Not working during nursing school?

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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.

In all the states I have lived in if you do not have any children, you have to work a certain number of hours each week to receive food stamps. The stereotype that you can just sit around on welfare is not always true.

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Specializes in hospice.
I never assumed they were bad nurses however.

What's that you say?

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.
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Specializes in Neuro/ ENT.
There isn't any shame in food assistance programs although I personally would prefer my tax dollars go to those who aren't able to work and need to feed their families not just to those who want a lower stress college experience.

I get what you are saying here... however, we don't get to pic who gets help and who doesn't. The government does that. Also, there are plenty of people who abuse the system and don't really need the help, they just don't want to work. I have no issues with someone busting their hind to get through school so that they can work using my tax dollars.

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Specializes in hospice.

How is taking government assistance because they don't feel like dealing with the stress of working while in school, different from just not wanting to work?

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I get what you are saying here... however, we don't get to pic who gets help and who doesn't. The government does that. Also, there are plenty of people who abuse the system and don't really need the help, they just don't want to work. I have no issues with someone busting their hind to get through school so that they can work using my tax dollars.

I get what you are saying also and although I wish we could pick where our tax money is spent all I wanted to convey was that given a preference I would prefer my money goes to those who truly need it to feed their children, not just someone who feels entitled to an easier time getting through nursing school on someone else's buck.

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I get what you are saying here... however, we don't get to pic who gets help and who doesn't. The government does that. Also, there are plenty of people who abuse the system and don't really need the help, they just don't want to work. I have no issues with someone busting their hind to get through school so that they can work using my tax dollars.

Sounds like abusing the system to me too. I worked and went to school at the same time. It was like hell! But I got through it all.

Therefore, i do not think another nursing student (who is equally capable of working and studying) can make any excuse about not working and getting assistance from the government instead. This type of thinking encourages other people to abuse "the system".

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Thank you. I appreciate people who choose to have an intellectual conversation over people who just choose to attack without stating facts or knowing information. This is probably the first post that brings up truths instead of assumptions. For that I thank you. Hopefully everyone else in this thread can follow your example.

WOW. Let me clarify your thoughts.

It seems as if when you "think" someone agrees with you (when she clearly didn't), then that person is having an intellectual conversation with you. And when someone disagrees, somehow it's an attack without stating facts.

Also, it seems as if what we say are "assumptions" and your statements are the "truth"? Very interesting.

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Specializes in Neuro/ ENT.

I can see how some people may abuse the system and feel entitled to be given something to make nursing school easier. However, I don't think it is fair to think all people are this way who choose to use welfare while in school. I disagree that all people are "equally capable of working and studying". I have learned through experience as well as through school that people are capable of very different things, and this does not make anyone any better than anyone else. Example: I cannot work nights. I have tried. For six months I tried. My body would not adapt. At six months I looked at my shoes one day and could not for the life of me remember how to tie them. I thought I had lost my mind. I had to find another job where I could work days. Some people's bodies can adapt to certain situations, while others cannot. Some people can study and work and succeed in school. Others cannot. For one person to judge another based on what the first person is capable of just doesn't work.

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I can see how some people may abuse the system and feel entitled to be given something to make nursing school easier. However, I don't think it is fair to think all people are this way who choose to use welfare while in school. I disagree that all people are "equally capable of working and studying". I have learned through experience as well as through school that people are capable of very different things, and this does not make anyone any better than anyone else. Example: I cannot work nights. I have tried. For six months I tried. My body would not adapt. At six months I looked at my shoes one day and could not for the life of me remember how to tie them. I thought I had lost my mind. I had to find another job where I could work days. Some people's bodies can adapt to certain situations, while others cannot. Some people can study and work and succeed in school. Others cannot. For one person to judge another based on what the first person is capable of just doesn't work.

While I understand where you are coming from, I'd like to make everyone aware that government assistance is not the only (and best) solution for the OP's issue.

You can work while in school, work before you begin school, or get a student loan. There are also evening classes available in some schools. I also got a 2-year scholarship which helped me a LOT. There's also financial aid. You can live with your mom until you are done with school. You can borrow your college friend's books. You can and should make it work. The list can go on and on....

Bottom line: There are a lot of other ways to finish nursing school without asking for tax-payer's money.

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Specializes in Neuro/ ENT.

Ya, that's what I was thinking as well... working and saving up before school. That is something everyone can do. If you can't work before going to school, what's the point in going to school, right? If you can't work? Really, if children are not involved there are extremely cheap places to rent if you don't have family to live with. Live way below your means for a year or two before going to school, all the while saving everything you can, and being thrifty. Then use your savings while in school if you really cannot handle working.

For me, I am not going to work during my first semester so I can see just how much I can handle. From there, I may take a PRN job. However, I am not in the position that I need to work during school, so I am in a bit of an easier situation.

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Specializes in Neuro/ ENT.
How is taking government assistance because they don't feel like dealing with the stress of working while in school, different from just not wanting to work?

Well, there is a big assumption there. You assume the reason they use assistance is just because they don't feel like dealing with the stress of working while in school. If that is the case, there is not difference, obviously. However, in many cases, that may not be why they are using assistance.

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Specializes in hospice.
Well, there is a big assumption there. You assume the reason they use assistance is just because they don't feel like dealing with the stress of working while in school. If that is the case, there is not difference, obviously. However, in many cases, that may not be why they are using assistance.

*sigh* Have you read the thread? I'm making no assumptions. I'm addressing the stated reason of one person here for taking government aid.

JulesA, I think you should reflect on your priorities. People who don't value mental health should not be in the medical field. Period.

Stress affects health in so many ways. I would rather increase your taxes by $0.0001 cents/year and become a great nurse than half-a** the nursing program and kill myself of stress. When I was working and doing nursing school simultaneously, my BP shot up to the 160/100 range from stress. I'm normally in the 90/60 range. If you think about it long-term, that has so many negative health implications that I am saving you tax money. Because when people get diabetes, heart disease, mental/psychiatric disorders, etc... guess who has to pay for it. That's right. Taxpayers.

Let's hope you care about your patients more than you care about your fellow nurses.

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