It was my second year of my four year BSN program. My very first set of actual nursing clinicals. The ones where we actually went somewhere, and that was a LTC. I was excited, scared, and every other emotion all combined. I was actually more emotional than I pictured myself. I was so emotional I was nauseated. I was exhausted.
On our third clinical day I went to watch a nurse do a dressing change. Wound care, how exciting! I was absorbing information like a sponge. Then, suddenly it all hit me. The nausea, the exhaution, the weakness all came at once. I excused myself, walked out of the room into the hall, slid down a wall, and passed out. I remember a nurse coming up to me and asking if I was okay, and my clinical instructor being called over the intercom. "Great," I thought. Here I am, in a facility where I should be helping, and learning, and I'm being surrounded by staff. I came back to, alert and oriented, Vitals WNL, BS a little low but not critical. Then, my clinical instructor asked the golden question... "Could you be pregnant"
Well, I could. I'm married, and along with that comes the, ummm... "act" that causes pregancy. But I couldn't be. The doctors said so. It would take "medical intervention" and we had been unsafe for 5 years. "I'm not pregnant, there's no way." To which my clinical instructor said "call your husband, have him pick you up, and stop by the store and pick up a pregnancy test."
Well, okay. I still thought there was no way I was pregnant, but what could I do? She would ask the next day about the results, and I didn't want to lie. So, off to the store we went. My husband took a friend to the clinical site to pick up my car and took the test.
I follow the instructions, wait the period of time and look at the test. Whew.... two lines...that means...wait a minute, I look at the directions again. I look at the test. The directions. The test. I'm pregnant. When my husband comes home I have him verify there are indeed two lines.
I'm scared. I gave up a decent job to go to nursing school. My husbands work was erratic. We didn't have health insurance. Most of the time we didn't even have an extra five dollars. What will we do? My mind goes on a brain storm? Quit nursing school and find a job. Work part-time and go to nursing school. What can we sale? What will we have to buy?
Fast forward four years.... today. My son was born during the summer, but I slowed down nursing school and worked any job I could find that would fit within daycare hours. Americorps, tutoring, at the daycare itself. It took five years to complete my four year degree, but it was completed. We had to used Medicaid for my pregnancy and son, but we have health insurance now. We were on food stamps for awhile, but can afford our own food now.
So many people didn't know how I could "do it"- go to nursing school and have a baby. I didn't know how those who worked full-time or spent hours partying or in their sorieties could do it. Things just came together. Sure, there were days and nights I was exhausted. Days I left the daycare in tears because I didn't want to leave my baby. Days I counted out change for milk. However, no matter what the challenge that arose I chalked it up to being a bad day and pressed forward.
I graduated last May. I had a job before graduation because I worked in the hospital as a student nurse and did my practicum on the floor I wanted. I also graduated with a 3.94. Inducted into Sigma Theta Tau. Passed NCLEX in 75 question and 30 minutes.
Today, my son doesn't have to go to daycare anymore. Between my husband's schedule, my schedule, and his preschool schedule, there isn't the need. I don't have to count change for milk anymore. I don't have to pray that my gas tank makes it one more day. In fact, we are taking our first family vacation to Disney in a couple of months.
Don't let anyone tell you that having a baby during nursing school is impossible. It's hard and tiring. Some days it seemed like the end would never come- but it did. And it was well worth the wait. I wouldn't change a thing.
OMG!! Pregnancy alone changes a woman's life and when you add nursing school to the equation is really something one needs to brace oneself for.
But thank you for your inspiring words. Four years after getting my ADN and now pursuing a BSN (almost done). I really am ready to start a family but its on hold because of "I need to finish school first!". But life is a roller coaster ride, lets me if my ending is as good as ProudNurseRN.
Just what I needed! Thank you! At this moment I am writing a care plan (11:38pm) due tomorow. I just put my cranky seven month old down to sleep. I am a single mom and this is my final semester of my BSN program. Its hard and every day...sometimes every moment... I look for the inspiration to keep pushing through. Thank You for inspiring me in this moment!
I'm in tears after reading your post. Thank you for sharing your story. it's very inspiring. I have a son 3.5yrs old. we love to add another baby to our family, but because of school and financial situation we just cannot do that. By the time I finish my ADN I will be 36 and will never be able to raise another kid. Just have to satisfy with one son. You are a very strong person. Thank you for saying that it's doable. very inspiring. :redpinkhe:redpinkhe
Another living example, had three stepchildren (16, 14,9), one of my own(3) and a newborn two weeks before last yr of nursing school started. Husband had a job where he was gone 1-2 weeks every month and I worked part time as an in home aide. Whew......
I wasn't trying to get pregnant when I found out I was pregnant with twins. My due date would fall in the summer between my first and second year. I can't tell you the exact numbers of who was for me finishing and who was for "taking some time off for myself and the babies", what i couldnt believe was that more women told me to take the time off. I think they were trying to make it easier for me to make a hard decision. What I knew in my gut was that if I didnt continue with school I never would have gone back. For me it would have been very difficult to make myself leave the babies at home and go back to school. I knew I wouldnt want to do that. I also knew for my financial future and future of my children I had to finish when the opportunity presented itself. I want to encourage anyone to finish school while you can. I had several friends who dropped out of school because their spouses wanted them to and because they were pregnant. They are no longer married and do not have a nursing degree. If you have your nursing, you will always be free and be able to support yourself. Take care of yourself. Good luck to all the pregnant students. The time will fly by and you will miss it someday. I remember taking naps in the library between classes just to make it. I felt weird at the time. Now I know that was all part of getting the job done. If you can finish nursing school pregnant, you can do anything. Be Proud!:redbeathe
Your story is very much like mine. A couple weeks into the second year of nursing school I found out I was pregnant. I feaked out! I had insurance but no OB coverage. I had to go on Medicaid. I went to school full time and worked part time. It was hard but do-able. I delivered 2 days after I graduated from nursing school. When I look back on it the timing couldn't have been more perfect. I was able to stay home with my new son for a couple months while waiting for my nursing license. I got a good job, good insurance and things started to fall into place. If anyone is thinking about going to nursing school, don't let having a family hold you back. With some determination it can be done!
I wasn't trying to get pregnant when I found out I was pregnant with twins. My due date would fall in the summer between my first and second year. I can't tell you the exact numbers of who was for me finishing and who was for "taking some time off for myself and the babies", what i couldnt believe was that more women told me to take the time off. I think they were trying to make it easier for me to make a hard decision. What I knew in my gut was that if I didnt continue with school I never would have gone back. For me it would have been very difficult to make myself leave the babies at home and go back to school. I knew I wouldnt want to do that. I also knew for my financial future and future of my children I had to finish when the opportunity presented itself. I want to encourage anyone to finish school while you can. I had several friends who dropped out of school because their spouses wanted them to and because they were pregnant. They are no longer married and do not have a nursing degree. If you have your nursing, you will always be free and be able to support yourself. Take care of yourself. Good luck to all the pregnant students. The time will fly by and you will miss it someday. I remember taking naps in the library between classes just to make it. I felt weird at the time. Now I know that was all part of getting the job done. If you can finish nursing school pregnant, you can do anything. Be Proud!:redbeathe
lol... I so remember the naps in the library. I also would schedule at least two classes once a week apart on purpose. For example on Wednesday I might have a class from 8-11 and another 2-3. I'd use those 3 hours to study, do homework, nap, get lunch, sometimes all of those. I'd bargain if I got through chapters 31 and 32 I could lay my head down for 30 minutes. I lived for those days with my scheduled break.
Another thing that helped was that my laptop broke. So anything that had to be done on a computer was done before or after classes at school. I know that seems odd, but the number of hours I saved from "playing" on-line was enormous. A paper that would take 6 hrs at home could be done in 2 at school.
latorita123
4 Posts
OMG!! Pregnancy alone changes a woman's life and when you add nursing school to the equation is really something one needs to brace oneself for.
But thank you for your inspiring words. Four years after getting my ADN and now pursuing a BSN (almost done). I really am ready to start a family but its on hold because of "I need to finish school first!". But life is a roller coaster ride, lets me if my ending is as good as ProudNurseRN.
Lissette