Single Moms... How do you do it?

I live with my parents which is a huge help. I have clinicals only 2 days a week(8-2), so those 2 days, my dad puts my one son on the bus and walks the other one to school a few blocks away. I am home before they get home from school. The only thing I'm worried about is this coming winter. My dad is 84 (my mom works) so I'm concerned about the cold weather/snow. I'm hoping I'll meet some other moms/neighbors that will be able to help me out. I've been working part-time (weekends and evenings), so if I'm not working, I'm studying. I'm also fortunate that my ex is very invloved with the kids and has them almost every weekend. What are you concerned about regarding clinicals?

I guess I got a little worried when I read that some places you had to go to the hospital the night before clinicals and get assigned a patient and then have to do all this work the night before and then go the next day. I would have to plan for evening care and right now I don't know anyone that could help (except for when my mom can, which is kind of limited). Also are there clinicals in the evening or night shift? I know I can ask the school and I plan to, I just wondered what other people have done or experienced.

I am moving to a new city and my mom will be with me part of the time, but not always. I am just trying to think of everything!

That's smart of you. You should find out how your clinicals work, because mine are not like that. Our professor assigns our patients the morning of clinicals and then our nurses notes/care plans are due on the patient the following week. There are clinicals at night but you have to register for them, they wouldn't just be assigned to you.

you can do it. I am in my fourth year with three kids and their father is absent.When I started the oldest was 5 and the youngest 18 months. The work ( school) is not hard it is just a pain. I have a B average, but considering my circumstances that is okay for me. The trick is not to PANIC, take it one day at a time or you will be overwhelmed. I do nothing until my kids are fed, bathed, read to and in bed. I do assignments every night from 9pm to 11pm and then I go to bed. I do all my readings and projects this way. I have not taken a day off from reading. If you are driven and truly want a decent job with a better future for your kids and yourself you will succeed. Do not give up. You can do it and congratulations on taking thr first step.

My clinicals have been as you suggest. We are up to 2 patients now with 4 coming in the fall. Get a care plan book or use the Nanda website to print free plans from. Yes, there is research to do but your major texts should be online so you will be able to cut and paste chunks of information onto a word document instead of typing it all out. keep the research brief, you will get really good at it really fast--because you have to go to bed! I am not looking forward to this year, but I can taste the end result. Just do what you can--that's all they expect. Good luck to you by te way--although you won't need it.

Have faith in yourself and your abilities. It will not be easy, but it will be worth it.

I live with my parents, too. My clinical hours have started anywhere from 5:30 to 7:00 and are usually 12 hour shifts (and we've had to get patient information the night before, too). So when I'm gone 14 hours thanks to travel time, it works well that my kids can be at home when they're not at school. I would definitely contact your school to learn more about how their clinicals work. Other moms in my program get help from neighbors and extended family. It takes a fair bit of juggling, but I bet you can do it.