Working while getting my NP

AnnaN5 · Jun 5, 2015

Do you know the breakdown of how many clinical hours you have to complete per semester? That would be helpful.

We didn't have clinical the first semester so I continued to work full time. The other 3 semesters we had 200ish clinical hours to complete. I dropped down to per diem because I also had a baby the first semester.

traumanightsRN, NP · Jun 6, 2015

It really depends on your school, how your program is set up, and what program you are doing (ACNP, FNP, etc). I am in FNP school right now (started Aug 2014) and I still work full time (36h/wk) permanent nights. At my school we have class on Thursdays and Fridays our first two semesters with no clinicals. We have to do 600 total clinical hours, 300 hours this fall and 300 hours next spring. Plus I only have class on Thursdays this fall. For me I will remain full time this fall but take 12 hours of PTO each week of the semester. Then I plan on dropping down to part time (24h/wk) in the spring. Since I am doing the FNP program I cannot work 36h/wk during clinicals since clinics are usually only open for 8-9 hours/day and I need to average approx. 21 hours a week to get all my hours in.

A lot of my coworkers stayed full time all the way through NP school but they were all doing ACNP, which requires less clinical hours PLUS they do 12 hour shifts for clinicals since they are in the hospital so they can do less shifts per week and still get more hours than anyone in primary care or psych. Also, you know yourself best and know if you can handle working full time and taking a full time credit load. NP school is stressful, I'm not going to lie, and there are lots of times I wish I could work part time so I'd have more time to study. But I can handle working full time and going to school. I've told myself I only have to do it for 2 years and it's worth it in the end.

So in summary, look at your program, what days you have classes, how many clinical hours you have each semester, how many clinical hours you can get in one day (12hrs vs 8-9hrs), what your shift is at work (rotate/perm days/perm nights), and if you can handle full time school load and full time work. Good luck!!!!

cayenne06, MSN, CNM · Jun 6, 2015

I worked PRN during CNM school, so was able to work as much or as little as I wanted, which was great. Some months I'd work 10 shifts, others one or two, depending on my clinic schedule. I'd pick up holidays and work nonstop during semester breaks. I also accrued a ton of credit card debt in an attempt minimize how much I had to work.

I won't lie- it sucked. I'd sometimes go 3+ weeks without a single day off and rarely had more than one free day a week. Hardly saw my kids. Would cry in the parking lot. I also skipped class more than once, when i just couldn't face another day. But!! I did it, and it was sooooo worth it.