Working and nursing school?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I just got accepted to nursing school for August, I am super excited to start this new stage in life. However, I have been told over and over that working is not a good idea during school. I live in an apartment in my parents basement so I am rent free. But I have a car payment, have to buy my own food, pay for my own gas and have one credit card bill for credit building. (It is an amazon card so cannot help with food, gas, etc.) I am working full time right now and plan on saving as much I can until school. When I get in school I am able to work at the hospital towards tuition reimbursement. So I'm just wondering what is normally too many hours to work. I was hoping I could handle 20 hours and school. Any suggestions?

Specializes in Cardiac, CVICU.

My first semester I worked 15-20 hours a week. 12 of those hours was working double shifts on Sunday, so that I wouldn't have to work as much during the week. That got to be way too much time for me second semester with micro, so I quit my job. I really needed money, so I just started another job and I work two or three hours in the evening Monday through Thursday.

It really depends on what you are able to do! My classes this semester is so demanding. I'm not too sure I can even hold this job down! lol

You might consider a patient sitter job at a hospital. Basically you sit in the room with suicidal patients or individuals going through detox and make sure they don't do themselves in.

It doesn't pay great, but only requires a high school diploma. It also helps you meet people in the hospital and you often can spend a lot of your work time studying.

Specializes in OB/women's Health, Pharm.

20 hours is the absolute max, IF you are self-disciplined and have good time management skills. Used cars are at a premium right now--get rid of the payments + higher insurance costs and buy a cheaper car that will last just long enough to get you through school. It will NOT kill you to have a basic car for a few years.

I wonder the nursing school programs are adn or accelerated Bsn or entry master nursing? It seems adn program doesn require that much classes in each semester. But accelerated Bsn and entry's tee nursing do require much more units in each semester. So I think that you also need to take semester units into consideration.

Cnmfba,

Well, that was a little sassy. Used cars still cost money, which is what I got. I had to get a newer used car due to that is all they will finance me for with little credit, being 20 years old and just starting out. Not sure if you understand how that works, but here it is how it is, On top of I'm working full time until august and am driving 50 ,miles a day. The other car I had broke down at least once a month.

Thanks everyone for the help. It looks like I need to test the waters and maybe try to save and get an extra loan for back up in case I can't work. I do plan on doing at least the 8 or so hours a week for the tuition reimbursement program, it'll be experience and a small paycheck.

I believe I am the only person in our program that doesn't work while attending school. (That's on my husband's orders, btw. He feels it is the best investment of his money.) Of the nine of us that started, three left the program over winter break because they couldn't handle their workload *and* their school load. Another student is currently considering quitting school, as she can't quit work.

They tell us not to work anymore than 24 hrs a week in our program. I believe them, because I hear how hard it is from my classmates. Makes me want to go hug my husband and tell him thank you.

Nobody can tell you "20 hours max if you're self disciplined" or give you any other number. It's a personal choice. I work 24 hours a week, and it's do able for me but I don't think I could do more. I know people who worked 32 hours a week and did nursing school full time but I think they only slept only 2-3 hours a night and did absolutely nothing else but study/work. Just be prepared to have excellent time management skills. And Cnmbfa- used cars cost money too. Not everyone has even 3-4 grand to pay all upfront. Or I suppose you could spend 800 dollars on a car that might break down every week. Personally I would rather have a decent car that I'm making payments on, that I know won't break down on the way to clinical. There's nothing wrong with a basic car, but even a basic reliable car is going to cost you a couple grand, and not everyone can pay that upfront.

Thank you Sox, I felt a little attacked by her comment there.

And 20 hours is the most I will be working. I actually have awesome time management skills. (: I'm going to try to save up enough to cover my car payments while in school. Then if I can't handle it I have back up. It seems like it is personal to each person.

Specializes in ER trauma, ICU - trauma, neuro surgical.

No problem! Work and school can totally be done. Be smart about where you work. I personally did not get a job as a CNA. I didn't want to spend my days on the floor. I worked as a transporter in radiology. It wasn't stressful, I worked in the evening, and I asked to be in an area that was slow during the last part of the shift. I did that so I could study on the side. That's why I was able to work 30+ hrs/week. I didn't have trouble juggling multiple things. Some people just can not work at all during school. It all depends on how much stress you can handle.

How much time do you need to spend outside of the studying? Once I entered school, I never really went out. I never traveled. Anytime I was home, I was studying. If I hung out with friends, it was only for a little while. I know people that continued to have a huge social life during school. I sacrificed that and put all my time into work and school. You could argue that some people can only work part time, but are they spending weekends at the beach, or only studying here and there? I don't know. But you will know what to sacrifice and when. Some things are more important to others. I had to make money. I didn't have a choice. I had someone else to support. If I was able to go through nursing school with someone else paying all the bills and never needing to work....Oh, if I was ever that lucky...

What about sleep? When I was in school, I slept 4-6 hrs a night during the weekday. I left for clinical at 5:30 am and got home from work at midnight. On days that I had class, I got sleep until 7 am. But, I was able to do it. So, I was able to work 4 days a week during the evening. Some people need a lot more sleep then others. Maybe that's why they can only work 15 hrs a week. I don't know.

You have to balance studying, work, sleep, family, friends, and your sanity. What can you sacrifice? Most lose their sanity by the end! So, it depends if you can work full-time or not work at all. Everyone's different. But it's laughable when someone tells all students they shouldn't work. Most people don't have that luxury.

Hodgie, I am quite fortunate to have 0 need for a lot of friends. At most my boyfriend and I have another couple over once a week. We hardly care to leave the house or do much. It is just our nature. He lives with me, so factoring in time for him is pretty easy. I however, need about 7-9 hours of sleep or my body suddenly seems shut down. So beings I don't have a social life, I will give that up for study time and sleep. (: I, glad you understand the trials I am about to go through!

Specializes in ER trauma, ICU - trauma, neuro surgical.

There ya go! That's all ya need to factor in the ability to work. Word of advice...I also lived with my girlfriend when I was in school. And even though we saw each other everyday, things became very distant. Make time with your bf! You and him need to actively date each other. If not, then the only thing you guys will become is two people that sit next to each other on the couch.

I'd like to point out that just because a person doesn't work during nursing school doesn't mean they have loads of free time, or no worries, or are sitting in the lap of luxury. I have a family, three small boys, and a farm. We are scratching by. I don't work because we can't afford the daycare it would take. I do not have all day to study and do farm wife things. I do not have money to just throw around willy nilly, and I have to work hard for the grades I have earned. It burns my biscuits when people like to talk about non-workers like we are a lazy bunch with our grades guaranteed. I had a woman in my class do the same...she'd say "Oh, I'd have great grades if I could stay at home all day like you." Uh, no, I have great grades because I work at them. I don't stay at home all day.

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