Work During Nursing School

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 24, 2016

Many nursing students have had no choice but to work during school. It will depend entirely on you, your ability to balance things, and your support system.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2016

I worked 32 hours per week as an LVN at a nursing home while completing an LPN-to-ASN bridge program. My workplace was in one state and the school was 225 miles away, in a different state.

cracklingkraken, ASN, RN · Mar 25, 2016

I worked part-time the first 1.5 years of my program. It was doable. And you don't necessarily need a study group. I find most study groups to be counterproductive and have opted to study by myself a majority of the time at the local Starbucks.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2016

And you don't necessarily need a study group. I find most study groups to be counterproductive and have opted to study by myself a majority of the time at the local Starbucks.

I concur with your thoughts on study groups.

I've completed an LVN program, an ASN completion program, and a BSN program. I am now enrolled in a MSN program. Not once have I utilized study groups. Some people need them, but I've had some successes being a lone wolf when it comes to studying in nursing school.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 25, 2016

I concur with your thoughts on study groups.
I've completed an LVN program, an ASN completion program, and a BSN program. I am now enrolled in a MSN program. Not once have I utilized study groups. Some people need them, but I've had some successes being a lone wolf when it comes to studying in nursing school.

Agree.

I seldom used a study group; in PN school I only reviewed prior to a test with 1-2 people before an exam; when I went through my BSN program I mostly studied by myself in the library or the computer lab and if I studied, again it was mainly with 1-2 people before an exam; I also formed my notes in the form of the nursing process and reviewed NCLEX-style questions-I felt that was more beneficial than anything else. :yes:

Zyprexa_Ho · Mar 25, 2016

If you don't absolutely need to work, then don't. Concentrate on school. Making it through the program is hard enough.

Zyprexa_Ho · Mar 25, 2016

I worked 32 hours per week as an LVN at a nursing home while completing an LPN-to-ASN bridge program. My workplace was in one state and the school was 225 miles away, in a different state.

Holy poop!

futurern806 · Mar 25, 2016

Thanks everyone! Any tips for studying what you read in nursing school books?

NurseEmmy · Mar 25, 2016

I will be working full time while in my LPN-RN program (I have no choice in this matter). I have found anytime I participated in the a study group I was the one who ended up running it, and everyone else benefited a lot more than I did. I would only use them if there was a concept I didn't understand. Some tend to get off topic pretty easily.

As for studying - I wouldn't read every page word for word. You'll never get through it all. Insead review the key points, topics you don't understand, and anything your prof. points out. You will need to find your learning style - perhaps write notes, make flashcards, record yourself doing terminology and play it back in the car, etc.

Shanty3710 · Mar 25, 2016

Holy poop!

[emoji23][emoji23] right?! I just about had a heart attack reading that! Haha. Such dedication you guys have. It's amazing.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 25, 2016

[emoji23][emoji23] right?! I just about had a heart attack reading that! Haha. Such dedication you guys have. It's amazing.

Well, when you have grown up bills and responsibilities and you want to further your career, you do what you have to do.

I too worked during school-I worked 30+ hours per week while going to school at night and on the weekends; I usually worked 9-10 hours, then went to school for three hours for classes and had 8-12 hour clinicals during the weekend.