Should I Stay Full-time While I'm in School?

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So I recently got into a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner program and will be starting this fall. Right now, I'm debating whether or not I should continue with my current work-load while I'm in school.

Some background: I'm 26 with 3 years of nursing experience, partnered, no kids, no loans (went to a cheap state school for my BSN and worked as a CNA), and I work 3 12's one week and 4 the next per pay period. Got about 40k saved and it's 29k for the whole program. I know for sure I'm going to have to cut down once the clinical portion begins the second year of the 2-year program.

I'm not against taking out loans need be, and I'd like to have more time to dedicate to studying to make sure I really know my stuff. My concern for cutting my hours right off the bat are that my work place does not do part-time, so I'd likely have to go to per diem and lose my benefits/a lot of hours.

Guess I'm just looking for some "If I were you"-type advice.

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Specializes in Oncology/StemCell Transplant; Psychiatry.

I am currently in my third and final year of my PMHNP program. I have maintained full-time employment (along with PRN employment at my other job) thus far. I am currently in my first practicum course, and it has been feasible so far. However, it is a summer course, and I only need 90 hours. Next semester, however, I am going to have to get in 270 hours of practicum, and I have had to find several co-workers to swap shifts with me so that I can do practicum 3 days a week and still work my 3-12 hour shifts. I have to stay full-time to keep my employer's tuition discount. I also assume that I will not be able to work my PRN job once the fall semester starts as well.

In short, we do what we have to do. I have to maintain full-time employment to keep my tuition discount, pay my bills, and support my family. It certainly isn't ideal, and it is exhausting, but we do what we have to do to get by. If you don't "have" to work full-time, it is probably best for your grades and your mental health to no work full-time. But it is certainly not impossible.

Hope this helps!!

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

I'm going to continue working full time. I will be working Fri, Sat, Sun night shifts so I can do clinicals Tue, Wed & Thur during the week.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

My advice for NP school is: work the least amount to financially are able to. You are making a big investment of time and money to change careers, take the time you need to get the most of that. Remember, at full-time NP school by the last semester you have at least 1 day of classes and three days of clinics plus your outside study time which doesn't leave a lot of time for a full-time job without cutting some corners.

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thanks guys! I tried to ask my manager to drop to 3 12's a week and got denied which is a huge bummer. Considering going through my union and looking for Per Diem nurses to fill for me.

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I'm not sure where you live, but would it be easy to go per diem at your current job and find another per diem job elsewhere?

Also, are you going to school part-time or full-time? It seems that you will be going full-time. I've been going to school part-time and working full-time, but this is my last year and the workload is killing me. I am going part-time at work for my last year of school. I know people who have done full-time work and full-time school and they looked haggard and worn out all the time. I don't know how they did it!

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