Working Full-time for the first couple of semesters?

[melissawrigm]

Hello,

I start the nursing program Aug 31st and was considering quiting my full-time job due to the intensity of the nursing program. My biggest fear is not bringing in income for 24 months and being a single mother!! I have some savings to get by for about 8 months. My first semester is Economics, Philosophy and intro to nursing. Is working doable for fist couple of semesters??

I would greatly appreciate some feedback. :-)

[Miss Infermiera2b, BSN, RN]

I can't speak about your family situation because I don't know what constraints you'll have as a single mom, but a lot of nursing students work through school. I work 20-30 hours a week as a medical scribe in the ER.

[JessePacificNW]

I don't know about working as an RN student but I did it while working towards my LPN. Since I didn't have a car I had to spend 15 hours a week on the bus just to get to school and back. I was in school M-F for about 6 hours a day. Generally spent two hours on campus M-F to study before and after class, and I still managed to work 2 to 4 hours 2-4 days a week and 12 - 20 hours on the weekends.

I do think my grades might have been better though if I'd had a vehicle and only had to spend 15 minutes each way commuting to school as opposed to commuting an hour and a half each way every day and hadn't also had to work. Though my grades weren't bad with as competitive as getting into an RN program has become, I don't think I'd stand much of a chance.

If you are going for a 2 year RN with hopes of one day pursuing a BSN, or are planning on doing your BSN first and then later going for your masters that's something you might want to consider - even though you might be able to work and pass would you be able to keep your grades up high enough to be competitive for some other school/program later down the line?