Should I work with such a crazy schedule?

[Maghunter]

We just got our schedule for next term and it is looking very hard. Basically we have two clinical Monday and Tuesday, then school from 8am-5:30pm Wed and Thurs, and Friday goes from 8am to 2:30. This is a really big schedule. Right now I have my CNA and am working 2 shifts on fri/sat night from 7p-7a. It doesn't pay real well but mostly it is not giving me any experience at all. So I've been looking for something in a local hospital and have a very good lead into a neuro unit. So working two 12's a week would really give me some solid experience and help me get that first job as RN. Not to mention we really need the extra money coming in.

A few of my classmate are saying I'm crazy for working so much with such a big class load, but they don't have the requirements of income I have. So what do you all think I should do. If I get the Neuro job, it could really lead to some great stuff. I guess if I have to work while going to nursing school then a hospital is not the worst place to be.

Any thoughts from any of you would be very welcome. Thanks a ton.

[itsmejuli]

If you can keep up with your homework there's no reason not to work that schedule.

I think your work schedule is great :) You're not working school nights.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I say go for it. I always worked full time in school (no choice) and though I was tired, it just wasn't a choice to not work. You get thru it - for me, I knew I could then provide more for my family and after all, it wasn't like I was going to do this for 20 years - nursing school is a finite amount of time.

Good luck.

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

I worked 3/4 time nights through school. It wasn't easy but it is worth the benefits.

[MsHazel]

You can do it for sure. There are people in NS that don't work or have kids and drop or fail out, and others that have three kids and work full time, so it's all a matter of how bad you want it, the perspective you put your unique situation in, and prioritizing your time. My NS friends who work in hospitals say that the nurses help them with some of there homework and that some nights they even have time to do homework on their shift when it's slow (CNA's). Like the other reply said, it's only 2 years, it will pass by whether you are struggling or not, so make the most of it. This is coming from a single NS mother who works at a restaurant. Good job on working so hard for your future, it will pay off!

[tokyoROSE, BSN, RN]

Actually that is a very nice schedule. If you work at it, I'm sure you can do it. I'm going to attempt to work 30 hours/wk this semester, just as I did the last.