Overwhelmed about nursing school

RebeccaJeanRN · Sep 14, 2006

Hi Everybody!
I just found this site and hope someone out there can help me...
Is it possible to become a nurse while working? Should I take care of my prereqs first and then transfer to a nursing school? Should I consider LPN first and then go for an RN?
Any help and advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

Answers: Yes, Yes and Mabye. [Additional info: To first question: but only part time after actual nursing school starts. To second question: some pre-reqs can be taken as online courses- you should check them out too PLUS your local nursing school's requirements and course acceptibility for transferring credits. To last question: that's how many people get it done because they need to work. It takes longer that way, but pays the bills. If you have a Community College nursing program by you, a better idea is to get into their ADN program. And remember...there are LOTS of loans available.]

Good luck to you!

JaxiaKiley · Sep 14, 2006

Welcome!

AFAIK, there aren't too many part time RN programs. You might be able to find something at a hospital that will let you work 3 12s or 2 16s and consider you full time with tuition reimb and medical insurance. Best of luck!

alexlynk · Sep 15, 2006

Most Nursing schools recommend that students dont work while in school. However, some of my classmates are working and holding up just fine. I would not reccommend LPN program unless you cant take any other routes. Not because LPNs are worse off in anyway, but if you want to be an RN, you will have to go back to school anyway, so might as well give it your best try the first time around. Here is the thing, I'm sure you've heard that most people are surprised about the school load in Nursing, and let me say, the load is truly big. Even if you dont work during the School years, you will still wonder how you will finish the assigned readings before your Lectures. Now, they can be really enjoyable, dont get me wrong, specially if you LOVE nursing, but very much TIME CONSUMING!

WDWpixieRN, RN · Sep 15, 2006

I worked in Information Technology and a gal I worked with (single, in her 30's) attended a part-time program run adjacent to a local hospital that was very reputable. She seemed to managed great and graduated and moved off in to her new career.

However, I have 3 grown kids, 2 grandkids, a hubby who's more work than all 5 of them, and can't imagine after 4 weeks into my ASN program how I could work and do this. There are several in my full-time program who are working, mostly on the weekends in hospitals. I believe a couple of them are doing 3-12's and at least one comes from the hospital to 0900 classes a day or two a week. Huge kudos to them from me!!!

As a footnote, I understand this hospital program is moving away from the ADN program to all BSN, and I'm not sure how this will impact their part-time evening program and to my knowledge, it's the only one in this area anymore.

Good luck!

DaughterofRuth · Sep 19, 2006

My CC offers an "evening" ADN program which is actually evenings/weekends. It has the same admission standards as the regular daytime program and you take the same courses, except you don't get the summer between the clincal years off and this track ends up taking a semester longer to complete. One evening a week is spent in the lab and both weekend days are spent at clinicals. The big drawback is that as the evening program doesn't have the summer off, students can't take the LPN courses then and work the 2nd year of clinicals.

My CC's DON says they strongly recommend evening students not work more than 25 hours a week, but admitted that several are able to hold down a fulltime job and succeed at the evening program as well. She warned that it was extremely challenging to do so, however.

It sucks that I can't get into that evening program, but I'm out of county and can't get in. In-county residents get 3 points out of 21 on the admissions scale and as the points cut-off has been 18+ points the past four years no out of county applicants have made it in

RebeccaJeanRN · Sep 19, 2006

P.S. I sure do hope that you find a way to do it. The nursing profession needs people who want to go into it precisely for the reasons you do! Keep asking around, talk to the nursing schools about help/loans, find the school where you can make it fit best...best of luck in finding a way!

starzzmom · Sep 19, 2006

I am in the same boat but am taking my pre-reqs and will figure something out (hopefully) by the time I finish these. There is a CC down the road from me that offers Saturday classes. Their weeknight classes are not worker friendly (start at 5:00...I would have to leave work at 4:15, which is not possible).

I have to make A's to get the points to get into the part-time program, so one class per semester is a good thing for me right now. Two kids under 3, a hubbie, and a full time job as the breadwinner of the family and one class is all I can handle. I am LOVING it, though! Also, nice to be able to pay as I go for now since the per hour fees at the CC are very reasonable.

Where there is a will, there is a way...it will probably take a little longer than I would like to find the way..but I am sure there is one out there.