Working nights during school?

Sassylvn · Aug 19, 2005

Is it even possible to work nights and go to nursing school? I started as a Nuse Aide during the Summer and now my Nursing school will start in 2 weeks and I am not sure how that will work out. I have to keep my job. Can I go to school right after work? Has anyone done that? I need some advice please.
Thanks

I worked nights from 11-7 while I went to school for my LVN, I attended school from 8-5, It was hard but doable. I was very tired and I thought I was sleep for months when I graduated, but now I work 2 jobs, one fulltime 80 hours and one part time 60 hours and I go to school. Its all based on your attitude and outlook. :nurse:

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Aug 20, 2005

Thank you so much. This gives me the courage that I can do it.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Aug 20, 2005

I did nights while i went to school, but class was also in the evenings. I also worked every weekend, because i needed the weekend differential.

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · Aug 20, 2005

Ok, so wait..........you slept everyday for about four hours before waking and going to work and now you work 70 hours per week, every week, and go to school?? Tell me you have kids too...:chuckle

If so....is it your "attitude and outlook" or are you really a cyborg??? :rotfl:

:bowingpur

I worked nights from 11-7 while I went to school for my LVN, I attended school from 8-5, It was hard but doable. I was very tired and I thought I was sleep for months when I graduated, but now I work 2 jobs, one fulltime 80 hours and one part time 60 hours and I go to school. Its all based on your attitude and outlook.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Aug 20, 2005

Ok, so wait..........you slept everyday for about four hours before waking and going to work and now you work 70 hours per week, every week, and go to school?? Tell me you have kids too...:chuckle
If so....is it your "attitude and outlook" or are you really a cyborg??? :rotfl:
:bowingpur

?????????????????????????????

grannynurse FNP student · Aug 20, 2005

I worked evenings and nights during the summer only, as an LPN, in an ICU. I worked full time evenings during the school year. I was in my twenties, had my parents to help me with my young dayghter but I ended up exhausted by the end of the first summer. I would not advise working nights and going to school during the day.

Grannynurse :balloons:

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · Aug 20, 2005

FYI Marie..

I am not trying to be mean or sarcastic, rather I am really wanting to know and basically paying a compliment. :)

I am assuming this is what you meant with all your "?????????"

?????????????????????????????

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Aug 20, 2005

I went through RN school and for my bach in Biol working nights, and most of the time, needing to work OT.

I normally sched my shifts for the night of clinicals. (clinicals during the day, work that night). It made for very long 'days' (although I did get to take a short nap in between from say 1630-1800) but it was better than trying to go to clinicals AFTER working. I also worked every weekend to get more of my shifts out of the way then. And I sched classes in the evenings of my days off.

It also messes up your shifts - you can't do them all in a row.

One of my typical weeks:

Sun - Church in AM, sleep, 7p-7a (sleep mon AM)

Mon - classes from noon (or earlier if required) to 5pm (sleep after)

Tue - Clinicals in AM, work 7p-7a in PM

Wed - same as monday.

Thu - same as tues

Fri - sleep, classes, study

Sat - study, 7p-7a.

That's 4 - 12 hr shifts and f/t school.

Of course, it's exhausting after awhile. And 3 day weekends, etc. are just 'sleep throughs'

And every once in awhile, I only worked 3 shifts so I could sleep through.

I remember my Biochem Prof telling us that we needed to take her class with only 2 other classes and no outside work, or, if we worked part time, to only take her class and no others, because it was going to be that hard. I remember thinking, "how does 15 credit hours and 48 hr work weeks fit in to that?"

You can do it if it's important to you.

(Although, I might have forgot to mention that study was an optional luxury most often performed 30 minutes before a test). Seriously, if you slept from 8-2 or 3, you could get up and study for a few hours fri and sat. And working nights, if you're motivated, you can study a bit during 'down' time. And you can study in the evening of your nights off, especially if you can arrange noon classes and get some of your sleep right after work.

~faith,

Timothy.

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Aug 20, 2005

:yeah: Thank you everybody for your stories. My work is 11pm-7am on a 7 days on, 7 days off basis. That will hopefully be easier, because I have to go to school after work only every two weeks. I will just have to sleep after school (at 3pm) and study on my week off. But everybody at my work says that it is impossible. That is why all of your comments mean so much. Now I know so many of you who have done it also.

Thank you

SusanJean · Aug 20, 2005

A fellow classmate (pre-med) worked fulltime nights, took classes during the day. While a very intellegent man, his classwork and grades suffered because of fatigue. He had to repeat organic chemistry to up his grade. (We were "study buddies" and I knew he knew the material - but would miss tons of points because he couldn't remember the stuff during exams. He would also fall asleep during class, study sessions. Many lab errors, too.)

Finally cut back hours because he realized the negative effect on his academic career.

Good luck w/ your situation.

SJ

allnurses Guide · Aug 20, 2005

I worked a night shift at a restaurant in Anaheim from 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. and then headed off to school in Long Beach. This was when I was in my 20's and majoring in Social Work. When I got my first test back with a "D" I realized I was too exhausted to do this and quit that job (I'd be so sleepy in my first class - the one I got the "D" in). I found another job working 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and applied for scholarships, grants, and loans.

steph