question to NPs

Riburn3, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP · Dec 17, 2014

All tough questions. While I think getting your degree is possible when having and raising children, it will be difficult. As far as jobs for after you graduate, there are home health agencies that use NP's. Although it's not out of the home like you're doing, home health work provides much greater freedom than more traditional NP roles.

If I were in your shoes, I would at least start the process and get some classes under my belt. The first year and a half or more will be didactic and likely much more manageable. If when you start clinical you realize it's too much, you can stop and pick it up later when it's more convenient, while still having several core courses out of the way. If being an NP has been a career goal, you can balance it with your family goals with a strong effort.

zmansc, ASN, RN · Dec 17, 2014

First let me say that your question is a highly personal question, and I think we all struggle with it at some point in our career. Hopefully, through introspection you will find the right answer for you. I will provide some information and input that may (or may not) help you, take it as you wish.

My cohort group has about 20ish students now, and four have given birth during this journey. Several others had given birth within a year of starting and I would guess a majority have pre-school kids (I fall at the other end of the spectrum, teenagers, ya gotta love 'em). I think it is a personal choice on how you want to manage your time and resources between school, work, and family. In talking with some of my classmates, I walk away thinking they are crazy for trying to do what they are attempting, but then if it works for them, who am I to judge?

As for putting off working, technically I believe it is doable, you would have to retest if you don't meet a minimum number of hours, but from a knowledge perspective, I would be leery of not gaining some experience during those years. I might lean towards something that is a part time position which would keep you current but allow you sufficient family time as well.

As for when the commitment will be least inconvenient, I'm not sure there is a time when that is the case. Many have told me that I'm too old to be going back to school, incurring the expenses I am, etc. I just smile, laugh, make a joke of it, and go about my business. Yep, from a strictly financial perspective I now will have to work several years longer before retiring with an equivalent nest egg, but I'd still make this move in a heartbeat.

I have mentioned in several posts, that I picked my school and my roadmap to my career because I was able to do this schooling and not uproot my teenage sons and family. So from my perspective, my question to you might be, wouldn't it be better to get the schooling done now, when the time away from the kids would be less disruptive in their lives than latter?

Finally, I had a mentor who helped me once when I was struggling with a decision like this. He told me to flip a coin. I thought it was an odd suggestion, but he went on to explain, that you should flip a coin, and if after flipping it, you were glad with the decision, then that was the right decision for you.... But, if you wanted to change the rules to '2 out of 3', then you should go with the other decision. Sometimes all we need is something to nudge us to take a path, then if we follow that nudge, that was probably the path we really wanted to take but felt guilty or pressured to not take. And if we resisted that nudge, then that was an indication we really didn't want that path. Flipping a coin is certainly not a perfect answer, but it can help you to understand what is behind your feelings on this decision a bit.

Good Luck!

moonshadeau, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, APN, NP, CNS · Dec 17, 2014

Entirely personal question and ultimately you have to figure out what your priorities are (and how exhausted you want to be). Is it something that can be done different than something that should be done, are two separate questions. And not to mention 2 kids under the age of two!!!

I went back back to school for my MSN on the heels of completing my BSN. I had a 3 year old when I started. Coursework wasn't hard, but the clinical time nearly killed me. I was spending nearly 60-65 hours a week at the hospital and I had my second child just in my second to last semester. If I didn't have such a supportive husband and daycare, I wouldn't have made it. My only regret is that I missed out with my child during that time away then leading right into less attention for him with a new baby. I don't regret my choice but perhaps the timing. We are forged through our mistakes and our achievements. Good luck on what ever you decide.

Alicia777, MSN, NP · Dec 18, 2014

I was in your shoes. I started NP school as a 35 year old. I became pregnant with my daughter early into that first year. I had my daughter and then became pregnant with my second when she was 9 months.

I finished school with a 13 month old and 4 months pregnant. It was not easy and I leaned on my family and my husband a lot to continue to work 28hrs a week as an RN and go to NP school full time.

I just started my first NP job in November and it's again no walk in the park. I'm always exhausted, as I expected to be, not only with my new role but as a mom coming home to 2 toddlers.

There's no correct answer but the way I look at it is there's no better time than now and they will only be this dependent on you for a very short amount of time. School is equally temporary and If the NP role improves your lifestyle in terms of pay, commute and days off, then all the more reason , good luck..

Cindy-20 · Dec 20, 2014

Thank you for your posts. Alicia777, it's nice to hear from someone who was in similar circumstances that was able to complete the program and still maintain all of your other responsibilities, etc. You really put things in perspective. I have to keep thinking that if I want this, I can make it work.

MikeFNPC, MSN · Dec 22, 2014

My program just finished last week. While I didn't have the restrictions that you're mentioning, there were many who did. What I noticed and heard from others who had finished was that after you determine when you're planning on going the best advice is to buckle down and do whatever it takes to finish. I backed off from full-time work, not because I had to but wanted to. There were a few of my peers who had a break in their programs due to various reasons and came back to finish. Whatever you decide I wish you well.

nursejl1 · Jan 12, 2015

Just wanted to wish you the best of luck in your journey! The first year of NP really isn't that badâ€¦ I would take one class at a time, and if you have to take a semester off like the summers, then be it. There are tons of part-time NP jobs, so you can work one or two days every weekend once you graduate.