Meshell92183

Wooohooo!!! Congrats! I just passed the NCLEX as well, isn't it awesome to FINALLY be able to call yourself a RN!!!

What about nursing student's who are currently CNA's? I have worked as a caregiver for several years in one of our local hospitals and am going to be graduating with my ADN in about six months. Do managers take this into account? I am in the exact situation that you have written about. We have hundreds of nursing students graduating every quarter, and I have heard that for every position available there are hundreds of applications submitted. Do you have any other advice on what sets applicants apart from the rest, for example being ACLS certified? Thank you for your post!

Hello ~ I started NS when my son was 6 months old too and what I found worked the best for me was leaving the house when I wanted to get real studying done. I often go to a coffee shop or the local library. I go alone so I wont have any other distractions and set goals for myself to accomplish before I head home. Even if its for only an hour or two, you will get much more done in that time than if you were at home! You'll learn quickly that it's not just you going through nursing school, it's your whole family and everyone is going to have to make compromises...just like you! Good Luck!

I work one 12 hour shift a week and it's perfect for nursing school...I'm gaining seniority in the hospital which will help when we graduate and there is a flood of new nurses applying for every open position! I live in Washington too and have heard that it can take months to find a job after graduation. Along with that I'm gaining valuable skills working with patients...I think that if your able to get a CNA job in a hospital there's no reason to turn down the opportunity, what will be difficult is finding a position that will work around you classes, thankfully my managers are super understand and supportive of their staff going to school. Much luck to you in nursing school, its crazy exhausting but tons of fun! Michelle~

You can totally do this! My baby was 7 months old when I started, and even thought its exhausting know its going to be worth it! Check and see if you campus offers daycare, the daycare center on my campus offers students a discounted rate and my kids can go to school with me and go home with me. Be as organized as possible, I plan everything including when I'm going to do laundry and go grocery shopping. My children are my motivation and bet your baby is going to be yours too, good luck!

Always stick with your gut answer! More times than not its right, and I hate changing an answer and getting it wrong way more than just answering it incorrect in the first place! It helps me to have a study group too!! Dont give up, you'll make it! Good Luck, Michelle~

This was encouraging to read, I'll be starting nursing school in September and I've got two little ones. I know the next two years are going to be hard on my whole family, but in the end it will definatly be worth it! It's really important that my children watch me chase my dreams and accomplish my goals, I want to be a good role model for them : ) Thanks for sharing your achievements, congrats on your upcoming graduation! Michelle~

Hello, I was accepted into the Fall quarter at Clark, I'm very excited to start in September!!! You'll be starting in Jan. of 2010? Its a really good program, I'm a CNA at SWMC and work with so many nurses that have graduated from Clark's program and I hear all the time that there program is one of the best! Much luck to you!!

Yes, this post is really helpful! I too am starting nursing school in the fall and any advice on how to be best prepared is awesome! I'm really looking forward to the experiences nursing school will hold. Thank you!!!!! Michelle~

Once nursing school starts I will have classes 4 days a week, so I'll work one weekday and every Sat., which will give me Sundays to spend time with my family and to have a few hours a week for myself. When nursing school starts I plan on using those 4 days a week to get all my work done, I'll use the labs and library to study.

I just switched from working nights to a day shift because I got accepted into nursing school. For me it was really difficult to switch back and forth from going to classes during the day then working all night, I always felt off. I worked weekends and I was always really exhausted on my first shift because I would get up in the mornings on Friday for school, go to school all day then go to work all night...then sleep during the day saturday, and during the day on Sunday after working all night...so by the time Sunday night would come around I would have a hard time going to bed to get up early for classes Monday. Day shift is just a better fit for me. I understand when you say 'not working is not an option', I have a family that I have to support while I'm going through nursing school...I'm excited for all this hard work to pay off soon! Good Luck!! Michelle~

You could try to get a job in one of your local hospitals as a caregiver during your 4th semester of school, which will get your foot in the door. When hospitals hire they almost always hire from within first, so getting established is almost always a good thing. I'm a CNA in the float pool and starting nursing school this September and my managers have already said they would move me right into an RN position once I am licenced!

Yeah! Good Job!!!! I'm starting NS in the fall and really look forward to finishing my final final in a few years