Pregnant, Work FT, Nursing School FT!!! Help!

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Soooo ... I am freaking out a little. My period is 5 days late. I am married and there is a possibility that I am pregnant. I went off the hormonal birth control pill several months ago because of adverse reactions to it. We have been trying to be careful but maybe we weren't careful enough.

I just started my first year of an ADN program this past week. I am in an online/hybrid program so I do everything online except for clinicals (only have 1x/week this semester), a few extra meeting dates for guest speakers, and I have to take my exams at the college testing center (but i can basically go whenever I want in 3 day period). So, lucky for me the program is a lot more flexible than others. I definitely felt a little overwhelmed my first orientation day when we went over everything that needed to get done, but the week has gone really well and I am getting a lot done so I feel great about my time management for school.

I also work FT nights as a CNA in the hospital. Because I took out education assistance from my employer, I have to stay full time there (3 nights a week) for the next 2 years. I also have to stay full time at school because the school doesn't allow nursing students to just do part time.

So, I can't drop to part time in either school or work. I am not eligible for any grants or loans (used up all of my loan availability with my first B.S. degree and the education assistance program requires you to stay full time or pay them back for everything which we don't have the money for) and I need to stay full time at work to also pay our monthly bills.

What if I am pregnant? I just don't know what to do about the possibility and so stressed out. I would never have an abortion, so if I'm really pregnant then I am going to have to juggle full time work, full time school, and being pregnant my first year and then taking care of an infant the 2nd year. My car is the shop so I can't get a pregnancy test for another day and all I can think about is if this is really happening.

Has anyone been through something similar? Did you have to work full time and go to school full time with kids? How did you do it?

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Before you start freaking out, have you done a home pregnancy test?

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No, I won't be able to go get one until my car is back from the shop ... just wanted to hear if anyone has done something like this before ...

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

Don't freak out until you have a reason to freak out. Just breathe. If you are pregnant then you and your husband will figure out something that works.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
No I won't be able to go get one until my car is back from the shop ... just wanted to hear if anyone has done something like this before ...[/quote']

Well I would wait until you find out for sure.

Also, if you are not pregnant and are not wanting to get pregnant during nursing school but want to avoid birth control, there are options out there. The book "taking charge of your fertility" is a great read on this topic

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

First of all: don't freak out until it's confirmed you're preggo.

Second: there have been 2 students in my cohort who had babies and they both stayed in the program. One had the baby on a Wednesday and was right back in class on Monday. The other just had her baby 2 weeks ago and our semester just started last Friday.

Both of them work and go to school full-time. It's definitely not easy, but they're getting through it. If all goes well, we'll graduate this May :)

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When I was in nursing school we had a woman who was pregnant and showed up for a test while in labor!!!

An instructor convinced her to go to the hospital and she was back in class the next week.

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I had a 16 month old and was pregnant my 2nd year and worked. It's all possible if you want it to be. Also everyone was way nicer about it than I thought they would be.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
When I was in nursing school we had a woman who was pregnant and showed up for a test while in labor!!!

An instructor convinced her to go to the hospital and she was back in class the next week.

Depending how far apart her contractions were/how dilated she may have had some time to wait, especially if it was her first pregnancy.

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Thanks for all of the encouragement. I still won't be able to confirm until tomorrow. But, even if I am pregnant it is really helpful to know that other people have been in this situation before and have survived. Feeling a little less anxious today. Thanks everyone.

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Well, folks, looks like I am going to be a mommy! Excited but very nervous on how I am going to handle everything. Haven't told my husband yet but I know he is going to be excited and very supportive.

Has anyone been in similar shoes? How did you manage everything? Any schedule tips?

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

Congrats!

Make sure you manage your symptoms, get rest, even if it means time managing studying and having rest periods; be observant of the hormonal changes in pregnancy.

Just some sage advice from a never-pregnant person, however a wonderful witness to a sibling who was able to get through school and college degrees (!) with children. :yes:

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