Working while in nursing program?

melizerd, ASN, RN · Dec 20, 2012

It depends on a lot of things. I'm a wife and mom to a 6 year old. I have chosen to not work (I worked 1/2 of my first semester and left that job to focus on school). I attend school full time in a semester based program for my ADN. I did work during my pre-reqs which I also did full time, that was easy IMO.

I have friends who are single, no significant other, no pets to feed, just them to worry about that work up to 20ish hours a week. They are DEAD and have ZERO social life because they are either at school, studying, working or TRYING to catch up on sleep.

I don't know anyone with a family that works more than one 8 hour shift a week (there are a couple of people that do that).

It really depends on if you have the choice or not, some people must work to pay the bills and eat. I'm VERY lucky that my husband is super super supportive of me and understands that we are temporarily living on a shoe string budget so that I can attend school and pass everything the first time.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Dec 20, 2012

I don't have a realistic choice. I must work full-time and attend RN school full-time. It's a real pain in my backside, but fortunately, I can get most of my studying and paperwork done while at work, leaving me only a small amount of additional studying/paperwork that needs to be done at home. It is NOT easy at all, and if I had a different job where I couldn't/didn't have the time to study, I wouldn't have survived academically at all.

If you have a choice, don't work or work as few hours as possible so that you have as good a chance to study and get your school-related paperwork completed.

prettymica, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN, APRN, NP · Dec 20, 2012

It depends on your situation. I worked during LPN school on the weekends only 12 Sat and 8 Hours on Sun. I also lived in another city 1 hour away from family and friends that I got to come home and see(I would leave for clincals at 3:45am Sun night/Mon morning). Now that I am in LPN_RN bridge I work weekend baylor 2-12hr shifts Sat-Sun and 8 hours on Tues. I have class on Mondays only and my past clinical schedule was from late August 27 to first of October 6. I used lots of vacation time for the Tues or I switched to Wed if it was possible( they had weird clinical schedules like T,TH,T). I am single and the mom of 2 cats :), and It was is more stressful this time around than the last because, I decided not to move this time around my job is 45 min east and my school and clinicals are 1.5 going west. One more semester and I am free to enroll in the BSN program 15 minutes away. Good Luck!

kingskidRN2b'15 · Dec 20, 2012

What I've learned is anything is possible, but does not mean it will be easy! I work full time as well as go to school full time. Being that I have a family (3 kids & a husband) I really have to manage my time, before going into work at night! It's not easy, but possible. In my own opinion though if at all possible, I don't recommend it! In my case I have to right now, but if my grades starts going down, the nursing program comes first!

2bNurseCurtis98 · Dec 20, 2012

It is most definitely doable, I work full time 40 hours a week and i have a family. If you are determined & focused it can be done, I never take more than 2 classes a semester 1 hard, 1 easy and I've maintained a 4.0.... My advice is to make wise use of your time, make a plan and stick to it. I hope this helped

Lolita34 · Dec 20, 2012

It is most definitely doable, I work full time 40 hours a week and i have a family. If you are determined & focused it can be done, I never take more than 2 classes a semester 1 hard, 1 easy and I've maintained a 4.0.... My advice is to make wise use of your time, make a plan and stick to it. I hope this helped

Hi NurseCurtis98, are you in a BSN program?

jolie_tasso · Dec 21, 2012

I am starting my ADN clinicals in January. The first semester is two nursing classes, one clinic day, and a stats class. I'm a newlywed with some pets but no children, and my husband works shift work. I will be working full time graveyard shift!! I am a bit nervous, but I always tell myself that people in much more difficult situations have done it. You really can do anything as long as you focus and realize what needs to be done. Sacrifices will be made, but it's definitely all going to be worth it!! So whatever you choose to do, believe you can do it and work hard!! Good luck! I know I can't wait to start!!

boricualuna · Dec 21, 2012

I just finished my 1 semester o nursing school, 9 credit hours, and worked full time (fri-sun 12 hour shift) I'm also a mother to two kids. I know before I got into RN school I would have to continue working full time. Even if my family and I down sized to the minimal (mortgage, lot rent, light, cell, etc) and took out every available loans/grants/scholarships my family and I still need health insurance and the health insurance from my employer is far better then my husbands insurance. It's possible, yes it's not easy I'm always staying up late and I hardly do anything outside of school and work during the semester, when I'm out for breaks I don't work any overtime and I spend quality time with my family, especially my kids.

yvonne131321 · Dec 21, 2012

like you said every one is different. I was able to work part time Thursday and Friday twelve hours both days and then every other weekend i babysat children. I don't think it was too hard for me to do both mainly because i work in a hospital wing where Fridays there are no patients. Basically Fridays i studied, read assigned reading or practiced my skills inside the wing. My boss was ok with this since fridays were dead all the time. I wont lie nursing school is hard and there were days when i wished i could skip going into work completely but. I got through the first semester working and maintained a relationship with my boyfriend. I really believe time management is key you can do anything if you schedule it in properly.

Sadala, ADN, RN · Dec 21, 2012

I just finished my first semester. At the beginning I was working 40+ hours per week (the school was perhaps err... not aware that it was so much). By the end, I was down to 20 hrs per week and the entire time I did nothing but work, study, attend class and clinicals, study, work, sleep some, and eat if I remembered.

I received 2 B's and 1 A and I'm not even sure how I did that well. My bf lives in another state (also in school - so he wasn't a huge strain on my time), my son has also moved to another state to pursue his degree. As a parent with young children or in a relationship with someone local I don't even know how I would cope. The only people I ever saw outside of school and work were other students with whom I studied.

I won't be going back to a full time work schedule this coming semester, but will prob keep it to 15h per week or so. Perhaps even less. We have many more clinical hours this coming semester. Also, I believe we are expected to start community service hours.

I worked full-time all through a previous bachelor's degree (a million years ago) and through my science pre-reqs with no problem. Nursing school is just different in terms of the amount of work and time necessary. I didn't fully appreciate that when I began.

Sadala, ADN, RN · Dec 21, 2012

A lot probably also depends upon your school, the scheduling of your classes and clinicals, the distance of the school from where you live as well as the distance of the clinical sites (and other things of that nature).

Also, your personal level of organization and whether you have prior knowledge or background in the field and in the skills probably makes a difference as well.

Some things, though, may be outside of your control dependent upon your program.