Police Officer in Nursing School

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Specializes in Future Student.

Hello All,

I am new to this thread. I am here to inquire on those who have had full-time jobs while in nursing school. I was recently accepted into a competitive nursing program. I am a full-time police officer and I work strictly nights. My schedule work as follows:

Week 1: Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Week 2: Wednesday, Thursday (I switch between these two weekly)

I work from 5pm - 5 am

I would like to say that I am used to doing school during the day and working at night. I completed my bachelors degree while Active Duty Military doing something similar, I am a business major. I have also completed all my prerequisites online (A&P1, A&P2, Microbio, Dev psychology, General psychology) in the Summer and this current semester with a 4.0 GPA. I am sure Nursing school will be much more difficult than this. Any tips? I do not have the option of going down to part time! Please be honest and real with me! I can't take it!

I would also like to say as a police officer, I have a lot of downtime in-between calls and I can use this time to study. Do you think this is sustainable? The program is 5 semesters long including Summer semesters.

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Best advice I can offer is to keep your full time work status to yourself. Nursing administration/instructors are historically notorious for using your job as a weapon against you. 
And you must keep up and stay healthy. Flash cards are your friends for studying on the job. Study ahead and get as far along as possible on long term projects, such as papers, so you can weather a brief period of the blahs without risking academic success.

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Specializes in Future Student.
32 minutes ago, caliotter3 said:

Best advice I can offer is to keep your full time work status to yourself. Nursing administration/instructors are historically notorious for using your job as a weapon against you. 
And you must keep up and stay healthy. Flash cards are your friends for studying on the job. Study ahead and get as far along as possible on long term projects, such as papers, so you can weather a brief period of the blahs without risking academic success.

Thank-you for the feedback. This actually makes a lot of sense, basically work through the program as if I were a student with little obligations so they don’t have a reason to single me out? I know this will be difficult!

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As a matter of fact, beyond the job subject, keep as much of your personal life to yourself as possible. You never know what the instructor's personal prejudices may be.  Not all of them are angelic in how they treat people.

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Specializes in Future Student.
1 minute ago, caliotter3 said:

As a matter of fact, beyond the job subject, keep as much of your personal life to yourself as possible. You never know what the instructor's personal prejudices may be.  Not all of them are angelic in how they treat people.

Very true, I appreciate this advice. I did the math in my head and there will be some nights without sleep. I feel that I can do this but I also don’t want to be naive the way I’m thinking. I’m a bit conflicted

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Specializes in looking busy.
On 12/2/2020 at 5:46 AM, ReeceTrey said:

Do you think this is sustainable? 

Yes

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Specializes in Future Student.
7 minutes ago, igtgrnokbye said:

Yes

Thanyou, any advice? any experience with this?

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Specializes in looking busy.

Yes. EMS. Stayed at base. Went on calls. Studied in between. Your pre reqs are done. You’re used to irregular hours.  You got this. 

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Specializes in Future Student.
1 minute ago, igtgrnokbye said:

Yes. EMS. Stayed at base. Went on calls. Studied in between. Your pre reqs are done. You’re used to irregular hours.  You got this. 

I'm happy to hear this. I'm guessing you worked similar hours? How many sleepless nights (Straight off of work then class)? Im fine with this but I just wanted advice on dealing with it. May have to catch a couple hours of sleep in the car every now and then LOL

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Specializes in looking busy.

Get on weekend shifts. Fri Sat Sun.  Yeah I slept in the library many nights studying. If your PD base has quarters just stay there. 

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Specializes in CEN, Firefighter/Paramedic.
2 hours ago, ReeceTrey said:

Thanyou, any advice? any experience with this?

I have a 40-hour position with the FD and am doing RN school.  I also had everything but the core nursing classes done ahead of time, so only taking a nurse class and a pharm class each semester.

It's no joke.. It really does take discipline and it's exhausting.  You'll be working and studying and sleeping.

It's doable, but go into it with eyes open..

 

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Specializes in looking busy.

Guys I’m telling ya. Pull out those handcuffs and fire hose, flash a little wink wink at your instructor. Bam instant nurse. 

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