Telling your boss you're going to nursing school....

BuffaloGirl · May 15, 2011

I started doing my pre-reqs 2 yrs ago, and made the decision while I was on maternity leave. I remember calling my boss and telling her that I wanted to go back to school and asked if there was anyway to go part time while in school. My job even paid for my school as long as I stayed w/them for 2yrs. They made arrangements w/me and all was cool until our bank merged w/another bank. Then, they saw that since I wasn't going to school for something banking related that I was a liability to them since my career interests lay elsewhere.

They laid me off right before Christmas of last year, because my job type didn't exist w/this new bank and since I was going to school for nursing, they assumed that I wasn't interested in moving up/down and laid me off (good ole NC, one of those at will states). And yes, I am interested in pursuing my dream of becoming a nurse but I was still doing my pre-reqs w/plenty of time before I graduated. I'd probably outlast my bank manager (we've had 3 different ones in the last 2 yrs and tellers leave so often I can't keep up). Oh well. I went to school full time and don't regret it one bit. :)

So, in the end, there are always the good w/the bad when it comes to telling your boss.

Butterfly0328 · May 18, 2011

I am very fortunate in that my employer encourages education and will adjust my schedule to accomodate my school schedule. I have been with this company for over 22 years and began this journey 2 years ago. My employer realizes that people change as do their goals on life. They even pay 100% tuition for undergrad classes regardless of whether it benefits the company or not. As far as working while in nursing school I plan to work PT in order to keep my medical benefits and because new grads are having a hard time finding jobs. Once I am done with nursing school I will go back to FT util I find a nursing position. Good luck. I hope your boss understands.

stud3nt_rn · May 18, 2011

I had to do something similar at my work so they could accomodate my school schedule. I decided to be honest with them and had a "talk" with my boss. Pretty much told them something along the lines of, "I love working for this company and I plan to continue to work here for the next 2-3 years while I finish school, however I need some accommodation in my schedule during my fall and spring semesters." They appreciated my honesty and everything went okay. My situation might be a little different though, because they knew I was a college student from the start. :) Good luck.

mymy1219 · May 18, 2011

I believe that you should let your boss know right away. They may be more willing to help you out if you let them know in advance rather then waiting and giving them short notice. The most important thing is school so you have to figure out how your job is going to accommodate your schedule. Or at least let you plan in advance on finding another job that will allow you to work and go to school.

teenmommy · Jun 4, 2011

I didn't have to worry about this since im employed as a CNA.. my boss specifically asked if I was going on to be a nurse :)

Want2beAnurse :o) · Jun 4, 2011

Give your boss another excuse to leave at 4:00 p.m., other than school. Bosses hate it when employees want to better themselves and eventually get them fired.

mars123 · Jun 8, 2011

I work in a LTC facility where they offer tuition reimbursement and encourage education (so I thought). I approached my boss with a written request to adjust my schedule by only a few hours a week so that I could get a prerequisite out of the way. I attached my school schedule to the request and did this 2 months in advance. I was told "while I think it's great that you want to pursue a nursing degree, we just cannot accommodate your schedule." She handed me the request and schedule, as she pulled the rug out from under me. I must have had my mouth open because I was absolutely stunned! :eek: The worst part is that many other employees had been able to go to school and I was clearly being treated differently. I agree with the comment that bosses hate it when employees want to better themselves. I also think women bosses can maybe feel threatened or jealous of more attractive, more liked women........ (discuss).

Bottom line......I wouldn't want to work for a company that discourages someone from getting an education to better themselves. I'm signing up to start school in a few months and am really excited!! Life is too short and precious to work in an unhealthy, unsupported environment. Good luck to you! :)

Ellis02136 · Jun 9, 2011

I work in a LTC facility where they offer tuition reimbursement and encourage education (so I thought). I approached my boss with a written request to adjust my schedule by only a few hours a week so that I could get a prerequisite out of the way. I attached my school schedule to the request and did this 2 months in advance. I was told "while I think it's great that you want to pursue a nursing degree, we just cannot accommodate your schedule." She handed me the request and schedule, as she pulled the rug out from under me. I must have had my mouth open because I was absolutely stunned! The worst part is that many other employees had been able to go to school and I was clearly being treated differently. I agree with the comment that bosses hate it when employees want to better themselves. I also think women bosses can maybe feel threatened or jealous of more attractive, more liked women........ (discuss).
Bottom line......I wouldn't want to work for a company that discourages someone from getting an education to better themselves. I'm signing up to start school in a few months and am really excited!! Life is too short and precious to work in an unhealthy, unsupported environment. Good luck to you! :)

I actually sent an email to my boss this past Monday explaining to him I need to adjust my schedule but still do 40 hrs. I even emailed him the breakdown. It's Thursday and he has yet to respond, I am nervous. Sometimes he does not respond to my emails and I either have to go to his office or send a follow up email. I don't know if he is so busy or if forgot. I hope they accommodate me because they accommodate this girl who had a baby last year, now she only comes to the office twice a week and works from home the rest. I am the only one that holds my position and I can answer emails frim home anytime so I feel like if he does not approve then he just does not like me. I'll wait and see.

Ellis02136 · Jun 15, 2011

I actually sent an email to my boss this past Monday explaining to him I need to adjust my schedule but still do 40 hrs. I even emailed him the breakdown. It's Thursday and he has yet to respond, I am nervous. Sometimes he does not respond to my emails and I either have to go to his office or send a follow up email. I don't know if he is so busy or if forgot. I hope they accommodate me because they accommodate this girl who had a baby last year, now she only comes to the office twice a week and works from home the rest. I am the only one that holds my position and I can answer emails frim home anytime so I feel like if he does not approve then he just does not like me. I'll wait and see.

Well my boss approved my schedule, I'm so relieved! Next step us to make it through nursing school!

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Jun 15, 2011

I am scared to ask my boss to change my hours so I can take nursing classes since it would mean I'd be leaving them. Anyone face this dilemma? How did your boss react to you telling them you want tovswitch careers?

What dilemma? Quitting my job to go to nursing school was one of my favorite days ever.

My boss brought me into his office for my weekly berating on the status of my 14 "High Priority" projects and I handed him my resignation letter with a huge smile on my face.

We parted on good terms; I had given 4 weeks notice. In fact, four years later, the same company has a huge project they need help with so I am picking up some extra hours at a good pay rate while I look for RN jobs.

Iridescent Orchid, CNA, LPN · Jul 14, 2011

So glad I found this thread! I've been stressing out a great bit about taking this form of action as well. There aren't a lot of high-quality business/office jobs in my area, a lot of them I've learned, are family-owned and tight-knitted, so as a 20YO, it's quite difficult to get a job in my city without college education or experience.

OK, I work at Walmart. I HIGHLY doubt they are going to accommodate my needed schedule change. I'm about to be full-time with pre-reqs of Med Term, A&P, and Psych. I'm one of the nursing students who's just going to take the plunge to quit my job and focus full-heartedly on my schooling, for I know they wouldn't work around my schedule as I need them to. I work in an area that is already short of employees, so I can just imagine how they are going to react when I tell them I'm pursuing Nursing and need an extreme hour cut, or am no longer going to be there.

If you still want or have to be employed while going to school, by all means try to make at as easy as you can for yourself. I've heard so many stories of how those that keep employment, especially full-time, while going through Nursing School struggled just to keep their head above water when it came the their grades.

2012 · Jul 14, 2011

[quote name=Want2beAnurse )]Give your boss another excuse to leave at 4:00 p.m., other than school. Bosses hate it when employees want to better themselves and eventually get them fired.

Unfortunately, some bosses are like this. When I asked my old boss if I could leave at 1pm on Wednesdays and work later the rest of the week(always there from 8a til 7p anyway -- salaried employee), she gave me an ultimatum. Though I do miss the $, I am so glad I turned in my notice and went back to school.