Nursing school while raising a family

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi all,

This may have been asked a zillion times but I searched and couldn't find anything so I apologize if this has been asked and answered before.

I am a 30 something stay at home mom getting ready to go back to nursing school. No previous medical experience except been at home for caring for children for 8 + years. My husband is supportive but I worry about how it will affect our family.

If anyone has been in the same boat I would really love to hear from them pros or cons. From everything I've been reading nursing school is very intense and I'm starting to get nervous about it.

Thank

I am a single mom of a 11 year old (she was six when I started shcool), and it has taken me three years of night and day classes, one class at a time (sometimes 2 at a time) to get through my pre-reqs. I had to start from scratch. I took a year off for family troubles and just completed my first semester of nursing! I never thought I would get to this point. I had worked full-time up to the middle of my first nursing semester, and just recently quite my job. I was too overwhelmed going to school full-time and working. I am dependent on grants and loans for finances, but I am less stressed and able to concentrate more on my studies. Yes, I will owe a lot at the end of this 2 year program, but with the great demand for nurses I know I will get it paid off. I also have a wonderful man who is very supportive of my schooling. He moved in with me and it has helped with my finances greatly! We are both looking forward to the day I graduate so we can get our house and have a baby, well I want a baby he wants to quite work cuz I 'will be making the big bucks!', yea....whatever! I have learned to take one day at a time and don't look to far ahead, it only makes it seem longer!

I got married 2 months before I started my 4 year BSN program. My husband was working 40 hours+ at a computer programmer job. Just started that for a year and this was after the bubble burst, so money was no there. Luckly no loans for him. I had some credits from another college already, but only a pharm tech board. It was horrible being a newlywed and having all the studying. Oh, I moved and bought a house my sophomore year. My house still is not in shape. I have been a nurse for a year now. It was SO WORTH the pain and heartache that goes with nursing school. I think my marriage is better for it. I cried my whole graduation when I looked at my husband because I feel like we both graduated from nursing school. If it wasn't for him pushing and hugging me sometimes I don't think I could have been through it. If you want it bad enough you will do anything. I told my husband that if I have to get a divorce I will. It meant that much. Needless to say we have been married 5 years this month. All, I can say is what a ride! :)

I worked for awhile and didn't see my husband. I ate Wendy's about 4 days a week and my car got lots of miles. My family were sort of supportive. If it wasn't for my mother in law looking at my papers to proof read them I don't know what I would have done. She was so proud of me when I got my board.

Money is better. I can actually find money rather than scrapping together coins to make the bills. Have faith in yourself, pray, cry, and if you need to scream, but don't give up!

I'm also a stay home mom (of 4 children) with no past medical experience. I'm starting nursing school this coming fall. I have a huge amount of responsibility and obligations to my family. Being the best mother I can be is so important to me. To accomplish this though, I need to take care of myself too. At this point what I want and need is a career. Not just any career, but a career in nursing. I feel nursing will challenge me both intellectually and emotionally. The nursing field provides such a great diversity of specialties and options. There is also endless ways to advance your education and career. For me, these things are worth the struggles that nursing school will bring. Don't get me wrong, I'm not wearing rose-colored glasses. I know it will be tough, and there will be a lot of tears. I'm just prepared and have fastened my seatbelt for a bumpy 2 years.

The question you have to ask yourself is, Are you ready for the ride?

Hi

I just graduated from nursing school (BSN) and I am a single mom of four kids now 16, 10, 8 and 4. If I can do it anyone can. I had a lot of support from my mom and sister and it would have been extremely difficult withot them but I would have done it anyway. There is a quote that I heard a while ago "God does not give you a dream without the courage to achieve it"

Go for it, with your husband's support you can do it. There will be times when you will want to quit but don't it will pass.

katiebug913

Jewelshouse and all others with children contemplating nursing school - you can do it!!

I have just finished my first year in a 2 year program - half way - woohoo!! I have a 7 and 9 year old and fortunately great friends and a supportive husband that have helped me through this. My kids know how much nursing school means to me and even when I was having to wake them up at 5.45AM to take them to a sitter they didn't complain - well not too often! I am fortunate that I don't work; I always had the time to keep our house tidy and attend most of my kids' school functions and sports activities.

My advice is follow your dream and take all the help your friends and family will offer you. I have no family here in the US and my husband's family live a distance from us; my husband works long hours and my friends all work but somehow it all worked out. Sometimes I wonder how - but it did! Take it a semester at a time and do get all prereqs and general education classes completed before you begin nursing school - I can't stress this enough.

Nursing school is hard work but you can still be a great mom/dad at the same time and the end result is a job to be so proud of. Let your kids be part of your journey - let them decorate your notebooks with stickers, take them to visit your college and do your homework with them. I bought my kids their own stethoscopes(cheap ones), involve them as much as you can. Keep up with your work and stay organized - this saves precious time to spend with your family.

Oh, and don't forget the slow cooker - mine became one of the most used items in the kitchen, that is after the coffee pot!!!

I hope my tips can help some of you and enable you to follow your dreams.

Good luck to you all!!

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.
Is LVN the same thing as LPN?

Yes...

Licensed Vocational Nurse - LVN

Licensed Practical Nurse - LPN

I am also worried about my family..I start school in August with 17 credits, which is not as much as some, but going from 0 to 17 (im taking clinicals with my "pre-reqs") Im scared, but know that this is the best direction for me to go right now. I wish you the best of luck. !

:monkeydance:

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