3 year RN program (eve/weekend) - how much study time?

anonymousstudent · Sep 27, 2010

Keep in mind that even if you're at a school that will offer a part-time option, which is pretty rare, "part-time" is not really part time. It's part time for a few quarters. You can't really do pt clinicals.

Ker-Bear · Sep 27, 2010

Thanks, anonymousstudent. I appreciate the reply.

The community college I went to in the past has a 3 year RN program. I've looked at the class schedule and Nursing II, for example, has clinicals Sunday afternoon / evening and then the actual class time on Wednesday nights.

I'm trying to figure out what my study schedule might be (in general), so that I can see what I'm up against before going toe to toe with my husband over nursing school.

njmomstudent · Sep 27, 2010

I'm a work from home mom and I am in a 2 year RN program (3 year including prereqs but I have all of those finished). I don't even work that much and it can be rough. If I didn't have to cook dinners and clean the house and do the laundry, it wouldn't be that bad... it depends how much support you have to do those things. My husband is supportive for the most part. I have lecture one night a week, lab another night a week, and clinical on saturdays. He watches the baby those nights and saturday (its been really good for thier relationship so far-she's 2). I will keep that schedule this year. 2nd year we get an extra lecture another evening during the week and clinicals go from 8 to 12 hours. It is doable for sure, just don't expect to have much time for anything extra. If you can financially manage to cut out some of your working hours it would help you. I find getting up super early and studying is a better option for me than staying up late because I retain the info more. By the end of the night taking care of EVERYTHING (house, baby, husband) my brain is toast.

As far as your husband not being supportive, you should be able to have goals and help achieving them. I mean, we only get one life. Its not like you're saying you want to run off to tour europe for two years or something. With kids you have to make sure he's in it 100% because you can't just miss class or clinical when the kids get sick etc. You are only allowed so much missed time, so he will have to step up to the plate and help during those things, unless you have really supportive parents that will help you out instead.

2ndyearstudent, CNA · Sep 27, 2010

In addition to the above, if you have any advice on how to deal w/ an unsupportive spouse, I would really appreciate it.

My advice would be to settle the unsupportive spouse issue well before you make any decisions about nursing school. I have a couple classmates with "unsupportive spouses" and they are having a very hard time with it. This kind of stuff happening at home can make nursing school a lot harder.

Good luck.

Bob_N_VA · Sep 28, 2010

Hi.

I'm in the second semester of a 6 semester eve/we program. I also work full time and so far have been able to manage the work load well enough. I do start my day pretty early so I'm able to get home in the middle of the afternoon with a couple of hours before I head out to class. It does make for a long day (up at 5, get home after 9, but its manageble.) The best advice I could give is to keep current with all the classes by doing the reading and weekly assignments. Study your butt off for the tests as they come up, and don't sweat the stuff that is more than a week or more away unless its really MAJOR. Don't skip any classes and take good notes, it seems like quite a few test questions pop up from something the instructor said that is not in the pre-printed notes sheets. Don't argue with the instructors over small stuff, and do as much as you can during clinicals, its where you can shine.

As for your spouse, I really can't say much. My wife is supportive, though it was a bit of a struggle to convince her at first. Marriage should be a two way street, so if he expects your support, he should be willing to give it as well. It will be much harder if you have to work around him as well as your studies. Good Luck.

PS. You asked about how much study time. I would say probably I'm doing 8-10 hours a week on average. It gets worse after the first semester for sure.

Ker-Bear · Sep 29, 2010

Hello,

Thank you all for your responses and for sharing your experiences. It is so helpful to get feedback from those who are going / have been through nursing school. I especially appreciate the details you have shared in regards to time involved.

It seems as if it is going to be one of the most challenging things I've undertaken (working full time professionally + nursing school + family), but I see that others have done it....so I can too.

An update on my husband.....we talked last night and he is not only supporting me now, he is encouraging me!! :eek: Through some marriage counseling and some very good, long talks he understands now and is willing to go on this journey with me. He was actually talking about the benefits of a nursing career in general. I am almost in tears as I write this, because his support means more to me than I will ever be able to express to him. :redpinkhe It is a complete 180 from where we were a year ago when I began talking of a career change.

Well, thank you again. I look forward to learning from all of you!

K