Two careers, is there anybody else doing something similar?

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I am starting my first year of Nursing tommorow, my second degree. My first degree is in Education, I taught for a year and always wanted to be a nurse. I don't have kids and felt I should go back while I am still really young to pursue something else I have always wanted to do, and my end goal is to work part time as a teacher (half days or every other day) and part time or casual as a nurse when I finish. I have spoken with alot of people about this, many who have been really positive and many who have said theres no way a person can juggle two part time professions and I have to choose. It got to the point where I just couldn't choose so I am going for it and it would break my heart to have to give either one up. As far as hours per week go, it wouldn't be any more than if I chose one to do full-time, just that your mind would be between two different professional jobs. Surely I can't be the only person out there who has done something like this, and I just wanted to put it out there to see if anybody else who is a Nurse works part time in another professional job, and what your opinions on this may be? I appreciate any feedback! thanks! :)

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One of my professors works 7 days on, 7 off at a local hospital and he teaches class on weekdays when he doesn't work. Both of those jobs are full-time, he must have 30 hours in each of his days or something; I sure couldn't do that on normal-human 24 hour days.

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Who cares what anyone else says, do what you feel is right. Just remember you may be working 40+ hours a week at two jobs, but you wouldnt get benefits or paid vacation that way. Why dont you consider doing nursing for a while and go into nursing education later?

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
I just wanted to put it out there to see if anybody else who is a Nurse works part time in another professional job, and what your opinions on this may be? I appreciate any feedback! thanks! :)

I see no reason why you cannot do this. I know part time nursing jobs are common, but you know far more about the feasibility of a part time teaching gig.

I am *kind of* doing two jobs right now. I work 0.8 as an RN and am working 12-16 hours per week doing part time engineering work. With some OT at the RN job I end up working around 46-50 hours per week. Definitely doable and I am accustomed to working full time plus. (It's really nice getting paid for it as opposed to when I was salaried.)

After I am off orientation and can pick up hours and shifts at the RN job, I'll ditch the part time gig. No way are they going to match the pay and bennies of my real job!

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What I would wonder about would be benefits and things like that... I think if you want to do it, you will make it work. Although when life comes up -aka family, hobbies, etc. You might end up spending more time in one profession versus the other. I work two jobs now, one in hospice and one in acute care. The acute care is my primary and is full time. Hospice is one day a week. I don't see why you couldn't do the same , but have one teaching and one nursing.

If I were you, I might also look into finding something in the middle: a school nurse or teaching nursing...

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I am a music educator so my education degree was specific to that, and that is my passion so I would look to do that part time nad nurse part time. With vacation time, isn't it just 6% of your hours so you would still technically get as much just half of the pay if you were half time?

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Thanks for the responses. I think it is possible too and I would probably work about 50 hours a week most weeks but then there would be summers and stuff where I could just keep working part time to take a bit of a break. I am trying not to worry alot about it as things always seem to work out in the end. As nurses, how much work do you take home with you/extra research and what not?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

While trying really hard not to be a Debby Downer, I will say that in my opinion, a nursing career is really tough to break into as a part-timer. The nursing degree is just the first step in your education. The rest comes from on-the-job training. Usually, intense on the job training for 2+ years.

New grads are finding it harder and harder to obtain employment without experience, primarily because institutions pretty much aren't willing anymore to invest the time and expense in training a new nurse who may very quickly move onto another opportunity. I believe that you will find it even harder to find an employer who will invest in your orientation for only a part-time commitment.

Of course, experienced nurses can and do work part-time. In fact, nursing is known as a great profession for those who want to devote more time to their families, or have other reasons for not wanting to work full-time. However, those are experienced nurses. j

It likely will depend in large part on what type of part-time nursing career you hope to have. School nursing - maybe (although schools usually require experience also). ICU/ED nursing part-time right off the bat - doubtful.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

I have a friend who is a full-time teacher and part-time RN. She works at the hospital every other w/e and picks up many shifts during the summer and over school breaks.

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Something to consider- you need some sort of position where you can get benefits like insurance and retirement accounts- and the more you can do with that now, the sooner you can truly just kick back and do what you want to do. I don't see why it would be impossible- just need planning. Being a substitute teacher ( and good ones are hard to come by) would also be an option. :)

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Specializes in Med./Surg. and paramed. exams.

A school nurse would probably be a good mix of nursing and teaching. Also, don't listen to the naysayers. When I started nursing school some questioned a man and a nurse all being in one body.

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Wow thats increadible! Would it be totally weird/random if I asked for her email addy? I would love to ask somebody how difficult/manageable it is to swing both? totally understand if thats weird though.. haha.

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