There no crying in....nursing school

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I lied. There is crying. Prepare for venomous rant! I am in no way planning on quitting but I would like permission to throw a big giant temper tantrum. These are the reasons:

1) Between work and school I am gone over 50 hours a week. My husband also works full time so I am struggling to find sitters constantly--even more annoying is that there is usually some minute overlap in our schedules so I really only need a sitter for

2) I was working on a ginormous assignment yesterday and left the room to discover that my five year old snuck in like a ninja to play computer games. Instead of minimizing she chose to exit. WITHOUT saving.

3) In order to be able to attend all my classes I had to switch to working swing FRI-SUN every week as they wouldn't let me drop to relief (and that's probably a good thing consider the poor nursing student thing). My hubs works M-F. This means we never have a day off together unless one of us takes a V day which sucks because I really like him. :cry: He's swell! Not to mention my kids. I love those little people I made.

4) For as helpful as my husband is he totally doesn't understand the constant mental activity that accompanies nursing school. Just cause I am sitting there does not mean that I am relaxing. I am coming up with a mental gameplan of how I could possibly read 100 pages of my size 8 font med-surg book in the next week.

5) I am stinking chubby thanks to nursing school! I have gained 40 pounds in the last year so none of my clothes fit and I don't want to buy more (see #1--poor!). I have finally found a love for the gym but guess what? Don't have time for that either! I shoehorn in a half hour run on way to class if I am lucky.

There. I think that's it. To summarize: I NEED SUMMER VACATION.

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I totally hear you!!! I don't have kids, but you are not alone. No one understands what nursing school is really like. You are constantly called upon to think, do an assignment, be in class, be at clinical, and sometimes all at once!

It's rough. But YOU CAN DO IT!!! If you are dedicated enough (which I think you must be) you will make it. I just graduated Thursday. I was pinned Wednesday. YOU WILL MAKE IT!!

The best advice I have: Do one thing at a time! Keep plugging along. A little at a time adds up to a lot!!!

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My honey and I don't have kids, but I totally get the broke, fat, no-time-together thing... The biggest difference I made was changing my diet (no more diet soda, too much sodium... switched to regular ol' Lipton tea and water infused with cucumber and lemon). It helped me feel better, mentally and physically. Hubby switched it up with me, so I didn't have to go it alone. The other thing I did, well, WE did, was force ourselves to, at least 2 days/ nights/ wk, go for an hour walk. 1 FULL HOUR. If I have a major test coming up, he tries to read the study questions to me; if I have readings to do, I just bring my book with me, and he puts in his headphones and listens to music. I know how hard it is to get to point where you can do these things, or even fell like you can do these things, but once you set your mind to do it, it really makes a huge difference. Like above poster said, it's the little things that make a huge difference in the long run. Best of luck ;)

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I understand your feelings but... Instead of crying shouldn't you be rejoicing? Shouldn't you be happy for yourself? I'm in your same shoes, job, husband, school, kid, aloooot of everything but I have never complained or had a second thought.

I don't think we should either. And I'm not saying you're "complaining" that came out wrong... I think instead of saying "let me rant" we should say "look what I accomplished!!!!!"

Because what an accomplishment to finish something that ALOT of students do with no "extra" stuff, and still hardly pass. But us hard working moms can get good grades and KILL IT.

Good job girl. Things get hard. Push through. We are awesome.

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*hugs*

I cried a lot in nursing school.

You will make it through. It'll be hard but somehow we find a way to survive. We don't tend to be quitters. Come here to complain when you need to, we will listen :)

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I understand your pain! Me and my husband both work full time jobs and in school ( he has one day out of the week to be at the campus) I have 3 kids and the youngest is 2 years old! I have been trying to get into the hospital so I can work 3 twelves and have four days off so I can study! My husband helps me in every way possible, but like you said... They don't understand and I miss not having the time to always share myself with my family! Finding a babysitter is hard and putting my child in daycare would be over my budget that I can't afford! Right now I can't afford not to work, but I can't afford to fail nursing school !!! Not to mention I work nights so I can go to school through the day. Somehow I keep telling myself I will make it through and I will not give up no matter what! It is getting very difficult for me and is becoming stressful, but with prayers and sacrifice I'm making it! So I know your pain, and I pray we can one day look back and say we made it through... Stay encouraged and take one day at a time... We can do it!!!

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

Oh goodness, there is definitely crying in nursing school! And I'm not a cryer.

I can relate to your struggle...I ended up applying for Childcare assistance that subsidized a large portion of my cost so I could put my kids in daycare. I hated doing it, but you HAVE to have the time to get things done, and sitters are hard to come by...and afford.

I don't even want to think about the weight I've gained :/ I miss my husband and I miss my kids.

But as hard as it is, you're making it! Time will fly by and all of this will be a memory, and a tale you can use to inspire other people to pursue their dreams.

Good luck to you, and congrats for making it this far. And keep on crying if you need to...it's good for the soul :)

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Specializes in Oncology.

I just want to say that I admire you and everyone else who has kids and takes on nursing school. I am not married nor do I have children and there are still days I think "wha....how am I supposed to so this?!" So CONGRATS!!! Be proud of what you have accomplished thus far. Something that helps me mentally is making a list in my head of things I want to do after I finish nursing school; things I don't have time to do now. It gives me hope that nursing school won't last forever! I'm sorry you are stressed!

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I think I should get my sitter an awesome gift, even though she is no longer our sitter. She was the best! Only charged $5 an hour for both kids! And would take my son to/from school, and watched them whenever I needed her to. I really appreciated her. My kids are now in Tn with my hubby while I'm in Nv. They come home in 3 weeks and I can't wait! It's been almost 5 months since I have seen them!

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Specializes in Oncology/hematology.

Totally get your post, op. I cried at least 4 times this year, and in front of lots of people. I am not a crier, but man, the stress just got to me. I wouldn't trade this for anything, but I miss my family as well. And, I just want a month or two of doing NOTHING this summer. Instead, I'm taking 3 classes (trying to get those pre reqs for my BSN bridge). Feel free to come complain anytime! :)

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In response to your post:

1) I am putting in 70 hours a week between work and school and precepting. It gets worse before it gets better.

2) Been there done that, I learned early on to save FREQUENTLY, then at least you wont lose it all.

3) Ive been working Mon-Fri every week 7-3, then clinicals on Mon and Tues from 3-11, Class Wednesday 4:30-11 and Class Friday 4:30-11, add 24 hours of precepting on the weekends and you have my life.

4) Ditto. I read mine on my lunch break, in my bed and every free minute in between.

5) Ditto again. But then again, we all knew we would gain weight in nursing school.

Remember that this is temporary and totally worth it. Keep it up, you will be a great nurse with a little determination and a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Stay focused and don't lose hope.

OK Pep talk over, good luck on nursing school. You've got this!

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Thanks everyone! I feel much better. I shoehorned in about half an hour at the gym before work and then when I got to work there were only a couple of patients so I volunteered to go home early (gotta help the floors budget you know :)....worse for my personal budget but I would rather give up a few extras for now and be sane!). Instead of going home I stayed and did homework there--no little people interrupting!

Only 7 more months til the insanity is over. I can do anything for seven months!

Glad to know everyone else is in the same boat as me. Misery loves company!

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