Nursing school and working full time

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I've been doing pre-req's for B.S.N. for almost a year now at a local junior college. Today I finally got a hold of someone at the nursing school I want to go to at SJSU. They said that you can't go to nursing school if you're working full time.

I find it hard to believe that everyone who's become a nurse has done so straight out of highschool and everyone else has quit their job and moved into a homeless shelter while they go to nursing school...

Is there any practical way for someone to work full time and go to nursing school or should I find a new career? I am not willing to accept an associates degree, it's BSN or nothing.

No I don't have a degree. I have been doing pre-reqs for one year and it will take me until 2012 before I'm ready to enter the nursing school.

I am currently in my fourth year of the regular BSN program and I have been working full time throughout the program. I wouldn't recommend it becasue it is extremely hard. I would not have been able to make it without my family supporting me (I'm also a single mom). I will say that it IS possible to do both but it really takes a lot out of you. I have many days when I work nights and go to school during the day:( Do you have a degree already? If you do, there are accelerated BSN programs that let you graduate in 2 years instead of the 4. Just a thought.
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Specializes in GYN/GON/Med-Surg/Oncology/Tele.
Yes $2,000 for an apartment is excessive and unfair, but the cost of living here is extremely high. Gas is $4.20 something a gallon. In other parts of California, I could rent an entire house with swimming pool and yard for less. Oh well.

$5,200 a week is $270,000 a year which is way way more than any RN that I know of has ever made. Not saying it's impossible but highly improbable. A specialist like a nurse anesthetist could certainly make that much though.

I know a nurse RN (with ADN) who works for UCSF hospital and gets paid around $80,000 per year.

Interesting. The starting pay here is like $43,000. I'm like so tempted to move out that way once I graduate for a few years and then move back here and buy a house.

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I am currently finishing up my pre-req's to start nursing school Fall 09. I know several people who have already gone through the program (ADN). One worked full time and went to school at night. He never got to see his family and missed the first 2 years of his sons life basically. But now he has a Masters degree and is doing exceptionally well financially. Another friend worked about 30 hours a week and also said her family suffered the 2 years to complete her ADN, but she is now finishing up her BSN and is applying to CRNA school soon. Point being...working full time can be done, but you have to understand your life will probably be ONLY school, study and work...not much time for anything else. However, when you compare the rest of your life and all the doors nursing opens up, it might be worth the sacrifice. Your family just needs to agree and everybody work together as a team to ensure it gets accomplished.

By the way, they both have told me if there is ANY way not to work that is absolutely the best thing to do and if you have to work limit it to only 20 hours a week.

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Just a thought, but *maybe* you should open your eyes a bit and do some research. I grasp the concept 100% about needing to work yet wanting to further your education, but I didn't appreciate the comment about not accepting an associate's degree, as if those of us with, or those of us working towards, them, are less intelligent. If you can get over the fact that you might have to get a two year degree FIRST and then go to a one-year BSN program (probably would save you a lot of time), then you might start to find some solutions to your problems.

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Specializes in GYN/GON/Med-Surg/Oncology/Tele.
Just a thought, but *maybe* you should open your eyes a bit and do some research. I grasp the concept 100% about needing to work yet wanting to further your education, but I didn't appreciate the comment about not accepting an associate's degree, as if those of us with, or those of us working towards, them, are less intelligent. If you can get over the fact that you might have to get a two year degree FIRST and then go to a one-year BSN program (probably would save you a lot of time), then you might start to find some solutions to your problems.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I don't think the initial poster was trying to belittle those who have or are working towards getting an ADN or ASN. I think he/she was just stating the fact that they would prefer a BSN. We all have our preference so you shouldn't get mad or angry at a person for theirs.

On the bright side, I do agree that doing a RN-BSN program could save a person a decent amount of money but from some of the other posts I've read on this site, going to a CC isn't exactly cheap either.

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No one said anything about anyone's intelligence. My goal is to become a nurse practitioner, this requires a BSN and then an MSN. Getting an ADN would require the same sacrifice of time but would only slow my progress towards getting the BSN.

If someone else's goal is to be a nurse RN then I'm sure the ADN works out nicely, however it will not work for me.

Just a thought, but *maybe* you should open your eyes a bit and do some research. I grasp the concept 100% about needing to work yet wanting to further your education, but I didn't appreciate the comment about not accepting an associate's degree, as if those of us with, or those of us working towards, them, are less intelligent. If you can get over the fact that you might have to get a two year degree FIRST and then go to a one-year BSN program (probably would save you a lot of time), then you might start to find some solutions to your problems.
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Specializes in Emergency/ Critical Care.
Just a thought, but *maybe* you should open your eyes a bit and do some research. I grasp the concept 100% about needing to work yet wanting to further your education, but I didn't appreciate the comment about not accepting an associate's degree, as if those of us with, or those of us working towards, them, are less intelligent. If you can get over the fact that you might have to get a two year degree FIRST and then go to a one-year BSN program (probably would save you a lot of time), then you might start to find some solutions to your problems.

Just because a person wants a specific level of education for themselves doesn't mean they think less of those who want different levels. The poster never said anything about people with associates degrees being less intelligent. That was your perception, please don't label people. Thank you

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I detest working and going to nursing school, but it has to be done.

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I detest working and going to nursing school, but it has to be done.

I detest working. I also detest school. :p

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To clarify...the OP's phrase regarding wanting a BSN just seemed a little condescending. My apologies for misconstruing (?) it.

Anywho, in regards to the quickest route, I don't know your exact circumstances, but I am interested in getting a Masters of some sort in regards to nursing...I am doing my ADN because it will save me a year. I have >yr of prereqs, 2 yrs NS, and then 1 yr til BSN. If I were to do a straight BSN I would have the pre-reqs, plus the 4 years for a BSN.

Good luck to you though. :)

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I detest working and going to nursing school, but it has to be done.

Wow.... Please don't scare me :imbar. I haven't been in school for a while and now I have the opportunity to go back BUT... I can only attend if I work full time.

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Specializes in TCU.

I will be going to school for 2 year/ADN, but when I am done, there is a college here that offers an accelerated (18 months) RN to MSN program that I will be applying for.

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