I talked to, they said their programs allowed and encouraged them to work. Just saying, maybe they only have school 2 or 3 days a week. Maybe she had some online courses that allowed her some flexibility.

My school is 8am-5pm M-F. This means the only shifts I can pick up are noc shift or weekends. If I go the noc shift route, that means staying up for 36+ hours without any sleep. It is not possible to function with that amount of sleep. You physically can't. In my mind, there is no point in going to nursing school if you can't think/retain any info.

Working a couple shifts a week as an RN also earns you more money than working as a CNA, like I am. I get about $70/shift, whereas an RN would be making a lot more. Its not possible to live off that. I do work most weekends, but some weekends I have to run an errand or do homework. I am human, after all. Oh and God forbid I have one day off a month for mental health purposes, that would just make me scummy and lazy, right?

Also now it is my summer break and I have been working full-time, so I probably won't receive any money on my EBT this month. They calculate how much you need per month based on how much you are making.