Working in Nursing School--is it possible?

Heather, SN · Mar 19, 2004

My college offers an evening/weekend program for the RN program. It is a 2 year program after all other classes have been taken. We are the first group to do this E/W program and there are a lot of bugs that they need to work out and a lot of things that we are not exposed to that the regular day students get.

Heather, SN

boy would that be nice to have weekend clinicals! Why can't all schools be that acommodating? LOL

Heather, SN · Mar 19, 2004

My college offers an evening/weekend program for the RN program. It is a 2 year program after all other classes have been taken. We are the first group to do this E/W program and there are a lot of bugs that they need to work out and a lot of things that we are not exposed to that the regular day students get.

Heather, SN

boy would that be nice to have weekend clinicals! Why can't all schools be that acommodating? LOL

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 19, 2004

It HAS to be. No one else is going to pay my rent, tuition, bills, car insurance.....

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 19, 2004

It HAS to be. No one else is going to pay my rent, tuition, bills, car insurance.....

kathywv · Mar 19, 2004

I worked full time through my AD program as an LPN (wasnt supposed to the school had a rule about how many hours one could work but they wernt paying my bills), worked full time in my BSN program as well as married and had 2 children...and worked full time during my MSN program and commuted 1 and a half hours one way twice a week to school, had two small children at home.....

It can be done.....anything can be done if you want it bad enough!

kathywv · Mar 19, 2004

I worked full time through my AD program as an LPN (wasnt supposed to the school had a rule about how many hours one could work but they wernt paying my bills), worked full time in my BSN program as well as married and had 2 children...and worked full time during my MSN program and commuted 1 and a half hours one way twice a week to school, had two small children at home.....

It can be done.....anything can be done if you want it bad enough!

cajunnga · Mar 19, 2004

Hey. I work third shift, children, husband, nursing school, grocery store, cooking, bill paying-- I pray a lot. Hospitals love to give nursing students scholarships, has your friend applied for one? That would help her a lot. Mine is paying for all required books and tuition. Hope this helps.

Hi All--

I'm posting on behalf of a friend. She's in her mid-20s and has been putting herself through community college pre-req classes by working midnights and taking 10-12 credits per semester.

She'll soon tranfer into an accredited college where she'll go through a traditional three-year nursing program. She's had a hard time saving up for this and is concerned about having to take out loans for living expenses on top of loans for tuition and books. She doesn't have family who can help her financially and is wondering whether she will be able to work during this period. Scholarships and grants will cover some of her school expenses, but she needs to bring in at least some money for the basics: rent, food, etc. She also wants to avoid being in a big debt hole when she graduates.

Is working during nursing school possible, or is the curriculum so intense that it precludes work? Also, at what points can nursing students start utilizing some of the skills they've picked up in school to earn a decent wage in a health-care environment?

My friend's working very hard and I know she'll make it, but any insight you might have would ease her mind and be a big help. Thank you!

cajunnga · Mar 19, 2004

Hey. I work third shift, children, husband, nursing school, grocery store, cooking, bill paying-- I pray a lot. Hospitals love to give nursing students scholarships, has your friend applied for one? That would help her a lot. Mine is paying for all required books and tuition. Hope this helps.

Hi All--

I'm posting on behalf of a friend. She's in her mid-20s and has been putting herself through community college pre-req classes by working midnights and taking 10-12 credits per semester.

She'll soon tranfer into an accredited college where she'll go through a traditional three-year nursing program. She's had a hard time saving up for this and is concerned about having to take out loans for living expenses on top of loans for tuition and books. She doesn't have family who can help her financially and is wondering whether she will be able to work during this period. Scholarships and grants will cover some of her school expenses, but she needs to bring in at least some money for the basics: rent, food, etc. She also wants to avoid being in a big debt hole when she graduates.

Is working during nursing school possible, or is the curriculum so intense that it precludes work? Also, at what points can nursing students start utilizing some of the skills they've picked up in school to earn a decent wage in a health-care environment?

My friend's working very hard and I know she'll make it, but any insight you might have would ease her mind and be a big help. Thank you!

Energizer Bunny · Mar 19, 2004

I just got a job offer today for something I really wanted until I got into the RN program for the fall. Now, it wouldn't pay for me to work there. It would until I went to school and had to pay for childcare for 55 hours a week (I would actually be paying out more than I would be making). *sigh* I am just going to have to find a waitressing job a few nights a week that I can hopefully work around my husbands schedule.

Energizer Bunny · Mar 19, 2004

I just got a job offer today for something I really wanted until I got into the RN program for the fall. Now, it wouldn't pay for me to work there. It would until I went to school and had to pay for childcare for 55 hours a week (I would actually be paying out more than I would be making). *sigh* I am just going to have to find a waitressing job a few nights a week that I can hopefully work around my husbands schedule.

opalmRN · Mar 20, 2004

Hi All--
Is working during nursing school possible, or is the curriculum so intense that it precludes work? Also, at what points can nursing students start utilizing some of the skills they've picked up in school to earn a decent wage in a health-care environment?

I work full time and go to school full time. I am in a med/surg rotation and do my clinical evenings and weekends. I am married and have three children.

It can be done however, everyone's situation is different. My children are older the youngest is in HS hence they are all pretty self sufficient. I have a very long commute and on clinical nights I get 3-4 hours of sleep. I have no social life other than my family. At times even I can't stand myself. Our house is organized but not necessarily "clean." Everyone pulls their fair share and we have lots of rules.

I admire those with small children in nursing school working or not. Young children require so much energy which I know I would not have to give. My husband is also a key to my success. He does the grocery shopping (OK I have to make a list) and anything else I don't have time to do which helps me from complete melt down some days.

Only the individual in the situation knows whether or not they can work and go to nursing school. It is a tremendous amount of work but many are doing it.

opalmRN · Mar 20, 2004

Hi All--
Is working during nursing school possible, or is the curriculum so intense that it precludes work? Also, at what points can nursing students start utilizing some of the skills they've picked up in school to earn a decent wage in a health-care environment?

I work full time and go to school full time. I am in a med/surg rotation and do my clinical evenings and weekends. I am married and have three children.

It can be done however, everyone's situation is different. My children are older the youngest is in HS hence they are all pretty self sufficient. I have a very long commute and on clinical nights I get 3-4 hours of sleep. I have no social life other than my family. At times even I can't stand myself. Our house is organized but not necessarily "clean." Everyone pulls their fair share and we have lots of rules.

I admire those with small children in nursing school working or not. Young children require so much energy which I know I would not have to give. My husband is also a key to my success. He does the grocery shopping (OK I have to make a list) and anything else I don't have time to do which helps me from complete melt down some days.

Only the individual in the situation knows whether or not they can work and go to nursing school. It is a tremendous amount of work but many are doing it.