Nursing students with children

[RN 2 B]

I'm a single parent and I want to go to nursing school. I have 2 children. My oldest will be attending college next year in the fall of 2012. My youngest will be going to the 7th grade. I work in manufactoring and I hate my job. I work 5~6 days a week, 12 hr days, rotating shifts every month. During days I work from 6a~6p. Nights vice versa.

I don't get to spend time with my children because of my work hours. I want a better life for my family. I can't afford to quit my job to go to nursing school. I have to take care of my children. I know mursing school is very time consuming but I have to have a job to make it.

My question is to single parents or any parents...how did you provide for your family during nursing school? I don't want to give up my dream but I have to take care of my family.

Should I post pone school and just continue this horriable job? I don't want to. I hate going to work. I hate being there. I thought about changing my major and do something online just to get me out of there. I thought about about medical billing and coding. I just don't know what to do.

Please help....Thanks!

[MammaNurse2Be]

There are many students in my class that work although I don't know how. Many are trying to reduce hours as we speak. I find that where there is a will there is a way. If you want it bad enough, then you will be able to figure out how to make it happen. Don't stay in a job that makes you miserable. I would try to make it work. I love nursing school!

[seattle_rain]

Can you postpone it for a couple of years until your oldest goes to college? Right now it is a TOUGH economy for new grad nurses, so it's hard for me to encourage you to leave a paying job--even one you hate--to go into a field where you may not be able to find a job. The only nurses from my program who are working right now are the ones who worked as CNAs or nurse tech's while in school--so 20-30 hours devoted to nursing school, plus 20-40 hours working at the hospital, plus study time. As a mother with kids at home, that was not an option for me.