Published Jun 14, 2017
I think I can..., ADN, RN
11 Posts
Hello,
I was wondering if anyone here is working as a Uber driver, during nursing school? I would love to hear about your experience with it, whether it is as a main income or as an extra.
I will have to quit my current job when nursing school starts and I am trying to figure out all possibilities for a very flexible job, besides being a CNA. I would not mind working as a CNA (I just certified) while in school, but I have no experience in healthcare and I find it hard to find employment without it, especially with my desired pay.
Thank you!
meanmaryjean, DNP, RN
7,899 Posts
In terms of nursing school, you would be far better served taking an entry-level CNA position. Not sure what your desired pay is, but CNA probably isn't it. There's a ladder you have to climb when entering a new field of endeavor, and you always start at the bottom. This type of experience is so helpful in nursing school.
That said, Uber/ Lyft can be lucrative depending on where you are. My Lyft driver the other day is putting two kids through college with this income (in addition to his full-time gig - which pays his day-to-day bills).
Hello Meanmaryjean,
Thank you for responding!
Yes, I agree. Working as a CNA would be ideal and I am not opposed to starting from the bottom of the ladder. I could absolutely work one day a week as a CNA in order to gain the experience needed for my future career. It is just that I need to make enough to pay for my mortgage, food, taking care of my child (single parent), and other necessities, and I would have to work 35-40 hours per week as a fresh CNA to achieve all that. I would really like to avoid working that many hours while being in school full-time. Ideally, I would like to work 30 hours, preferably less but that would be lucky :)
It is very impressive that your driver can help his children with college with a gig as a Uber driver! Good for him! So, it could be a good option for myself...
In terms of nursing school, you would be far better served taking an entry-level CNA position. Not sure what your desired pay is, but CNA probably isn't it. There's a ladder you have to climb when entering a new field of endeavor, and you always start at the bottom. This type of experience is so helpful in nursing school.That said, Uber/ Lyft can be lucrative depending on where you are. My Lyft driver the other day is putting two kids through college with this income (in addition to his full-time gig - which pays his day-to-day bills).
C0SM0
103 Posts
I'm going into my last semester of nursing school after the summer and I did the Uber thing for a while. It really depends on what kind of city you live in as some places just don't get much business for Uber. My metropolitan area has a population of about 1.3 million and a majority of my driving had to be on weekend evenings when people were wanting to get out to the bars. It got to the point where all I was doing was picking up drunks that acted like idiots so I'd had enough. Not to mention the fact that all those miles I was putting on my car wasn't worth it either.
Like meanmaryjean said, you'd be better off taking a CNA position. The pay won't be great, but the experience will pay off in the long run.