Thoughts/Advice please

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So I got into the only FNP program I applied to and it starts this September...Because, I'm due to delivery our first born 8/27 (was not pregnant when I initially applied), I contacted the Director to see if I would be able to defer a semester. Apparently, deferring a semester is not possible b/c the curriculum is going to change?? I'm not sure what the change is exactly and I have an email out to her for clarification. No idea when I'll hear back as communication is not the best. They will not be having a January admission and I would have to wait to reapply next September 2015. I'm at a loss...part of me says to just do it and the other half thinks it may be too much. Obviously, we have no idea when this baby will appear. I only applied to this one school as it was the most affordable and has a good reputation.

I worry if I wait, I may not get in in 2015 and I will be another year older trying to do what I have wanted to do. I realize that there will always be something...I plan on working part time from home, caring for newborn while husband is at work and if I decide to go to school- the part time curriculum entails taking two courses. It was made clear that deferring is not an optoin....

Thoughts/Advice??

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I say a go for it, really buckle down with your studying and don't get behind. Most program instructors are some what flexible with students that are pregnant and may need certain accommodations at certain times, you just need to communicate with them.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Your decision is not easy, and it's good you are not taking it lightly. However, as much as I'd love to have an easy answer for you, there is no universal, easy formula to determine what is best for you. Your obviously young, since your in your childbearing years, so delaying it a year is not really a big issue in that respect. However, will next year be any easier? Probably not.

Realize that there are many options available for you, it's not just a yes/no question. You could accept, you could consider other schools, you could wait a year. Other schools might have programs that are more flexible. You mentioned your work, the assumption is that it's fairly flexible since you are going to work from home, that would be good while taking care of the baby. Some programs allow you to do your didactic portion online, and they would make it easier to take care of your child and do school work too. I have a classmate that tried that at first, and then she got a babysitter to take care of her children while she focused on school work. I have many classmates who range from full time students only to working two jobs and going to school full time, and anywhere in between.

What I would advise you to know is that this is a significant commitment (which is why you are having second thoughts), so taking the time now to truly assess both your commitment and that of your families and what sacrifices you and your family will have to make (either now or in the future) so that you are fully prepared to make those sacrifices is a key to your success. If you go into this with your eyes open, you are much less likely to be blindsided a year into it and find out you cannot finish because you were not prepared, or didn't realize it would take this much effort/money/whatever.

Good Luck with whatever you decide!

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Thank you for your responses. I was able to speak with the school yesterday. Before this, communication was only via e-mail. I was thought that the in fact, I am able to defer until September 2015. With that said, I am going to take that optoin. As you mentioned zmansc, it will still be difficult, but hopefully by then we will have more of a routine established. Thanks again!

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Hi Cindy,

I am doing my FNP distance learning, and I just want to encourage you to savor every moment with your little one. On the one hand I'm excited and anxious about starting the FNP role and would like to move more quickly, but on the other hand, I realize I will never have these moments back with a little one in the family and they are TOO, TOO PRECIOUS.

Julia, RN, mom to some older ones, a little one, and another one in heaven and FNP student

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What classes do you have your first semester? That is what I would base my decision on. My first semester in my MSN program were research and theory in nursing two pretty easy classes you could do with a newborn IMO

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