How do I work study and be a mom full time

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I've taken the first steps toward becoming a nurse by enrolling in prerequisites. I'm nearly done and have gotten fairly ndecent grades. I want to do an ABSN program with the ultimate goal of becoming a CNM. Here's the catch. I'm also finally getting divorced (yay!) and have a toddler. Luckily, my mom is around to help pick up the slack. This leaves me in the position of not being able to not work while going to school. I'm the sole provider where I'm most worried about health insurance and of of course, rent. I know that most of these programs say it's in the best interest of the student to quit their jobs. Only in la la land!

I would like to know if others here have done it and what sort of schedule they kept to achieve success. I've tried the overnight shift thing, my body will not let me do that.

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Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

I think it would be impossible to work full-time and be an involved parent and be a full-time ABSN student. My ABSN program was a good 40-50hr/week time commitment for 15 months, and I don't know how anyone could work full-time and take care of a family on top of that with out serious physical and psychological damage.

Working part-time or per-diem *is* possible, but this may be a challenge for maintaining benefits. I encourage you to look into all the possible options - can the kids stay / be added to dad's insurance? Can you qualify for insurance through you school? Does your state have expanded medicaid? etc. What options do you have to reduce housing costs so you work less? Can you move into a smaller/cheaper place? Live with family? Share a place with another family or roommate situation?

How much can you save up before school? Would delaying school for a year allow you to be more financially stable? Would placing more financial responsibility for you kids on your soon-to-be-ex be route that you even want to consider going down? To what extent is the financial burden for your children likely to be covered by their father? Is alimony for living/education expenses and support allowed by your state? Is that a route that you would want to consider if it is?

What kind of support do you have when it comes to childcare? What is your back-up plan if your primary support is unavailable?

I don't ask any of these questions to be mean or to discourage you, but to make you think about what is possible with your situation and your goals. Hopefully some people who are parents, or who have worked more during an ABSN program will chime in and share how they accomplished it.

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I second everything the PP stated. I will be doing ABSN (fingers crossed) starting this fall and plan on not working. However, I have been saving for a while now so I think I am good for, at least, a few months once I start the program. My thing is, we both will be doing ABSN which means we have prior degrees and, most likely, have some student loan debt. I do. So, you need to make sure you do well in your program so you can graduate and work as a nurse. There is no option to not do well, fail, be dismissed, and be neck deep in more debt with no job to pay back the money. I think it is best that you dedicate your time to studying and caring for your child.

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Thank you to you both for responding to my question. I've asked myself all of these hard questions over and over and seem to come up with no answers. I feel I have no choice but to enroll in the ABSN program. I've wasted so much time as it is chasing after things and wasting money.

I currently work as a nurse assistant at a well known hospital. It's a good job, but not one you can make a life on (especially with a kid). I need to make this happen as soon as possible and I feel like I have no choice but to work while I do it because I am the primary earner.

I've spoken to some at my job (without children) and they say that they went per-deim, which gives them the flexibility to work the hours they want and go to school. But, of course, I would lose my benefits. Though my state does have Medicaid, it's nothing in comparison to what I get from my job.

Ugh. I just don't know. Anyone else care to weigh in?

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
Thank you to you both for responding to my question. I've asked myself all of these hard questions over and over and seem to come up with no answers. I feel I have no choice but to enroll in the ABSN program. I've wasted so much time as it is chasing after things and wasting money.

I currently work as a nurse assistant at a well known hospital. It's a good job, but not one you can make a life on (especially with a kid). I need to make this happen as soon as possible and I feel like I have no choice but to work while I do it because I am the primary earner.

I've spoken to some at my job (without children) and they say that they went per-deim, which gives them the flexibility to work the hours they want and go to school. But, of course, I would lose my benefits. Though my state does have Medicaid, it's nothing in comparison to what I get from my job.

Ugh. I just don't know. Anyone else care to weigh in?

Your feelings are wrong. There are many ways to get to RN- and you seem set on the one which is most impossible given your situation. Explore LPN and ADN programs- which are infinitely more affordable and flexible.

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I don't think it would be possible to do all that and succeed in the program. I've only heard people working per diem or part time during an ABSN. Though even part time might be difficult in some.

Have you considered instead doing an ADN program or a regular BSN? I've heard of people working full time while doing a regular BSN or ADN, though they generally have jobs they can do at night/any time or just weekends.

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Agree with the others, I would consider pursuing different programs than an ABSN. I looked at that option, but I couldn't make that kind of a commitment, both financial and timewise. I have a toddler as well, and plan to have another one, and I know how hard it is to take care of them. I have also been a single mom for periods of time, and know how impossible it is to keep up with everything. Don't set yourself up for failure. Do everything that you can to make this venture successful, whether that be delaying to save money, going after a different degree, using government benefits, whatever works for you.

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I was accepted in an ABSN program as well, but have kids and needed to keep working at least half time for health benefits also. In the end, I decided that was impossible. So now I am enrolled in a traditional BSN program and find that it is still very difficult to keep all those plates in the air. I have zero regrets about not attending the ABSN program. I see now how insane it would have been. And actually, impossible. And 3-4x as expensive.

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Specializes in Nephrology.

I'm in an ADN program now, and I spend so many more hours with that than I would working on a normal week. I work one day a week and that seems too much at times, I also have children but am married. I couldn't do it without him working full time! There are weeks you wont even be able to get anything else at home done, and still feel behind on homework. They pile it on thick while you have LONG clinical hours and tests to study a ridiculous amount for. There are always unexpected costs too with added materials, books, uniforms, etc. I'm two weeks from finishing my first year and I'm running on fumes even with help.

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Specializes in MSICU.

I agree with the posters saying to look into an ADN program. I originally started prereqs while planning to apply to a masters for entry to nursing program (MEPN, which is similar to an ABSN in time and difficulty level but with a masters degree outcome vs. a second bachelors). Since then I have found and am pursuing a concurrent enrollment program at my local community college which awards you an ADN at the same time you complete online nursing theory work resulting in a traditional MSN degree. It is a longer route (it will take me 9 months this longer to get the ADN than the MEPN, plus an additional year to obtain the MSN, but ultimately I believe I will be more successful in this program.

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I agree, go for the ADN program and try medicaid for your insurance. My husband was unemployed for 8 months while I worked part time and took prerequisites- Medicaid coverage (for healthy family) was better than any coverage we ever had with employers. I'm currently working as nurse assistant and awaiting decision from community college ADN program. It may take longer, but several hospitals will reimburse your tuition and pay for youto get you to complete RN to BSN program.

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Wow. An OVERWHELMING majority of you say that ABSN is a no go and ADN is the best route. I suppose I can't say that I'm surprised. I'm taking three classes right now and it's tough but doable I looked at the curriculum for the schools around me and wondered how I would do it.

I guess my reasoning for wanting the ABSN so badly stems from the fact that I do work at a major city hospital that believes in hiring from within and it seems like and ADN is a little lower on the totem pole of nursing, maybe starting out at a nursing home. I'm extremely lucky not having any experience and landing this job; I don't want to lose it.

That and 16 months; I'd be done! (I was also thinking about Direct entry masters programs but a bit wishy washy on that one). VS. 2 years and another couple of years or the traditional 4 years.

Right now, I receive a small food stamp and half daycare voucher. I don't qualify for anything else from the state. If I live like this on this income for much longer, my hair will begin falling out (oh wait, it already has). My daughter and I aren't living in the best of conditions and I thought I was willing to work 24/7 to make this period a distant memory before she could actually remember it.

But seems the more I think about it, the more practical it is to do the ADN no matter how much I may dislike it.

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