Single mom planning to go to school

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Hi everyone, I just joined hoping I could get some advice. I'm a single mom of an almost 2 year old son and living in WV and working full-time. I make too much to qualify for any assistance, but live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to get by with a very tight budget (I'm talking $120-200 a month for groceries). I didn't go to college and feel stuck at the job I'm at since I am at least getting by. Lately I've been feeling more frustrated at my job and like I'm getting left behind as the only without a college degree as well as like I'm not very likely to get a raise. I'm also several hours from family and wanting to move closer. So I am planning to move to my sister's town in Bowling Green KY next summer and start school in Fall 2016. I am planning to attend the community college there and there are 3 programs of study I'm interested in: nursing, respiratory care, and sonography. I'm leaning towards nursing, but I am required to be on the nurse aide registry before I can be accepted. The problem is I can't take time off work to take what I believe is a 2 week course for that. So my questions are... Is there a CNA program I could take online? Will I need to get a part time job? Or live off grants and loans and focus on school? Should I think about respiratory care or sonography since I can't go to take the CNA course? And I would love to hear from single parents that made it through school. I really want a job I'll like where I can provide for my son and perhaps even another child in the future without struggling so much.

Not sure why they require you to be a nurses aide to be accepted, seems pointless to me. My class had a lot single moms, older people going for their second career. Many of them had to live off loans and struggle for 2 years until they graduated. You can do it.

There are increasing numbers of schools that require a CNA course completion prior to entry into the program. One reason seems to be that there are those who discover during the CNA classes that this ISN'T really what they thought they'd be doing, or that they dislike it enough to not go any further. Honestly, it's a GOOD idea for those who have zero direct-care experience, as it does open some eyes. For others, it makes no difference, but for some....it changes their direction.

Another reason is that the schools are frequently competitive enough that they can weed out those who are unwilling to do this extra step. There are always enough applicants for seats, so....if doing these few classes is going to deter someone, they probably ought to be deterred (at least from the school's perspective).

I think the trouble for the OP isn't living off loans for 2 years, as you suggest....it's that she has at least 3, and maybe four if she wants to do an RN program without having any college credits completed as yet. There's endless posts from people here who have gotten themselves in hot water with tens of thousands in student loans and cannot pay it off...no matter HOW hard they struggle....because of tight job market and low pay for new grads :(

Anything is doable. It just might not be as doable as quickly as you might expect, if the expectation is not being employed, or having no family-done childcare....even WITH killing yourself. Forewarned and all.....

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I appreciate the responses. I'm wondering if I can move to the area before the summer semester begins and take the prerequisites and possibly the nursing aide course then. I'm also still considering sonography. I think I would enjoy that as well, but I'm worried about the job market for it, if it pays as well, and I know there are more options with nursing.

I'm moving several hours away from where I'm currently living and working. I will be in the same town as my sister, but while I'm sure we can trade babysitting sometimes, she works full time and has 2 kids of her own.

I would like to pursue nursing, but I'm honestly feeling like the sonography program might be a little more doable as a single mom. I'm willing to put in the work, but I don't want to never be able to spend time with my son.

I'm planning to contact the program I mentioned for single parents in school. That will give me an idea on what to do maybe.

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I appreciate the responses. I'm wondering if I can move to the area before the summer semester begins and take the prerequisites and possibly the nursing aide course then. I'm also still considering sonography. I think I would enjoy that as well, but I'm worried about the job market for it, if it pays as well, and I know there are more options with nursing.

I'm moving several hours away from where I'm currently living and working. I will be in the same town as my sister, but while I'm sure we can trade babysitting sometimes, she works full time and has 2 kids of her own.

I would like to pursue nursing, but I'm honestly feeling like the sonography program might be a little more doable as a single mom. I'm willing to put in the work, but I don't want to never be able to spend time with my son.

I'm planning to contact the program I mentioned for single parents in school. That will give me an idea on what to do maybe.

Is there any other nursing program in the area that does not require you to be nurse aide? If you can't find outside help with your child then I advise you to delay nursing school for now. ALL the parents in my program get help from family and friends, if they did not have the help, they would not be able to make it through nursing school.

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I really don't want to delay school even if it means pursuing something else. I'm getting very unhappy at my job and I'm 33 years old. I thinkiit's time for a change.

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Check your sonography program carefully. I looked into it, and the ones around me require a 2 year degree in a medical field (nursing, respiratory therapy, etc) first or a 4 year Bachelor's in Biology, etc.

There are no CNA programs online. It's very hands on, and you have to go to Clinicals. My program offers a night class and a lot of people do that.

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I really don't want to delay school even if it means pursuing something else. I'm getting very unhappy at my job and I'm 33 years old. I thinkiit's time for a change.

I'm 38, and I'm just getting started (and planning to get a doctorate degree eventually... just taking nursing pre-reqs for now). It is never too late, unless you are dead. I think you are right not to delay though. Just know that you aren't too old to pursue your dreams. You just need to balance your life so you get to be a mom, too.

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Sonography and RT are no joke and I have no idea why you are mentioning them in the same sentence as CNA. Sonography requires extensive pre reqs including chemistry and physics, RT also has it's share. Both programs are either associates or even bachelors degree and are very competitive like nursing.

Nothing in life is easy. CNA is doable the others are not without SIGNIFICANT help.

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Sonography and RT are no joke and I have no idea why you are mentioning them in the same sentence as CNA. Sonography requires extensive pre reqs including chemistry and physics, RT also has it's share. Both programs are either associates or even bachelors degree and are very competitive like nursing.

Nothing in life is easy. CNA is doable the others are not without SIGNIFICANT help.

You don't need to be so harsh. I never said anything was going to be easy or expected it to be, Right now I work full-time and raise a 2 year old all on my own. I know not easy.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
You don't need to be so harsh. I never said anything was going to be easy or expected it to be, Right now I work full-time and raise a 2 year old all on my own. I know not easy.

I don't think Dranger intended to be harsh or to imply that you don't know what struggle is like. Clearly, you do. She (he?) was simply being realistic about the challenges of pursuing those career paths because it seemed as if you were working under the impression that they were a comparable challenge to becoming a CNA.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

Have you considered getting a nursing home job? In my area, most nursing homes and a few home health agencies offer free CNA training, plus tuition assistance for employees.

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I'm sorry. Maybe I just read it as harsh when it wasn't intended. I am under no impression that it's going to be easy at all. But I'm really trying to do it.

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I will look into that. Is a CNA and a Medicaid Nurse Aide one and the same?

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