Working While in Nursing School

boricualuna · Jul 24, 2013

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.

I'm sorry that you can't handle your excessively busy schedule. But don't tell me that I can potentially harm a patient due to lack of sleep or busy schedule, because A) you don't know me and B) i would never do anything that could potentially harm a patient. I'm a mother of two, who has to work to help support my family. Before you judge me maybe you should focus on your life and not worry so much about mine. I'm not the first nor the last person that has done what I'm doing. My grades haven't suffered and I have never missed or turned in an assignment late. I posted my previous post to show others that it is possible to work, have a family and go to nursing school. Not everyone has the the luxury of not working.

bubbly79 · Jul 24, 2013

Boutiqualuna, I don't think she was talking to anyone in particular, just sharing an opinion based on her experiences.

boricualuna · Jul 24, 2013

Boutiqualuna I don't think she was talking to anyone in particular, just sharing an opinion based on her experiences.[/quote']
The fact that she added her two cents in regards to my particular post leads me to believe different. Regardless if she was talking about my post or not, that doesn't matter. Everyone is different, just because she is struggling doesn't mean everyone else will also.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2013

The fact that she added her two cents in regards to my particular post leads me to believe different. Regardless if she was talking about my post or not, that doesn't matter. Everyone is different, just because she is struggling doesn't mean everyone else will also.

I disagree...since this entire post is about working and going to school...AND.... how hard that is.....think the OP was sharing her experience which has nothing to do with your experiences......I think she was sharing her experience in detail for the OP to give them information about how hard it is.

I don't think they meant any offense....:)

Mewsin · Jul 24, 2013

I don't work while in school. I thought maybe I could but then I experienced our first semester(Feb-June) and I got a reality check. I go to school M-F 8:30-4, get home make supper, do homework until 10 or 11 and the entire weekend. I don't know where I'd find time to work if I still wanted to pass my classes. I understand being busy, I did just finish 8 shifts in 9 days (96 hours of work) but it took all my effort on the last day to make sure everyone was still safe when I was leaving. I just can't imagine doing that for the next 10 months straight. Our program is intense in my class there is 1 person who is still working.

bubbly79 · Jul 24, 2013

I know what you mean. My program will be M-F 8am to 4:30pm. I wish I didn't have to work but having no income for 10 months would be impossible. Also, there is no financial aid available being that this is a certificate program. I have to still come up with about 1500 in expenses. Still not sure how that will work. Also, my day to day expenses and monthly obligations make it hard to think of not working. Unless a miracle happens, that's the road I have to go down. Lol

Kinda blows but is the reality.

boricualuna · Jul 24, 2013

I disagree...since this entire post is about working and going to school...AND.... how hard that is.....think the OP was sharing her experience which has nothing to do with your experiences......I think she was sharing her experience in detail for the OP to give them information about how hard it is.
I don't think they meant any offense....:)

Yes the entire post is about working and school. If you read the entire thread my first post talks about my experience and the following post pretty much slams me. My feelings aren't hurt, I'm just trying to point out that just because she is having a difficult time managing everything doesn't mean everyone is the same.

A&Ox6, MSN, RN · Jul 24, 2013

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.

Well in my experience, most of the students in my program who worked more than 12 hours a week ended up failing or dropping classes because it's too much. I also know people in other programs who work full time. I think it's best to ask people from your school.

Mewsin · Jul 24, 2013

I know what you mean. My program will be M-F 8am to 4:30pm. I wish I didn't have to work but having no income for 10 months would be impossible. Also, there is no financial aid available being that this is a certificate program. I have to still come up with about 1500 in expenses. Still not sure how that will work. Also, my day to day expenses and monthly obligations make it hard to think of not working. Unless a miracle happens, that's the road I have to go down. Lol
Kinda blows but is the reality.

I'm not sure how student loans work here exactly but my program is a diploma program so maybe that helps with the aid. I struggle with the aid though because I can make as much working 3 shifts in a month as they give me. I just don't have the time. Our shifts are 0645-1917 or 1845-0717. It is tight though, I just finished 5 months and I have 10 months until summer vacation and then another 3 months before I'm finished. When you're used to making $3000 a month its harsh it really is.

SWM2009 · Jul 24, 2013

A fellow classmate works in Home Health as a live in caregiver for a blind client. She works Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. She gets a lot of downtime while there and is able to bring her books and study. The client is ok with this.

DisneyMagicMomma · Oct 23, 2013

I'm sorry that you can't handle your excessively busy schedule. But don't tell me that I can potentially harm a patient due to lack of sleep or busy schedule, because A) you don't know me and B) i would never do anything that could potentially harm a patient. I'm a mother of two, who has to work to help support my family. Before you judge me maybe you should focus on your life and not worry so much about mine. I'm not the first nor the last person that has done what I'm doing. My grades haven't suffered and I have never missed or turned in an assignment late. I posted my previous post to show others that it is possible to work, have a family and go to nursing school. Not everyone has the the luxury of not working.

Sounds like you were looking for a fight. I was responding solely to the original poster. She asked if it could be done, and I responded with yes, but it isn't wise. I shouldn't have to wait around until someone else responds just to make you feel like I am not targeting you. And since you insist, in real life you COULD harm a patient due to lack of sleep. It happens frequently. *shrug* I don't really care what you do. I have found that working less is just what I needed. No luxury involved. We struggle daily because of this decision. You might have noticed my reference to sacrifice?