Working While in Nursing School

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Hello!

I am 20 years old, currently finishing up my CNA class and plan on starting nursing school in the spring. I would love to get a job as a CNA but i'm wondering if it would be difficult to work as a CNA while going to school full time. Also, any tips on how to get a job as a CNA at a hospital instead of a nursing home? Everyone I ask pretty much says "its all about who you know" which is extremely frustrating.

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I did it. It's all about sacrifice. I guarantee if you worked while in school, your grades and clinical performance will benefit. As well it's much easier to get a job. I wasn't graduated longer than 2 weeks and landed a CTICU Fellowship in one of the nations largest health systems.

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I completed my cna course in the spring and will doing the lpn course starting in the fall. I found a job at a ltac facility working prn. That allows me to be flexible once school starts. The downside is that you may not always work as often as you need.

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Would love to hear all the success stories......not the stories full of doubt and unsurety, the people who actually did it. I too am planning to do the same and I do believe it is possible.

Sorry sounds like i've turned this into my own thread, lol.

Best of luck to all!

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Would love to hear all the success stories......not the stories full of doubt and unsurety, the people who actually did it. I too am planning to do the same and I do believe it is possible.

Sorry sounds like i've turned this into my own thread, lol.

Best of luck to all!

Did you not read the top two responses?

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Hello!

I am 20 years old, currently finishing up my CNA class and plan on starting nursing school in the spring. I would love to get a job as a CNA but i'm wondering if it would be difficult to work as a CNA while going to school full time. Also, any tips on how to get a job as a CNA at a hospital instead of a nursing home? Everyone I ask pretty much says "its all about who you know" which is extremely frustrating.

You have to either know someone, possibly volunteer, and or be persistant applying to a hospital. I dont work as a cna but I do have people in my class who are full time cnas, they work middle and night shift and they both said it is hard and straining. There were also times they had to take off to get studying in. I also know 2 other part time workers in my class, one of them does home health and it doesnt affect her school performance and same with the other girl but she is at a hospital. It could be hard and it could be easy it all depends on how you manage your time and if you have other factors going on in your life. some places will work with your school schedule good luck

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That's good to know. I'm planning on doing home health during school... Probably on weekends.

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Specializes in retina, GYN, robotics.

I went to an open house for the LPN program today. They said they schedule clinical time for 12 hour shifts and that does include Saturdays and Sundays. I only work Saturdays at the hospital, I've been doing that for 11-12 years now. I don't know if I could give up my Saturdays. It's not about the money, but I pay cash for school. No work on Saturdays= no money to go to school.

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Did you not read the top two responses?

Yes, I actually did read them. I was just generalizing, sometimes you start a thread question and ppl don't answer with their experience, rather their opinion about what they think or heard.

No harm intended....thanks for the responses.

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I did it. It's all about sacrifice. I guarantee if you worked while in school your grades and clinical performance will benefit. As well it's much easier to get a job. I wasn't graduated longer than 2 weeks and landed a CTICU Fellowship in one of the nations largest health systems.[/quote']

So relieving to read this. I myself have been worried but I know I can do both work and do well in school and it will pay off in the long run. Thank you

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I currently work full time as a PCT at one of the local hospital in my town, a mother of two, and will start my second year of nursing school this fall. I'm not going to lie its not easy. I work every weekend and depending on my school schedule ill either work a third shift of take a day of vacation. Thankfully working for the hospital 9 years (end of this month) has allowed me to save my vacation time. I have long days that can start at 5:15am (clinical days) and can normally end around midnight. On night prior to clinical I can end up staying up till 2am doing preclinical paperwork. I remember one time between work and school I had no day off for 23 days. It's possible you have to have the drive to push you through the difficult times. And just an FYI I have completed 3 semesters of an ADN program with As and Bs., do even with my busy life my grades are not suffering.

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I currently work overnights fulltime and attend school. I am a mom of a 4 year old and a wife. Most days are 18-19 hour days and I get about 6-10 hours of sleep from monday to friday. I do not work weekends, ever. I am currently requesting to cut down to part time. My grades suffer, my homework is a mess because I nod off. Driving to and from school is incredibly dangerous. The sacrifice, IMO, is not worth it. If you can financially handle working only part time or not at all, I would suggest it. Our sacrifice now has to come in where we spend money, instead of me sacrificing my health, sleep and sanity. It's also irrespomsible to work extemsively and be doing clinicals. You could seriosuly endanger someone.

My suggestion, try to find a way to work part time or not at all. Focus on your studies. Knock it out of the park and then enjoy that cushy salary.

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