Not working during nursing school?

defying.gravity · Jul 7, 2015

This thread has me thinking outside the box. I'm not sure what expenses you are looking to cover while in school or what your living arrangements are but I know many graduate students who become nannies while getting graduate degrees. Room/board, sometimes a vehicle, depending on the family. If you found a family who had a need for caring for the children overnight, physicians tend to have this need, you might be able to preserve your sleep and still get needs met. I was thinking about this because we have had baby sitters who only worked overnights during the time in my life when we needed care only during the time the children were asleep and morning for breakfast and school. You might be able to find an "outside the box" situation like that if you look around in different areas.

I would have loved to attend nursing school without stressing myself out the way I did by burning the candle at both ends, it just was not meant to be for me. I understand that burning the candle at both ends has a price to pay. It's not for everyone. I was lucky I never hurt anyone by overworking myself and being sleep deprived and living on caffeine to sustain me, but there's no doubt I could have. I wouldn't want my kids to do what I did so I guess I have a double standard for them and for myself.

I hope you find a way to make it work for you.

ahosoda · Jul 7, 2015

*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.

I stated many reasons for using government assistance throughout this thread. You just picked one reason and use that to argue your point while ignoring everything else I have said. How convenient. My point of the one post I made is that there are physical as well as mental ramifications for stress. Anyone who has taken a med surg class should know this. Any good nurse who sees a BP of 160/100 when they know the baseline is 90/60 should be highly alarmed, not saying "suck it up".

Let me reiterate what I have been saying since the beginning of this post. You don't know my situation. You don't know where I live, my cost of living. You don't know how many student loans I have already taken out, the amount of debt I'm already in. You don't know how many hours I work every month, or how much I saved up before college. You don't know my family situation, or why "daddy" isn't paying for me to cruise through college, drinking and partying every night like it seems my peers get to do. You don't know how I spend my money or my free time (which honestly is very scarce even when I'm not working). You don't know which foods I buy with my EBT, or how much I use every month. You don't know my stress level throughout nursing school, or how many hours I can stay awake before completely checking out mentally. You don't know my health history, including mental illness.

You don't know it all. Understand that there are many factors to a situation that you don't know, and that is okay. Eat a big ol' slice of humble pie, see how it tastes.

ahosoda · Jul 7, 2015

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

I agree. That is why in my original post on this thread I stated MANY ways I save money. People act like I'm living in the lap of luxury, laying around all day without any stress while mooching off the system. I used food assistance as a last resort, and I still work as much as possible. What part of that is not going through some of your heads?

My point on that original post is that there is no shame in asking for government assistance when you need it. Are there people who abuse the system? Yes. Am I one of those people? Not in my opinion. I don't really think anyone should feel entitled to disagree with that opinion unless they can walk a mile in my shoes, or at least observe my way of living for a few days.

brandiep1982 · Jul 7, 2015

*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.

Yes, I read the thread. Have you?

Jules A, MSN · Jul 7, 2015

You don't know my health history, including mental illness.

I'm getting a better idea with every post.

We have totally derailed the OP's thread so maybe we can should start another thread, perhaps in the off topic section?, or let it rest. We can always just agree to disagree.

Alisonisayoshi, LVN · Jul 7, 2015

I don't think the OP wanted an indictment of the welfare system, I think she/he wanted ideas. I didn't work, here's what I did:

I took a grant avaliable in California for the underemployed that paid the cost of my program plus books, research and see if your state has an option like this. I got this grant as I'd been laid off from my job due to cutbacks.

I took max Pell.

I took prudent loans.

I had a gofundme, which a lot of folks don't agree with, but helped me immensely with transportation costs.

I used state funded health insurance for myself and my kids.

I worked through a temp agency in the summer.

I lived in one of my parents rental units at a reduced price.

ETA: I drove a 10 year old car, my kids got fewer school clothes, many bought with a prudent use of my Sears card.

My children understood smaller Christmas and birthdays this year.

I used state funded childcare for my littlest.

All the state funded programs I reached out to, I paid into for 15+ years, without ever taking advantage of. As a nurse, I will pay into them again, for the rest of my career.

ahosoda · Jul 7, 2015

I'm getting a better idea with every post.

That statement is incredibly rude and unprofessional. Wow.

Red Kryptonite · Jul 7, 2015

I just keep thinking about my grandfather, who became severely disabled after serving in both WW2 and Korea, sent home and medically retired directly from the battlefield. And then went out in the Arizona sun and harvested cotton and whatever other crops were available to support his family because his retirement wasn't enough to house and feed four growing kids. He was a very intelligent man but had no formal education and there isn't any artillery to work on in the civilian world.

Young, single, childless, able-bodied people feeling entitled to government aid is how Greece got where it is.

As to pie, I prefer French silk or a nice double cherry.

ahosoda · Jul 7, 2015

Red Kryptonite. What makes you think I don't work? Why do you keep implying this when I have stated it several times. Let me say it one more time. I am employed. Do you know what that means? It means I have a job. I work. I pay my taxes like you do. Please tell me which part of this is unclear to you.

direw0lf, BSN · Jul 8, 2015

I noticed the amount of replies, but I am needing to get to bed, so only read page 1. I just wanted to say to the OP, some "odd jobs" like dog walking and pet sitting can really help you during this time. If you can pet sit a dog in your own place, even better. This is the time to look, as people are going away for the summer. If this type of thing interests you, I suggest advertising in 55+ communities and asking your local vet hospitals if you can advertise with them also. The way I think of it is that I need exercise to help stress anyway, so if I'm getting out and can handle dogs and get paid at the same time, I'll do it! It can really add up in $ if you get the right clients.

G019, BSN, RN · Jul 8, 2015

I'm also single with no children and in the process of applying to schools right now. I'm a tech in a hospital working nights (36-48hrs) a week. It's helped me with networking, pt care experience (within my scope), paying my bills, and paying for my all prereqs out of pocket. I picked this option to avoid using loans to pay for gen ed courses. I plan to take out a loan to pay for nursing school since I'll have to cut back on my work hours (1-2 days) a week to ensure I have more time to study.

Some may feel it's not ideal to work at all during nursing school and they're probably right but it's a luxury some may not have. People manage. If it's something you really want, you'll make sacrifices to achieve it. Being FLAT BROKE, HOMELESS and STARVING in the middle of nursing school or any competitive program with no support would be far worse than working a few hours during nursing school and losing a few hours of sleep. At least you don't have to stress about another mouth to feed besides your own right now.

Some companies still offer tuition reimbursement which can help reduce cost. There are over $4B worth of scholarships that go unclaimed each year. Not all scholarships require 4.0 GPA's and essays.

Evaluate your monthly expenses. Figure out what's a financial priority for you at this time. Save money when you can. Good money management now will ensure that you'll be able to responsibly handle a higher salary when you finish. It's not easy but nothing worth having ever is right? I've passed up on many vacations(groupon lol), concerts, shopping, and weekend nights out with friends because I want this that bad. They joke about me being cheap and not having much of a social life right now but It's only 2 years compared to the rest of your career/life. I can't believe we're already half way through 2015!

NurseRose84 · Jul 8, 2015

Wow! This is an entertaining thread! I feel the need to indulge in some buttery popcorn and Twizzlers!

In regards to the OP...although I worked 36-48 hours a week all the way through nursing school, and managed to maintain a 3.8 GPA, I am well aware that many of my classmates couldn't handle working while in school and keep their grades up.

I didn't work out of necessity; in fact we could have been comfortable with some budgetary cut backs had I not worked. For me it was more of an "I want to get experience in a hospital and learn how to interact with patients before I become a nurse," type thing.

If you've never worked in a hospital or with patients prior to now, I would recommend trying to get even a per diem position as a tech, or a clerk, sitter, or anything that will allow you to get patient contact. Not working during school won't make you a bad nurse, but I feel like working with patients definitely made me a better one.

OP, best of luck in whatever you decide to do during school!