work / school? is it possible?

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Dec 3, 2008

Yes its possible ! Since you are a single parent maybe you can get some government assistance ( pay for housing, food, day care voulchers). You usually go through health services.

ybstressed, LVN · Dec 3, 2008

Where do you live? NCTC has a online LVN program. Clinicals on the weekends.

ybstressed, LVN · Dec 3, 2008

And I know some schools will let you take a LVN or CNA test so that you can work while attending school.....I think you can do this after your first semester...I'm sure every school is different.

amjowens · Dec 3, 2008

I admire so much the mothers-especially the single mothers-in my class. I'm about to graduate, and really, even more than the happiness I feel for myself-I feel so happy for my classmates who are bettering themselves not only for them, but their children. It's pretty awesome.

A lot of people on this site appear to work and go to school, doing just fine. So, it's possible. My experience is a downer, as I've seen that those who work full-time tend not to be with our class anymore. Our program is just so intensive. Those with children-all-have support systems in some way. One works nearly full-time, is a single mom, but her daughter (school-age) is with the grandparents a lot. This semester, particularly, we have precepting (96 hours), clinicals two days a week, and class two days a week. My Ob/Peds class has been a killer, too. Lots of study time.

I highly recommend looking into financial aid. I believe anyone can do about anything they set their mind to, but you really need to set yourself up for success in nursing school. Unless you don't need a normal amount of sleep, or have an excellent memory, working full-time, having a child (at the age of your child), and getting through nursing school is going to be really challenging. It is possible, though, and hopefully we'll be reading about your progress with your updates! I wish you the best!

DA314 · Dec 4, 2008

A lot of schools will help you get grants/loans to help pay for living expenses while you are in school. Working as little as possible is always the best way to go, since the studying will take up so much of your time.

Making short-term sacrifices now (18 months at the most), will benefit you and your daughter so much in the future, it will be well-worth it.

Also, try government assistance. It was intended for people in your situation, who are trying to better themselves.

FAVORED1 · Dec 7, 2008

I totally agree. I'm facing somewhat of this same dilema. I too am a single mother of 2 (11 & 2), work full time & have started the process of going back to school to become a nurse! I work full time & I spoke with the owner of my company to see if I can work a part time schedule while I go to school but sadly to say I was advised I couldn't. Mind you when I first started it was encouraged seeing as though I work in the medical field (billing & collections)...... I obviously need to work but I can't continue living like this, it's not fair to my kids or myself. I would try a night program but I have no one to take care of my kids at night. I'm really stuck between a rock & a hard place. 1 year is nothing for me to sacrifice so that I can become a nurse. If anyone out there is in a similar situation or has any advice, It would be apprecited. I hope to begin in March 09!!! Thanks in advance:confused:

1uvakindmom · Dec 14, 2008

Lemme tell you it won't be easy, but if you work hard enough, you can do it. Just think of the rewards you will get in the end of making a better life for your beautiful little girl (15 months is such a great age...:). I am in school full-time, and I work part-time. Granted, it's not working full-time, and I have a wonderful supportive husband who is working two jobs so I don't have to work more...but I have three kids to take care of, and I am pg with my 4th. So my kids are like a full-time job in themselves. I am tired all the time b/c I am pg, and my husband is never home to help with the kids, since he IS working 15 or so hours a day....anyways, enough about me and back to you. It will be a lot of studying (more than I thought it would be), but it is possible, you just have to set your priorities (so what is the laundry is piled up and we have another night of take-out for dinner...and those dishes are PILING up...hehehhehe) and try to get enough sleep in there, too. I hope this helps you. Good luck in whatever you do! It will be worth it in the end. When you are graduating...you will be so proud of your accomplishment. When I am totally stressed out and exhausted, I think toward my graduation, and it helps me, or I look at my kids and know I am doing it for them!

~Missy

missjennmb · Dec 16, 2008

I work part time, homeschool my 13 yr old, and take care of my 1 and 3 yr old daughters along with LPN school. To be honest, its really hard. I have cut my hours back drastically because I was so stressed out.

If you could find a part time LPN program that would be ideal, but you would still need child care assistance. If you have both of those options available, I think its doable. Some people work full time and go to nursing school full time, but I couldn't do it. As it is I barely see my babies and it breaks my heart. One week I had to work over my normal schedule to fill in for a coworker and I did not see my youngest two for three days straight, at all. (out of the house before they were up: 6am and back after bedtimes: 8-8:30pm and 10:15pm on Anatomy class night)

Its great that you want to do something better for your family. Its only one year. Is there any way you can get government assistance and not work for that year? Its tough, but atleast that way you would have a better situation in order to get assistance with housing etc and there are many programs that pay for your tuition, books, and fuel to/from school as well as daycare if you qualify.

FAVORED1 · Dec 18, 2008

ScoropioStudent, how do you do it???? I really commend you. Thanks for the words of advice, I thought about assistance, it's just I'd really hate to depend solely on assistance for an entire year. I hear you go through soooo much just to get the bare minimum. I'm looking into some home based opporunities where I may be able to work my own schedule, Lord's will, it will work out!! Government assistance is truly a last option. Thanks again for your insight & keep doin what you do :yelclap:

Gigetta · Dec 18, 2008

Yes it is possible! I worked full-time while in college the first time. I finished school, but it took a little longer than a traditional college student.

Go for it and never lose sight of your goals!

missjennmb · Dec 18, 2008

ScoropioStudent, how do you do it???? I really commend you. Thanks for the words of advice, I thought about assistance, it's just I'd really hate to depend solely on assistance for an entire year. I hear you go through soooo much just to get the bare minimum. I'm looking into some home based opporunities where I may be able to work my own schedule, Lord's will, it will work out!! Government assistance is truly a last option. Thanks again for your insight & keep doin what you do :yelclap:

I completely understand wanting that to be a last option. I do have the benefit of a husband admittedly. He's my only support person though as we don't even have a babysitter of any kind (or family less than 800 miles away) so its still tough.

Even with my husband's job I get a pell grant that covers Fall/Spring semesters (Pell doesnt cover summer classes) and many people in my class get a second form of assistance that, as far as I know, offers assistance up to a fairly high income bracket. That is the one that covers fuel and childcare. Really getting childcare covered is the biggest hurdle, because between part time work and loans you could probably cover the rest. Atleast in my past experience it has been (I was a single mom for about 7 years with my son) I would caution you about home based businesses/jobs. I've been trying to find something like that pretty much that entire 7 years, and while I know its not impossible, most of what I found were either unsavory, scams, or ended up being about 50 cent income an hour once time was factored in.

I know that you would like to avoid government assistance, and I commend you on that. However, whatever you have to do to make it work, it will only be for a year. Even without low income type assistance, there are still many programs out there, especially for single moms. This is a good thing that you want to do. I would just caution you against putting *too* much on your plate at once... Its really tough. I was a straight A student before entering nursing school and I struggle to get a B now, and thats with a good support system and a part time job. I know some can do better than I with less study time, but I have yet to figure out how. Maybe they have double my 140 IQ or something, I dunno