Nursing School Blues...

lele2be · Jul 18, 2009

I'm just a 19 yr. old and still living at home myself so idk how helpful I will be to you... but does your fiance work full time and could he manage to cover many big expenses? Because you were wait listed could you work as much as possible to save up untill you start your schooling?! But also with raising your child will your fiance's schedule work around your work and school schedule?! or maybe is your mom close by to help out at all?! and another suggestion would be working as a CNA part time if that's possible while going back to school!! They may help with some of the costs of schooling and bc you love your job it will help the time go by and your getting experience! Hope this is of some help to you!! Good Luck with everything, and you've dealt with so much so far *sorry, about your apartment being destroyed.. but I bet you can handle the things to come and get to where you want to be!! :)

JessieC777 · Jul 18, 2009

A lot of people I work with do work and go to school full time. I will be joining their ranks this fall. It's not for the weak of heart lol Where I work, we do have 12 hour shifts though (better to get your time in and have more days off). Some work places will pay fully or help pay for schooling, there is always financial aid and loans as well. Where there is a will there is a way. Good luck :)

SPower82 · Jul 18, 2009

I recently finished LPN School in Chicago. Here is a fact:

In most LPN programs 25-50% don't make it through the program. (usually the day classes about 30 and the night classes about 50) This is true in Chicago and i know holds true for other parts of the country as well. This is largely due to the fact that nursing school is not like normal school. There are these often times stressful clinical site you have to do and wake up early for, a ton of busywork they give you (carplans), and high stakes exams that you must score high enough or they drop you.

As you may guess the majority of the people who dont make it invariably have full time jobs combined with family responsibilities. Sound familiar?

My advise is not to risk it, finish school first, then move. My opinion based on what ive seen from my classmates.

dstdiva_RN · Jul 19, 2009

Wow! Your story sounds WAY too familiar. I'm 27 and I took the LPN to RN route and stayed at home during the process. I just passed the board (YAY!!) and I plan on staying at home for another year to save some money and also help the family. My advice to you is to sit your mom down, explain your future goals and beg her to stay there at least until you complete the LPN program. You definitely don't need the stress of making ends meet on top of sucessfully completing the nursing program. INo need to rush, it goes by SO fast. I guess I'm not the norm because I had a FT job, PT job and went to school FT. If you don't have to work, DON'T. LOL. GOOD LUCK!!!!!

lumberjack · Jul 19, 2009

One more thing to consider...will the hospital you are a CNA at pay for you to become an LPN? Would ease some of the financial pressure... Maybe a hospital further afield than where you live? But is that worth it? (Compare cost of school... is it worth that much money to move/work full time and loose your sanity/take out loans/live with your mom/other options. I'm all about comparing costs, both financial and other.

leslie :-D · Jul 19, 2009

i think it would be ideal if you could stay at your mom's until finished w/school.

but, am concerned about mom wanting you out.

if she wants you out r/t not get along, then no, i wouldn't stay there.

if she wants you out r/t other reasons but still loves you more than life, then yes, you should have a 1:1.

it would be great if you could get a weekend cna position, that pays baylor rates...

which would free you up during the week to focus on school.

but honestly, if doable, i'd be staying w/mom til school's done...

only if she wouldn't resent it.

best of everything.

leslie

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Jul 19, 2009

I personally think you should wait to move and start you LPN program. I moved out at 18 years old, and although I didn't have a fiance or a child it was still really tough. I had to work full time for most of nursing school and it was hected at times. Did I lose it... no ( came close though). My point is, if I could do it all over again I would of stayed home while in nursing school. Good luck on what ever you decide.

rodgerssm, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2009

Having been an LPN for 9 years before becoming an RN I would recommend you check into all your options like looking at RN programs as well and mabye work on some pre reqs for your program while you are waiting. Like eveyone says school is tough and working full time may mot be an option so look at all the schools and even your collunity colleges too, they are cost effective as well. good luck to you! :coollook:

prisicruz · Jul 19, 2009

Thanks so much for all the advice!! I needed some from more experienced people like all of you...everyone else around me thinks nursing school is "not that bad"...little do they know!

I def appreciate all your input!! :loveya:

PBentley1 · Jul 19, 2009

School is tough, get your feet level first, I thought I was superwoman (hahahaha) and could work full time while doing the LPN/RN program. Don't make the same mistake. If you are young, get your feet level, Rome wasn't built in a day, nor was a good LPN/RN. So -- level ground, level feet, once you are out and on your own, get it level, then ----- jump with both feet. There are tons of programs out there for individuals with a child, living on their own (or with a buddy ??) that will assist you. Level first, then search. Best of luck, it's all worth it.

SunnyAndrsn · Jul 19, 2009

Welll...I can share a little of my story:

-Went to college at age 18, eventually graduated with a biology degree/chem minor. Worked in labs and various other capacities for about 5-6 years.

-My husband and I became foster parents, and I ended up staying home with the kiddos. I actually lost my job due to the demands of foster parenting...but that's a longer story yet.

-Four years ago, DH and I realized we couldn't keep being foster parents forever, and that at some point, we'd want to stop. He also was discovering that he didn't want to be an environmental chemist when he grew up. And I discovered, after caring for a burn survivor, that I wanted to be a nurse when I grew up. We were 32 years old.

-DH started a degree completion program for psychology, worked full time and had a full time school load. I got on a waiting list for the local tech college ADN program and tried to finish up the generals I still needed. I finished my LPN in Dec. of 2007, started working full time as soon as I finished my boards in Jan. of 2008--and immediately kept going to finish my RN. I finished my RN in Dec. of 2008. I've been working full time as an RN since January.

-DH officially stopped working last year, and is starting his third year of grad school this fall. We stopped being foster parents last December.

At one point during all of this, we had 4 teenage boys, all with various special needs (mental health), and I was coordinating social worker visits, therapy visitis, dr's apts. for the kids, and yeah, it was hard. Very, very hard.

But, I graduated with honors, DH and our son were very proud of me :-)

When I was told by the school that there was a waiting list, I did the math and figured out that I'd be almost 36 years old by the time I finished. Then I started thinking that either way, this year I was going to be 36. My choice was simple: Turn 36 wishing I'd gone to nursing school, or turn 36 and be able to sign RN after my name.