should a person work if they don't have to while in school?

AllSmiles225 · Jul 30, 2009

Are you working a regular job/healthcare job?

scrublifenurse10, LPN · Jul 30, 2009

healthcare...CNA job

*ac* · Jul 30, 2009

I would suggest keeping your foot in that door, for possible hire after graduation.

AllSmiles225 · Jul 30, 2009

I would also suggest working even if its only 1 shift per week just to keep that experience. It looks so good on a resume when you show no gap in employment even if it was for school. If you can work that one shift per week I would suggest doing so.

scrublifenurse10, LPN · Jul 30, 2009

I would also suggest working even if its only 1 shift per week just to keep that experience. It looks so good on a resume when you show no gap in employment even if it was for school. If you can work that one shift per week I would suggest doing so.

I already have a gap in employment because I haven't worked prior to this for 2 years (and it was not in healthcare before).

As for keeping my foot in the door, I know that this is NOT a place I want to continue working once I graduate from nursing school.

CDeniseGo · Jul 30, 2009

I already have a gap in employment because I haven't worked prior to this for 2 years (and it was not in healthcare before).
As for keeping my foot in the door, I know that this is NOT a place I want to continue working once I graduate from nursing school.

Then you have your answer: NO!!!

I am in nursing school as well, but I work full time (5 days/wk) and school is 4 days/wk! If I didn't have to work, I definately wouldn't! NO NO NO!

9livesRN, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2009

well then you just answered your own question

full time work 5 fays school 4 and clinicals 2 !!! i feel like a zombie...

sproeber89 · Jul 30, 2009

Honestly my opinion is I would work but very limited part time. I work 5 shifts every two weeks, 2 one week, 1 another week and every other weekend. What I noticed with the people in my classes, we had some who did work similar hours/shifts to me and those who didn't work at all.

Those who didn't work at all seemed to focus ALL their time on studying and school and therefore overstudied. However, if you give yourself something extra to do it might be a good idea. I studied a fair amount but also knew I had to work so I didn't study all the time. The ones at least in my classes who didn't work, did not do as well.

Lajimolala, BSN, RN, NP · Jul 30, 2009

Those who didn't work at all seemed to focus ALL their time on studying and school and therefore overstudied. However, if you give yourself something extra to do it might be a good idea. I studied a fair amount but also knew I had to work so I didn't study all the time. The ones at least in my classes who didn't work, did not do as well.

Thanks sproeber89 for this new insight. I am starting Fall 09, and I'm really interested in this topic. Can you explain what you meant by "overstudied"? How did they not do well by overstudying? What advice would you give to someone who isn't working? I'm just curious. Thanks.

wee_oneRN · Jul 30, 2009

I too worked 35 hours a week while in school. I was cranky, got lots of gray hairs and did not have enough time to get an A. I still did fine on my tests, but I know that if I had not worked I could have gotten better scores.

On the other hand, I found that my time management skills were miles above the other students. I always had my charting done immediately, meds pulled ahead of time, tasks grouped whenever possible.

You could always try working a few hours at first to see how it goes. Good luck!

sproeber89 · Jul 30, 2009

Thanks sproeber89 for this new insight. I am starting Fall 09, and I'm really interested in this topic. Can you explain what you meant by "overstudied"? How did they not do well by overstudying? What advice would you give to someone who isn't working? I'm just curious. Thanks.

By over studying is a lot of students literally took it as a full time job, which is understandable. However, they would literally be at school from 6 am till 5 pm. They studied everything the teacher talked about and things that she didn't even mention. then would panic and think they were getting things wrong because they had absorbed soo much information. They then began second guessing everything we were tested on.

The only advice I could give is to if you are going to not be working a good idea is to just take some time out for yourself, I truly love my job right now and for me its an escape from school but I also get to learn all kinds of neat medical things. It's all about balance in life.

Also, I noticed that the students who didn't work in my class would pester us who did work. Ask us why we worked. I got very fed up with it and finally started saying "Because I haven't found the money tree yet." Everyone in my classes were married or engaged and had kids except me (not even exaggerating here either). i didn't have the extra income and therefore couldn't afford to just not work, my parents don't pay for anything but health insurance but are gracious enough to let me live with them until I graduate. I just can't afford to NOT work.