Working full time and nursing school

Cuddleswithpuddles · Aug 8, 2012

Hello there,

I worked FT as a LVN during my RN program. My workdays were typically Friday through Sunday. Lectures and clinical rotations were during the rest of the weekdays.

My advice is to ask yourself now: If it ever comes to it, would you rather drop school or drop work? I hope it does not come to that point but it very well could. I decided that I would drop my schooling and keep my job. I would rather stay sane and financially sound. Credits are transferrable. Nursing programs will not disappear off the face of the planet forever. I can always petition to return or plead my case to another school. My health, employment and home on the other hand... not so much.

I think making this decision early on saved me a lot of angst. On the few occasions I had to choose between study time and work time, I chose work time. No waffling and crazy juggling.

It is not impossible. When there is a will, there is a way. Maybe that way is not available right this very second but you will find it if you keep your passion and discipline up. Good luck!! :)

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Aug 8, 2012

I worked 32 hours per week in nursing school and graduated with honors. Contrary to popular belief, working and attending school simultaneously can be accomplished.
I worked the weekend double shift at a nursing home as an LVN while attending an RN bridge program during the week. I worked every Saturday and Sunday from 6:00am to 10:00pm for a grand total of 32 hours each weekend. The weekend double shifts enabled me to have Monday through Friday off to focus on school.

Except it isn't a full-time work schedule that is the OP's problem, it's that she works 40+ hours M-F, 7:30 am to 4pm exclusively, no flexibility; she has two kids at home to take care of. She can ONLY take classes, labs, clinicals in the evening. I don't know of a program on earth that can guarantee her graduation without requiring some flex at some point for a clinical or whatever.

THAT is the problem.

Several have posted about their weekend work schedules, but that is not an option for the OP (unless, of course, she changes jobs, but she's said that's not really an option either).

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 8, 2012

Well, as a last resort, the expensive for-profit LVN programs in my area offer evening programs with clinical rotations scheduled strictly on Sundays. The classroom hours were three days per week from 6pm to 10pm, and students complete 12-hour clinical shifts every Sunday. This type of program would enable the daytime worker to finish school.

Except it isn't a full-time work schedule that is the OP's problem, it's that she works 40+ hours M-F, 7:30 am to 4pm exclusively, no flexibility; she has two kids at home to take care of. She can ONLY take classes, labs, clinicals in the evening. I don't know of a program on earth that can guarantee her graduation without requiring some flex at some point for a clinical or whatever.

THAT is the problem.

Several have posted about their weekend work schedules, but that is not an option for the OP (unless, of course, she changes jobs, but she's said that's not really an option either).

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Aug 8, 2012

Well, as a last resort, the expensive for-profit LVN programs in my area offer evening programs with clinical rotations scheduled strictly on Sundays. The classroom hours were three days per week from 6pm to 10pm, and students complete 12-hour clinical shifts every Sunday. This type of program would enable the daytime worker to finish school.

If she's lucky, she can find a program like this near her...may not be ideal, but at least it's an option....don't have anything like that in my area. At least nursing can be a possibility...as long as "wannabeRNbrandy" is ok with being "wannabeLPNbrandy" :)

afterseason, ASN, RN · Aug 8, 2012

I had a full-time job that has cut back to part-time. Also, I only come into the office once or twice a week, the rest of the hours I log from home so I can do it whenever I have time. I don't see being able to really pull of nursing school (due to hours, clinical times, etc) and maintain a "regular" full-time day job. I was lucky that I have been with my company long enough and have a valuable enough role that my boss was willing to be flexible with me.

lovedijah · Aug 8, 2012

Maybe you could look at it as- how much money do you need to make?

Can you take out student loans to meet some of your need?

Can you cut back on expenses to lower you need?

After you have that number of what you still need, try to find a job that works around school. Something has to be the #1 priority, yet I understand you have mouths to feed. But if I didn't leave my 8-5 job, I couldn't have gone to nursing school this semester. Our classes are 8-4, so no matter what I did- it wouldn't work. You need to find a job that works around school.

The first job I think of is waitressing. Just waitressing Fri-Sunday I would sometimes make 400 a week. Of course it will depend on the restaurant and shifts they give you, but it's one of the few jobs I can think of with decent pay, that don't require a rigid schedule. But again, I don't know how much you need to make.

MisfitSN, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2012

Working full time would be diffiuclt (a lot more studying goes into this as well as time to complete assignments, clinicals, etc. than what you think, even after getting into the swing of things), PT is doable; many students including myself do so (two days a week/five days a week type schedules). Som eposters on this site may have expereince with FT school and FT work but to date I haven't met anyone who has pulled it off successfully. As [COLOR=#003366]RNsRWe said, YOUR schedule must be flexible: my exams went from being on the days of class to being held on Wednesday when I didn't have class, or when classes get cancelled after you signup for them, or when you end up with an over-night clinical (imagine going to work the next day), and even still when you need study days. I have been turned down for PART TIME jobs because my schedule didn't match up with a regular 9-5, I have no illusions that a FT job would be too much stress for me (and we didn't even talk about commute). You may be able to work out doing a PT program though as those are desgned for students with extenuating circumstances or busy schedules.

Good luck, there's heaps of information and advice to be had from this site.

gentlerain · Nov 19, 2012

I would welcome any opportunity to earn a few bucks while in school. Unforunately, the opportunity is not always so easy to find..