Options for obtaining nursing degree online/while working full time

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi all,

So, I am preparing to enter the nursing field and begin the process of getting my ADN. Does anyone have any advice or ideas on the best way to do this while working a full-time overnight job? I was hoping to be able to most of the school online, and just go in for clinicals one or two days a week; or, barring that, I'm hoping I can find a community college who will be flexible with my work schedule. Has anyone done this or know of any online nursing degree programs? Thanks!

Also: I dunno if this his helps, but I would be looking for schooling in the North Texas area. Thanks!

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Specializes in hospice.

What you're looking for is called a hybrid program and they're not common, but they do exist. Do you work 8s or 12s?

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Nursing programs generally are not going to be flexible with individuals' work schedules. Clinicals are when clinicals are, for everyone.

That said, I do know of one program that offers a combination online/in person for prelicensure RN programs. I don't know where in Texas their clinicals are, though:

BSN with RN License | Online RN Degree | Online Nursing School

The only other program I know of is Excelsior, but that requires that you already have a background in healthcare (such as an LPN or EMT).

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
That said, I do know of one program that offers a combination online/in person for prelicensure RN programs. I don't know where in Texas their clinicals are, though:

BSN with RN License | Online RN Degree | Online Nursing School

Clinical rotations occur in Dallas-area facilities.
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What you're looking for is called a hybrid program and they're not common, but they do exist. Do you work 8s or 12s?

I work 46hrs a week, basically 10p-7a Friday thru Tuesday

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Specializes in hospice.
I work 46hrs a week, basically 10p-7a Friday thru Tuesday

Man.... Gonna be totally honest, I have no idea how you could pull off school with a schedule like that. I'm in LPN school right now full time (12 credits) and working full time, but I only work three 12s. I work nights and my classes are at night too, with clinicals all day Saturday. Basically, I sleep and deal with kiddo stuff during the day, and the hubz/daddy takes over in the evenings and on weekends when he's home from work. I couldn't do this otherwise. I squeeze studying in when I can.

Do you have kids? A support system? What dynamics besides work do you have to account for?

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Specializes in ICU.

I worked a full time overnight job (Sunday through Thursday nights, 11pm-7am) and went to a brick and mortar school the first year and everything was just fine. The second year clinicals got in the way and I had to quit because my job was inflexible. If your job will be flexible about the days of the week you could work, so you could be off those days you have to be in clinical at 6:30 AM (or they'd let you off early those days), it would be totally doable. Nursing classes are usually in the morning (or were at my school), so you will have plenty of time to get out of class, go to sleep, and make it to work without sacrificing your sleep. Especially if you have time to study at work like I did.

Note: if your job is not flexible, even an online degree will not work for you. It's not the classes that makes nursing school hard to work with. It's the clinicals that start before you get off work in the morning, and you're going to have those even in an online program.

I think the fact that you work Friday through Tuesday may be extremely helpful for you. If you are very lucky, you might only have one clinical day that overlaps with a work day. Most of my clinicals were sometime between Tuesday and Friday.

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Man.... Gonna be totally honest, I have no idea how you could pull off school with a schedule like that. I'm in LPN school right now full time (12 credits) and working full time, but I only work three 12s. I work nights and my classes are at night too, with clinicals all day Saturday. Basically, I sleep and deal with kiddo stuff during the day, and the hubz/daddy takes over in the evenings and on weekends when he's home from work. I couldn't do this otherwise. I squeeze studying in when I can.

Do you have kids? A support system? What dynamics besides work do you have to account for?

We have a six month-old, but my wife stays home with him and takes care of him, so really all I have to worry about right now is work, sleep, and helping her out when I can. I realize the school means I will have like zero free time, but I'm hoping I can do this now because I know the schooling will be less disruptive to my family NOW as opposed to when my son is four or five years old.

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I worked a full time overnight job (Sunday through Thursday nights, 11pm-7am) and went to a brick and mortar school the first year and everything was just fine. The second year clinicals got in the way and I had to quit because my job was inflexible. If your job will be flexible about the days of the week you could work, so you could be off those days you have to be in clinical at 6:30 AM (or they'd let you off early those days), it would be totally doable. Nursing classes are usually in the morning (or were at my school), so you will have plenty of time to get out of class, go to sleep, and make it to work without sacrificing your sleep. Especially if you have time to study at work like I did.

Note: if your job is not flexible, even an online degree will not work for you. It's not the classes that makes nursing school hard to work with. It's the clinicals that start before you get off work in the morning, and you're going to have those even in an online program.

I think the fact that you work Friday through Tuesday may be extremely helpful for you. If you are very lucky, you might only have one clinical day that overlaps with a work day. Most of my clinicals were sometime between Tuesday and Friday.

That's encouraging, thanks! I'm hoping I luck out, because my work schedule is a set schedule that can't change unless I call in. If I get a manager that is okay with me leaving early, I should be okay. Are there night clinicals? It would be easier to work with if I can do a combination of morning and night clinicals. Also, are clinicals a 12-hour shift or are they shorter?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Are there night clinicals?
There are evening clinical rotations.

While attending an LVN program 10 years ago, one of the hospitals only accepted students for clinical practicum in the evening. Thus, our clinical shifts were from 3:00pm to 11:00pm whenever our group was assigned to this particular hospital.

When I attended an LPN-to-ASN/RN completion program five years ago, one of the clinical shifts was from 2:00pm to 10:30pm. However, only 10 students were permitted in each clinical group, so those who were not assigned to the evening clinical practicum had no other choice but to report to an early morning clinical shift (6:00 to 2:30pm).

Also, are clinicals a 12-hour shift or are they shorter?
All of my clinical rotations consisted of 8-hour shifts. However, some nursing programs design clinical practicum that entails 12-hour shifts to cut down on the number of days that the students and faculty attend.
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Where are you in North Texas? (you can PM me if you want)

Are you hard over on doing it online mostly?

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