Nurses who worked through school

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Hello everyone. I would like to hear from any nurses who went to school full-time and worked part-time, worked full-time and went to school part-time, or did both full-time! I am wanting to enter an Accelerated BSN program since I have a previous BS...but I need to work about 20 hours a week in my tech job, so that the hospital pays tuition. I am already in student loan debt from my first degree and I want to be smart this time around about finances. Any success stories about balancing work/nursing school at an intense pace? Keep in mind I have no children or other obligations to add into the mix :). I want to believe I can do this!!

NurseCard- good for you! I am thinking I will work Saturdays and Sundays (one 8 and one 12)...then I get my 20 hours in :).

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Specializes in critical care/tele/emergency.

I worked 3 12's on weekend nights in a busy ER and was in accelerated nursing classes. During that time, I had only one child left at home (a teenager) and a very supportive husband. I basically had nothing else going on for that 16 months. It took a lot of prayers, tons of help from the nursing staff (they and the docs quizzed me on every pt through the door!), a few tears and almost no sleep but there was a light at the end of the tunnel and my husband is in it for the long haul. Support from family and friends is essential and dedication to your goal is crucial. It's doable but I have no idea what went on in the world from summer of 08 to winter of 09. :yeah:

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I worked full time as a student nurse tech while I was in school, and had no problems. Got good grades and still had a life. But, I tend to work best under pressure. Give me too much free time and I get nothing done!

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Specializes in Operating Room.

You can do it. I did it- worked 32 hours a week in the OR as a surgical tech and took call on weekends. I managed to graduate with honors too.That being said, it wasn't easy. I have always been a strong student and still it was challenging. Many nights, I made do with 5 hours of sleep. I'm a firm believer that if you want it bad enough, you'll find a way. Many of us didn't have a choice, we were adult students who were supporting themselves.Good luck!! :)

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Specializes in Orthopedic, LTC, STR, Med-Surg, Tele.

It's definitely do-able. I worked 24 hours/week evenings and days and went to school at night and on weekends. I didn't have any kids, but I was still broke all the time (paid my own rent and bills :D) and my social life went to non-existent, except for my boyfriend and nursing school girlfriends. I got good grades though, and it is definitely do-able, not fun at times, but it can be done! Good luck :rolleyes:

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I truly think this is going to be an individual thing. Some people can handle it, and others need the extra time to study. It does help to not have other obligations (kids, husband, etc.). Take inventory of the type of learner you are, if you know you needed lots of study time in other courses, then increase that by like 50% for nursing school, and then decide if you will have time for working.

editing to add: since you are looking for success stories though, I was able to do it, like other posters above. During full-time school, I had 2 part-time jobs, and a 2 year old, (accidentally) pregnant my first year, and a newborn my second year. Of course I had the help of my partner. I doubt I could have managed that as a single parent. My grades dropped of course second year, but I still pulled it through with not too much of a hit to my gpa.

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Welllll I worked, had three kids back to back while in school and managed to keep a 3.5 GPA. It can be done. Im not saying it was easy but it is doable. I worked nights, studied during nap times, lunch breaks and during every free moment I had. Totally doable considering its just you.

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The support means a lot to me! Thanks everyone! I feel so much better :).

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

I worked full time, went to school full-time and had a wife, 3 kids, mortgage and everything else that comes with it. No big deal if you have your sights on the end goal and not the daily bulls..... Best decision I ever made was to become an RN....

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

I went to school full-time and had a PRN job. Sometimes I work 20 hours/week, other weeks would be less. It just depended on what I had going on with school. It was enough to pay my bills, though!

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

Well, I find it a questionable choice to ask for other's experiences and then later say you only want positive ones.

I think mine was a positive experience, I made it through anyway. I was going through a traditional 2 year program, which means i went to school full-time for 3 years (including five summer semesters). I worked between 15 to 40 hours a week, my hours varied as I worked at McD's in a seasonal area. During Spring Break (which on the beach started in February and went pretty straight through to Memorial Day) I worked 40 hours a week through my OB/Peds/Psych rotations.

I didn't make A's through nursing school, which was difficult for me to accept as I am generally a driven straight A student. I just didn't have time to study like I needed to, not and stay sane. I got pretty b. . . um, difficult to deal with by the time I was ready to graduate and asked to cut back to 3 shifts/week.

I was desperately poor and worked my Mc'D's shift Sunday evening before starting hospital orientation on Monday morning. I didn't have money to buy lunch at work that first week and had to borrow from friends (and got one free lunch from the hospital).

I think it's going to be quite a challenge to keep up during an accelerated program, but didn't I remember you said you needed this job for tuition reimbursement?

And now I'm doing it again. I work full-time and am taking full-time college hours toward my BSN. I commend you on going ahead and getting the BSN to start with, better now than when you've been out of school for nearly 20 years.

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.

You absolutely can do it...it's not easy but it can be done.

I was a single mother of a 7 year old girl...newly divorced. I worked part time as a Dental Hygienist (my first profession) usually 2 to 3 days a week and carried 18 credit hours the first semester.....it was blurrrrrrrrr...............but I did it...I HAD to..

THe second semester my credit hours were fewer, I think around 14 or so, and it got better...school really flew by.

The good and bad news was, I had already taken Anatomy and Phys and Microbio (lecture and labs) as prereq's for Hygiene school...the prereqs are identical to nursing....however...they were over ten years old..SO, I had to repeat them both of them...that's why I had to carry so many credit hours in addition to my Nursing classes...and they weren't any easier the second time around.

Plus I had to take Human Growth and Developement, or something like that....I think I have blocked it out now.....but you do what you have to do!

I was very organized and set aside time for my daughter first ...I did have friends who helped with her, and then studying...sleeping sort of came last...

But I did it and you can too...just put your head down and don't look up until your done...it's just one class after another!

by the way...that 7 year old little girl..is now 30 and finishing her second year of Vet school at the University of Florida...so it didn't seem to hurt her much either:)

Good Luck to you in whatever you decide.

diva

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