Second Career Students--HOW can I do this?

Nursing Students General Students

Published

Here's my dilemma:

Yesterday, I went to an info. session for the nursing program I will eventually attend (have to take a few pre-req's first). Everything was great until the instructor says, "Most of our nursing students work nights or weekends. There is NO WAY you can have a regular 9-5 job and go to nursing school. It's a full-time thing." I then came home and checked out the course times for every nursing term, and she was basically right. For the first term alone, I would be able to work Mondays after 10 am, Tuesdays & Wednesdays after 1:30 pm, Thursdays after 11:00 am and Fridays all day.

Well, I'm currently a dental hygienist. As you may know, dental offices are not open at night. :uhoh3: And, most offices won't let a hygienist work half a day. So, I'm thinking, "Okay, so I'll just have to get a nights/weekends job....but that means (most likely) a minimum wage job." I'm married with two kids. We're barely scraping by with our bills as it is right now, and (as a hygienist) I make the same or more as most RN's here in NM. I don't know HOW we would survive if I had to work a min. wage job during school!! :o

I'm not putting down min. wage jobs at all. I'm just wondering how those of you who also are pursuing nursing as a second career are affording to not work as much, while you're in school? Am I making any sense? :imbar

I don't want to give up my dream of becoming an RN, just because I'll have to work a less-paying job during school. It's the BILLS I'm worried about! Know what I mean?

Angel

can't help ya with the Mommy guilt cause I don't have any rug rats.

I do have a previous bachelors and the only federal aid I am eligible for are student loans. I am also eligible for scholarships through my school once I have completed my first year.

A

Up Vote Up Vote ×

can't help ya with the Mommy guilt cause I don't have any rug rats.

I do have a previous bachelors and the only federal aid I am eligible for are student loans. I am also eligible for scholarships through my school once I have completed my first year.

A

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I do have one question...If you make more as a hygienest than as a nurse, then why are you looking to be an RN? I know hygienists around here make $39/hour. That's pretty good pay.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I do have one question...If you make more as a hygienest than as a nurse, then why are you looking to be an RN? I know hygienists around here make $39/hour. That's pretty good pay.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I do have one question...If you make more as a hygienest than as a nurse, then why are you looking to be an RN? I know hygienists around here make $39/hour. That's pretty good pay.

$39/hr.??! Whoa! Where do you live? Avg. pay in NM is $30/hr. or less.

As for "why" do I want to go from hygiene to nursing, a few reasons:

*I'm MAJORLY burned out on dental hygiene. I've been doing it for 10 yrs., and it's gotten to the point where it's monotonous. There's only so many times you can clean teeth over and over and over again before you get bored! LOL I don't say this out of arrogance, but I feel like I can do it in my sleep at this point! :uhoh3:

*The dental hygiene job market here in NM SUCKS!! It's way oversaturated! It wasn't like this when I graduated 10 yrs. ago, but it's gotten much worse. There are way more new grads out there now than before, and I'm having to compete for jobs (which I never had to do before). The dentists have been hiring the green hygienists first, because they can pay them less! Experience counts for nothing in this profession anymore. :o

*There's no "variety" in hygiene, as there is with nursing. There's a glass ceiling in our profession. Unless you want to teach dental hygiene (YAWN) or do research, that's it. Once a hygienist, always a hygienist, and I honestly couldn't see myself doing it for the rest of my life. There's no lateral movement like nursing has. You can't just "change specialties" if you get burned out or bored. The many opportunities in nursing are a big attraction for me.

*I want to move beyond "just teeth" to having more medical knowledge in general. I know I'm helping people as a hygienist, but they generally come to me "healthy". Yes, they have their own health problems, but I'm sure you know what I mean. Patients don't show up to their dental appt. sick, per se. Being a nurse would mean a lot more to me. From a Christian perspective, I feel like I could be more helpful in this world as a nurse.

*Being an RN has always been a dream of mine that will be a big "what if?" in my life, if I don't at least attempt it. Before I started hygiene school, I thought about nursing school. I was in my early twenties at the time and didn't think I could stomach nursing though. Since then, I've seen plenty of bodily fluids as a hygienist and mom! :chuckle And...I'm not exactly getting any younger! Might as well get going on this dream of mine! :)

*I know of other hygienists who have become RN's as well, so I know I can't be crazy! LOL Plus, nothing like having a second career to fall back on, right? I plan on keeping my dental hygiene license current, even when I become an RN. And, I can put my hygiene knowledge to use as an RN too. :)

Angel

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I do have one question...If you make more as a hygienest than as a nurse, then why are you looking to be an RN? I know hygienists around here make $39/hour. That's pretty good pay.

$39/hr.??! Whoa! Where do you live? Avg. pay in NM is $30/hr. or less.

As for "why" do I want to go from hygiene to nursing, a few reasons:

*I'm MAJORLY burned out on dental hygiene. I've been doing it for 10 yrs., and it's gotten to the point where it's monotonous. There's only so many times you can clean teeth over and over and over again before you get bored! LOL I don't say this out of arrogance, but I feel like I can do it in my sleep at this point! :uhoh3:

*The dental hygiene job market here in NM SUCKS!! It's way oversaturated! It wasn't like this when I graduated 10 yrs. ago, but it's gotten much worse. There are way more new grads out there now than before, and I'm having to compete for jobs (which I never had to do before). The dentists have been hiring the green hygienists first, because they can pay them less! Experience counts for nothing in this profession anymore. :o

*There's no "variety" in hygiene, as there is with nursing. There's a glass ceiling in our profession. Unless you want to teach dental hygiene (YAWN) or do research, that's it. Once a hygienist, always a hygienist, and I honestly couldn't see myself doing it for the rest of my life. There's no lateral movement like nursing has. You can't just "change specialties" if you get burned out or bored. The many opportunities in nursing are a big attraction for me.

*I want to move beyond "just teeth" to having more medical knowledge in general. I know I'm helping people as a hygienist, but they generally come to me "healthy". Yes, they have their own health problems, but I'm sure you know what I mean. Patients don't show up to their dental appt. sick, per se. Being a nurse would mean a lot more to me. From a Christian perspective, I feel like I could be more helpful in this world as a nurse.

*Being an RN has always been a dream of mine that will be a big "what if?" in my life, if I don't at least attempt it. Before I started hygiene school, I thought about nursing school. I was in my early twenties at the time and didn't think I could stomach nursing though. Since then, I've seen plenty of bodily fluids as a hygienist and mom! :chuckle And...I'm not exactly getting any younger! Might as well get going on this dream of mine! :)

*I know of other hygienists who have become RN's as well, so I know I can't be crazy! LOL Plus, nothing like having a second career to fall back on, right? I plan on keeping my dental hygiene license current, even when I become an RN. And, I can put my hygiene knowledge to use as an RN too. :)

Angel

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Transplant.

I currently work 3p-11p for the US Postal service while I am in school during the day.

Hey! I work for USPS also while in Nursing school. I work at a REC site, how bout you?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Transplant.

I currently work 3p-11p for the US Postal service while I am in school during the day.

Hey! I work for USPS also while in Nursing school. I work at a REC site, how bout you?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Transplant.

Personally, what I would try is to see if you can work part time at your current job and find another part time job to supplement. CNA's are good, but their average pay is probably $7-10 an hour. Student loans have saved me, so that is always an option, and you can get an unsubsidized loan if you qualify for financial aid or not.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Transplant.

Personally, what I would try is to see if you can work part time at your current job and find another part time job to supplement. CNA's are good, but their average pay is probably $7-10 an hour. Student loans have saved me, so that is always an option, and you can get an unsubsidized loan if you qualify for financial aid or not.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Home Health Care,LTC.

I went back to school for my LPN when my children were 8 and 6. I was in school during the day same as they were but I worked weekends and my nights were committed to study time. I tried to study as a family. They did their homework with my husband to answer questions and I worked on mine in the same room as them. It helped some. I would take little breaks here and there to talk to the kids about their day etc. When the guilt got to me to bad I would just try to remember that I was doing this for them also. To provide a better way of life. Hope this helps.

Angelia

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Home Health Care,LTC.

I went back to school for my LPN when my children were 8 and 6. I was in school during the day same as they were but I worked weekends and my nights were committed to study time. I tried to study as a family. They did their homework with my husband to answer questions and I worked on mine in the same room as them. It helped some. I would take little breaks here and there to talk to the kids about their day etc. When the guilt got to me to bad I would just try to remember that I was doing this for them also. To provide a better way of life. Hope this helps.

Angelia

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment