Nursing School. Did you work?

ana86 · Nov 4, 2013

I am SO SORRY, but I posted this in the wrong section & now I can't figure out how to move/delete it....

allnurses Guide · Nov 4, 2013

I only did a rare registry shift as a nursing assistant while in LVN school.

I did what you did and took all my prerequisites before attending an associate degree program. I worked four 8 hour night shifts a week. By then my kids were in high school and their Dad, my husband was a big help.

I was really tired that year. Did almost nothing except work, study, and sleep. My son gave me his Mario Cement Factory game. I could play it for a few minutes to relax while studying.

We watched the Bill Cosby Show every Wednesday for 1/2 hour.

With a six year old who needs supervision you need someone who loves her to help. She will need to know how much you love her and that this is for her too.

PS: I was 42 when I graduated in 1986. Now it would be impossible. I don't know how I did it. Busy is good, but that was TOO BUSY.

It was worth it.

Earning my BSN was easier. One evening a week in class. Study time and papers to write. It was somewhat self paced regarding the papers. I took three years. If I'd done more units could have finished in 15 months.

You will find a way.

krisiepoo · Nov 5, 2013

I'm in my last semester of nursing school and have worked FT the whole way through. it's HARD and you have to be committed to both, schedule your time wisely and know you're gonna miss a whole lot of your kid during this time but if you want to pass, you have to let go

ana86 · Nov 5, 2013

"My son gave me his Mario Cement Factory game" That is very sweet.

Thank you, herring_RN.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2013

I am SO SORRY, but I posted this in the wrong section & now I can't figure out how to move/delete it....

Welcome to AN! The largest online nursing community!

Thread moved for best response!

BostonRN13 · Nov 5, 2013

I worked part time during the school year as a waitress and then during summers I came home and worked as a CNA since I paid for school almost 100% myself. That experience as a CNA helped me land my first job as a new grad RN. Granted, that was 14 years ago..

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2013

I did not work during the 12 months I spent in a fast-track LVN program. I paid my mortgage, utilities, gas and other bills with unemployment checks and my meager savings.

I worked 32-hours per week as an LVN while attending an LPN-to-RN completion program for a little over a year. I worked two 16-hour weekend double shifts every Saturday and Sunday at a local nursing home. This type of schedule allowed me to have Monday through Friday off to focus on school.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2013

I took a year off from college after my freshman year and worked 40+ hours as a nursing aide in a hospital. When I returned to school I worked 24 hours a week (3 eight hour 3-11 shifts) for my sophomore and junior years, which was every weekend plus one day in the middle of the week plus every vacation day and holiday. I could never do that now, but at 18, 19, 20 I had more stamina. :) My average sucked, although it was passing.

My senior year I was married and my husband, who graduated a year before me, had a real job and was earning more than the two of us had earned together in the previous two years combined, so I did not work, and my average went way up.

NICUmiiki, DNP, NP · Nov 5, 2013

I work 36 hours a week (3 12's). While I could probably pull off straight A's if I didn't work, I'm still doing pretty good. I'm almost a year in, but I'll be so happy when I'm done. I also have a 5 year old who's dad (my boyfriend) and my mom help with tremendously.

mind_body_soul RN · Nov 6, 2013

I did not work during my 1st, 2nd or 3rd semesters, only during summers. In my 4th and final semester of my RN program, I have been working 2 weekend night shifts as an LPN (18 hours). It has been difficult but it is nice to be making some money, and being so busy has made the time go by so fast! My grades haven't really suffered, it's just forced me to be better at managing my time.

chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Nov 6, 2013

I was in an evening/weekend nursing program and worked about 45 - 55 hours per week, with some business travel to boot. While it obviously can be done, it is not easy and certainly not for everyone. As the sole wage-earner in the family, I did not have much choice however and in retrospect, it was fortunate that kept my old job: The nursing job market had collapsed by the time I graduated.

If you can afford to be a full-time student without taking on too much debt, that is probably preferable to taking the chance on overextending yourself.