Parents who decide to pursue the difficult task of nursing school (Rant)

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This isn't really a rant. I just wanted to get everyones attention. I just want to give a HUGE shoutout to all the mothers in nursing school who are balancing work, raising families, AND staying on top of their grades. Nursing school is hard and very time consuming. Im 22, and I dont have children and ny biggest responsibility outside of doing well in nursing school is making sure I do well in track and maintian ny scholarship. I can't imagine having to add the responsibility of raising a child to an already heavy load of BSN course work..

You women (and men too) are TRUE super heroes. I admire yall and I look up to you all in so many ways. I am so proud of yall and im even more grateful to be y'alls classmate. Keep up the good work!! If yall can and do excell, I have no excuse.

(Sorry about the grammar. Im not as illiterate as my post portrays.)

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I can attest to children boosting GPA's as well! Before I had kids, I went to school at a different college for a different major and I just did not care. I had no incentive to make me do the best I possibly could, and I hated what I was doing. My GPA was in the toilet and I thought I was too stupid to ever turn it around. Having a family at home who depends on me doing well in school is such an inspiration for what I'm doing now. Not only has it proven to me that I am not stupid at all, but that I can do whatever I set out to do! Thanks, OP, for recognizing the students in nursing school (and finishing pre-req's) that are busting their butts to better their families! And like SleeepyRN said, everyone is going through some sort of difficulty in their lives. The fact that any of us go to school and totally rock it is an accomplishment! :up:

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Thanks Bea- I think props go to Bea40448 and all you young, hard-working twentysomething nursing students as well.

I am a 40something mom of 3, 1st semester student nurse and I am impressed by my fresh, young classmates. I hear people all the time saying the younger generation lacks a strong work ethic but I would invite anyone with that attitude to visit my school.

The truth is, the reason that I personally am doing this at age 43 with 3 kids- is because I didn't have the drive and determination in my youth. So kudos to you youngsters, may you have long and productive nursing careers!

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So many of my classmates had children. I highly admired and respected them. (My mom worked and went to nursing school while my dad worked and obtained his Bachelors all while raising us kids.)

BUT...lol. I myself am 32. God has not blessed me with children, and I may never be able to have that precious gift. I was in school in my late 20's. I learned that my classmates gossipped about me, saying things like "she thinks she's so smart because she has all the time in the world to get those high grades because she doesn't have kids." HUGE nerve that hit. I've shedd many tears over my fertility issues. However, just because I didn't have kids, didn't make nursing school any easier for me. I took care of my husband's grandma who had multiple health issues along with dementia. My husband and I often drove around looking for his dad who basically lived in the forest. Then we supported him financially. We lived with my bi - polar MIL, and every dollar we made that was MEANT to save went to her spending habit just to keep the mortgage. No heat. No air conditioning. We also got an apartment for my husband's dad and payed thoudands...My brother in law dropped his kids over every day, and my MIL would tell them to go play with me to get out of her hair (or leave them in the bathtub to play, leaving me to supervise them, otherwise they would be unattended to.) The most challenging part though...severe insomnia due to severe chronic bladder pain.

My point....

Going to nursing school with kids is an accomplishment. BUT, so many of us have obstacles in our paths too. My doctor thought I was nuts going to nursing school with my pain condition. So did many people in my support group. My answer to that: Watch me

Great point....each person I know who excelled in my program each had some sort of obstacle that made them dig deep and kick butt. Many students I knew were parents, but I know many others who had other painful circumstances that spurred them on as well....health issues, terminally ill family members, being laid off, death of a spouse, divorce...I could go on. My favorite quite in this thread..."Watch me." That was my mantra as well, SleeepyRN :)

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My kids really help me realize why I'm doing nursing school BUT. Nursing school ranks up there with the hardest things I've ever done in my life and I think anybody who is a nursing student past or present deserves a huge shout out!! Also, just because your responsibilities don't seem a "important" as mine doesn't make them any less important. Kids are a big deal. So is doing well in your program and busting your but to keep your scholarship going. It's all a huge deal, just depends on the perspective.

I'm not sure any of us realize how hard it actually is going into nursing. Even if some of us haven't been able to make it all the way through our programs no one else will ever understand what we've been through. We are all rock stars :)

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

Woot woot!

I have three kids, worked full time during part of the program, and I'm 4 weeks away from being FINISHED!

It was hard. Very hard, especially when I was working. But I came out of it with all mostly As, some great friends, a lot of knowledge, and a whole different outlook on life. Worth it.

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It's good to hear the encouragement of those who are in the nursing programs and are successful having so much going on in their lives. I'm still doing my prerequisites and hope to start nursing school next year. I am a full time single mom of 5 year old twins who start kindergarten next year. I have no idea how I'll make it work with no family around to help but I am determined to figure it out so that I can give my daughters a great life and so that they can see what it means to work hard for something. How many hours a week do you guys study would you say? I'm looking forward to getting started but scared of how "hard" I hear it is to get everything studied and done each week. Any tips or advice?

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Specializes in ED.

@ Valentine: studying is something that you can't really "schedule" when you have young ones. My three girls (two twins) were ages 3 and under when I went through. I got vouchers for them to attend preschool, so when they were in school I studied and usually the time they were out I didn't unless I had a test coming up. You have to become really good at time management and carving out those hours when the kids are in school so you can keep up with home life too.

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Thanks so much for the encouragement! I am a single mother and about to start an accelerated program. Nervous but excited! And feeling encouraged by this post :)

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Valentine: I can't honestly say how many hours a week I studied, because it varied depending on the week. I lived a half hour away from my kids' school (and their dad) so I scheduled classes during the day when they were in school. We picked our own clinical dates via lottery system and I scheduled those on Thursday (his day) because 6:45-4:00 made it impossible for me to drop them off at school or pick them up. Miraculously, it seemed, I always was able to get that day until the last semester, when I had to take a Wednesday evening. My clinical sites were always at least an hours' drive from my home. I worked two nights a week, also on evenings I didn't have the kids (we split custody down the middle, 50-50) On the days my kids were with me, they each had a set bedtime of 8:30. I sometimes took a couple of hours at that point to study, write care plans, papers, etc.....and sometimes I just took a hot shower and went to bed early because I was exhausted.

That whole book to say.....it can be done, and done well, even if it seems impossible. I reviewed in the car at the bus stop. I wrote papers in fits and spurts. When I had a lot of time, I used it to review, but also to take a walk or bake a cake....things that contributed to my mental well-being. I learned quickly the way I learn best and study best and didn't waste time by doing "what everyone else did" that worked for them....it didn't work for me. It was all trial and error for me: at 36 I hadn't been in a classroom for 18 years, but I was determined to hit it out of the park. I graduated in January and passed NCLEX in March. I'm applying for positions and ready to finish my BSN.

The director of Nursing at my school said something during orientation that stuck with me: "you have to want this more than you've ever wanted anything". I put that into my studies. The "want" comes first, the work comes from that.

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Thanks for this - what a sweet message!

I am a mom to one toddler, and man school is tough! It's hard finding the time for everything but it's SO worth it. There aren't that many other parents at my school, so most of my classmates don't understand the pressure and how hard it is to balance and make time - but people are supportive anyway- especially my family and my husband. I'm so grateful for this opportunity. I wish all you other mothers the best of luck!!

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