Working and going to nursing school?

K_girl · Jul 8, 2011

A few of my friends worked but only on a part time basis. One girl worked 8 hours/week..another 16. No one I know worked full time but I've read some posts from people here on this board that did. I already know NS will be intense & will require a lot of extra time outside of class. I plan on working but I will only be working every other weekend. The weekdays will be devoted to school.

If you do feel like you should work, then you should, by all means. If you still feel like you want to work full time, maybe you should wait after a semester to increase your hours. It's always hard to guage how much time you will require for schoolwork/studying before you even start the program. Once you've gone through a semester you should have more an idea of how much work you can take on on top of schoolwork.

Good luck!

Lame · Jul 8, 2011

A few of my friends worked but only on a part time basis. One girl worked 8 hours/week..another 16. No one I know worked full time but I've read some posts from people here on this board that did. I already know NS will be intense & will require a lot of extra time outside of class. I plan on working but I will only be working every other weekend. The weekdays will be devoted to school.
If you do feel like you should work, then you should, by all means. If you still feel like you want to work full time, maybe you should wait after a semester to increase your hours. It's always hard to guage how much time you will require for schoolwork/studying before you even start the program. Once you've gone through a semester you should have more an idea of how much work you can take on on top of schoolwork.
Good luck!

I will be working part time, probably 20 hours at the most. I'm just nervous about it being overwhelming.

K_girl · Jul 8, 2011

do you have a job now? If not, you may want to find one that would be willing to work with your school schedule; It's always helpful to have one that will allow you to change from pt to ft or vice versa pretty easily.

It may be better for you to get one around 16 hours while you're in NS and increase it if necessary. My advisor already warned me about trying to take on more than I could chew my first year; She suggested I keep work @ less than 20 hrs/week. Since I will only be working every other weekend, my DON at the facility stated I could always sign up for extra shifts if needed.

Good luck!

SunshineDaisy, ASN, RN · Jul 8, 2011

It's possible! Not saying it will be easy though. I know many people who are working and going to NS either pt or ft. Most of them work pt hours around their schedules.

Lame · Jul 8, 2011

@K_girl

Yes, I'm working right now. Been at this job for 3 yrs. I'm gonna be moving to whatever school I transfer to.

Thanks for your advice, both of you!!

FutureNeoNursing · Jul 8, 2011

I have seen most students in a nursing program manage to pull off working and going to school.full time.Everyone situation is different,so make sure u you seriously think about mit,weigh your options. Im a single mother who is looking to get into a nursing program next year. I know working part time is a better fit for my family. If you are going for a BSN that curriculum is much more work then an ADN,I have been advised to only work part time by a counselor,for the BSN will already leave u with no life,so be sure to consider your courseload each semester when deciding your work schedule. In Life all Things Can Be Achieved........It will work in your Favor!! Good Luck 2 U

IndecisiveInMiami · Jul 8, 2011

I'll be doing the same. I'm a single mother as well and will be working part time and going full time. Honestly the best way I've found is working in an industry that allows a flexible schedule but still gives you enough money to survive on. I've been in the Hospitality Industry for a long time and I have a feeling it's only prepared me for this exact day. Bartending 2-3 nights a week will give me enough money to survive on weekly without struggling and give me plenty of days to focus on school work. I think its a great industry for anyone in school full time who still needs to support themselves or a family. Any where that pays you hourly 10-13$ an hour is going to kill you. You'd have to work 5 days a week just to possibly make 300-400$! It's ridiculous.

Plus most places are VERY flexible seeing as how that industry is 75% students. I'm planning on moving to Philly in a couple weeks and I'll get a bartending job somewhere, work fulltime until school starts and then let them know I'll be starting school and can only work 2-3 nights. You could always try that! (Serving will make you really decent money as well!)

My thought is....I want it bad enough to just DO IT. Im sure its going to suck for awhile but man it'll pay off in the end!!!

DarkBluePhoenix · Jul 9, 2011

Hey your in Ca right?

Where you applying

Lame · Jul 9, 2011

Hey your in Ca right?
Where you applying

Sonoma State, Sac. State, SF State (last choice!!!), Fresno State, & SJ State. You??

DarkBluePhoenix · Jul 9, 2011

Sonoma State, Sac. State, SF State (last choice!!!), Fresno State, & SJ State. You??

Oh your nor cal eh? I'm in so cal and I am applying to CSULB (top choice) and CSULA, CSUSB.

As for working. I wouldn't if you absolutely can. Because the BSN programs are 3 years average, with clincials and theory classes plus upper division GEs too. So you won't just be doing nursing classes. And (as far as I know at least for CSULB) you have 12 shift clinicals twice a week.

You really want to focus on learning and understanding nursing. Just because its not a 2 year ADN program doesn't mean its not intense. You need the good grades because its get hard to find jobs for RN with no experience especially in the bay area of CA. You will end up applying to new grad programs with reqs of BSN and minimum 3.5 GPA and other stuff like letters of rec etc..

So I mean I know it sucks getting money from someone else but that is what I recommend you do. Luckily I am quiting my waitressing job once I start the BSN program I get accepted to, my fiancee will support me financially (plus I am trying to get my BSN two years with CSULB trimester program, talk about intense! no summers!)

But if its absolutely necessary you work. Only work weekends for like 4-6 hours or something. I heard those careplans are a pain in the butt and can be like 30 pages long!

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Jul 10, 2011

Hi! I think you've been given very good advice as far as limiting your work hours and making sure that your grades stay high. The only other recommendation I have is that you ask someone who works in the nursing department at your school if they advise that you work.

I attended a BSN Nursing orientation and they told us that you aren't given your clinical and class schedule until right before school starts and that they will own us and will work us so hard, they said we won't see our family for 2 years, but that it's worth it in the end.

Their advice made me start considering how I will finance college and my living expenses during that time.

I work for myself so, I am setting my business up so that it can make money without me.

If you work for someone else, I think that you will need flexibility and a decent rate of pay so that you don't have to work a million hours.

If I were in your shoes, I'd look for real life stories from nurses who worked during nursing school. I'd ask them how they studied and about their grades and about their schedule. It would be great if you found people who attended your school, since not all school are the same.