Working and Nursing courses

wishes215 · Jan 7, 2009

Have you taken A&P 1 yet? If you havent taken it I can tell you this, if it is possible try to work only part time if you can because it is a very difficult class and requires alot of absorption in a short period of time if you get backed up on just one chapter you will be lost. The other pre reqs for Nursing are a breeze compared to A&P 1 I just finished taking the class this past semester I received an A but I dedicated at least 4 hours a day of studying. GOOD LUCK!

Lovelymo79 · Jan 7, 2009

I actually start A&P next week! I'm trying to take it and A&P II before classes start in the fall..and maybe one more class. In this nursing program..what would normally be "pre-requisites" will be taken during nursing school..so I'm trying to take as many as possible BEFORE nursing school..so that I can concentrate on the nursing classes..but we'll see how that goes.

Unfortunately, I have to work full-time during my A&P class..I don't plan on leaving my current job until nursing school starts in August. So, I will be cutting a LOT of things out in order to get my study in because I'm determined not to get anything lower than a B.

4 hours, eh?....urgh.... :banghead:

wishes215 · Jan 7, 2009

I have taken all the pre reqs and Iam taking A&P 2 and medical doseage and calculations this semester these are two classes that can be taken while in the Nursing program, along with microbiology which I will be taking in the summer. From what I understand the first Nursing class (medical surgical nursing 1) is alot of work by itself so its probally a good idea to get all these classes out of the way.

dcgrrl, ASN, RN · Jan 7, 2009

I must work full time, in order to pay for my school, kids' school, mortgage, food, etc. That is why I am doing an evening/weekend nursing program. Fortunately, I have major lags in my work day (sometimes 2-3 hours). My plan is to take the opportunity to study then. This is how I''ve been able to get thru my prereqs w/ no problems.

I think if you are truly determined and are realistic about what you can personally accomplish . . . then you can make a better determination as to whether you can work and go to nursing school. As it has been echoed in previous threads, it can be done but it will be very HARD for us. I'm just so grateful to come here and learn from others who have been through similar experiences and are kind enough to share their experiences. There are dozens of other threads here you can search that gives some great insight on how we need to proceed when managing nursing school and a job. Good Luck to all of you and your endeavors !!!!

SHELL75 · Jan 8, 2009

Sometimes working while going to school is not a choice. I just finished A&P I with a A and I worked 40 hours the entire time. If you have to have a roof over your head and groceries, then God will provide a way. I work as a an admitting clerk in the ER midnight shift so I can go to school during the day. I just put all my classes on Tues and Thurs and we work 12 hour shifts. So I work Thurs,Fri, and Sat's and a 6 hr shift on Sunday nights. This has worked out wonderfully. Fall 2009 when I hopefully enter the program the hospital will transfer me to the floor to work the Baylor's program. I will work 12 hr shifts Sat and Sun and I get paid for 36 hours at about $2.50 more a hour than I do now so the 4 hr cut a week won't hurt so much. The hospital doesn't advertise they even offer the Baylor's and its for existing employees seeking their RN only. You could try to get a clerical job that way you have a foot in the door when it comes time. Don't worry so much! Where there is a will, there is a way!!

michelios19RN · Jan 8, 2009

You could try to get a clerical job that way you have a foot in the door when it comes time. Don't worry so much! Where there is a will, there is a way!!

How do you go about getting a clerical job in a hospital if you don't have experience doing it? I'm still leaning on becoming a CNA this summer since I already know I won't be teaching in the fall. I don't know if being a CNA would be better or worse than doing the clerical job.

fromtheseaRN, BSN, RN · Jan 8, 2009

i think you can do the pre-req's while working full time. i did, and i work 38 hours a week, have 6 year old twins, and am a single parent. i scheduled all of my pre requisites for middle of the day classes, so that they occurred during lunch hours. (i came into work a half hour early in order to take a longer lunch). i'm now on the wait list for the nursing program, and am taking the co-requisites i have left while i wait (a&p 2, eng 102, microbiology). my plan is to take out a private student loan to live off of while i go to nursing school. if i can't do that for whatever reason, at least i will have gotten the co-req's done so that i can work a little whiile in school. also, the wait list here in az is about 3 semesters, so once my co-reqs are done i am planning on either taking the classes for CNA or surgical technologist, that way i can do those if i am still waiting to get in school, or do those part time while in school.

whew- that was long. just wanted to share what i am doing in case it can give you some ideas.

you can do it!

Adams_Mommy_07 · Jan 8, 2009

When I was in undergraduate school I took 17-19 hours a semester and worked as a Tutor on campus about 10 hours a week to pay my car payment and cell phone---bear in mind I was an honors student doing twice as much work as my peers so I really had more like a 21 hour load. In hindsight, I *probably* could have worked around 25-30 hours if I wanted to, but I didn't need to nor wanted to, so I didn't. Now that I work full-time 37-40 hours/week I can manage 12 hours of the heavy science loads I take. I would not recommend (despite not entering the Nursing program yet) taking co-requisite classes with Nursing classes and working full-time. You could probably do it, but it will be exhausting and you probably won't do as well as if you paced yourself a little. I'm knocking out all of my pre-reqs, co-reqs, and pre-reqs for alternate medical pathways (e.g. Medicine and PA School) now and buckling down with Nursing when it comes. Although I will have to take Physics II and Organic II at a University 1.5 hours away with Nursing courses two of the semesters, I know I will have to cut back on work to probably 32 hours/week then. I do plan on working 38 or so the other three semesters and I believe I will have little trouble with it. However, I know my study habits (having a 4 year degree really enhances my perception of how to pace myself) and know what I am capable of. Someone said they studied 4 hours a day on A&P I, I didn't, there is no telling how long it will take you. I studied maybe 4 a week and got an A. Everyone learns differently. Someone may not be able to work at all to be successfull, most could handle part-time and some can handle full-time. Only you know what you're capable of.

SHELL75 · Jan 10, 2009

You don't have to have any experience!! All it requires is computer experience, typing, and a high school diploma. I actually started this job as a weekend 2nd job after the company I worked for closed down. When I decided to go back to school, they agreed to work with me on my schedule. So I quit my 34K a year job to work full time. The money is not all that but they offer the Baylor's program and tuition reimbursment which is absolutely PRICELESS!!

SHELL75 · Jan 10, 2009

To offer a little I been there advice........A private student loan may not be this best thing. By the time the loan gets approved and the papers are signed it's NOTHING like they promise in all the commercials. I have one for 18K that in 2 years has accumulated over $4k in interest. The payments on it by itself will be over $300/month not speaking of the rest of my regular financial aid. Just really research it before you do it and READ THE FINE PRINT THOROUGHLY!!!!