Hey there!
Remember when you got accepted into nursing school? I bet two things went through your mind:
“HECK YES!” Followed by, “Oh shoot, this is going to be hard.”
And then in the weeks after, about a million people decided to give you their (unsolicited) advice and opinions, adding to your anxiety.
“Are you sure you can handle it?”
“But what about your family?”
And, the big one: “You should quit your job. Everyone knows you can’t go to nursing school AND work at the same time.”
Of course, they love you and they mean well. But sometimes it’s in your best interest not to listen. And this is one of those times.
Yes, you can handle it. You’re strong, smart, and resourceful. You have all of the tools you need to be successful.
You love your family. And you’re doing this for them and their future as much as you’re doing it for yours.
And #SpoilerAlert: Yes, you CAN go to nursing school full time and work full time.
I know. That’s definitely NOT the popular opinion these days.
But here’s something I truly believe: You can do anything if you set your mind to it.
Will it be hard? Of course.
Will there be tears? Probably.
Will there be days you want to quit? You can count on it.
But is it impossible? Absolutely not.
Take it from the queen of all media:
“The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.” – Oprah Winfrey
Of course, there are downsides, like literally not having a life. But with a little creativity and perseverance, it can be done.
So here are 5 actionable tips to help you work full time while also going to nursing school full time.
Realize the reality of your new life
This will sink in more and more over time.
There will be late nights. You will be eating (and possibly sleeping) in your car. You may need to find creative ways to study on the go. You might not even see your family for days at a time.
Although it’s a tough reality, by knowing what working full time and going to school full time really entails, you’ll be more prepared for it when it happens.
Stay positive
All of these things are going to hit you hard at some point, so you need to be prepared when that lack of motivation strikes and you just want to give up. So before you start working full time while in nursing school, write a letter to yourself.
Sounds “dear diary-esque” I know. But it works, trust me.
Write a letter to yourself saying why you want to be a nurse and describe the life you’ll have when you graduate. Write it all out in detail and read this letter to yourself when things get hard.
Have you heard the saying: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”? Well my friend, this letter will help you kick it back in gear and get going again!
Know your limits
Rule Number 1: patient safety comes FIRST. This means that you absolutely cannot show up to clinical tired, groggy, and hungry. You can put a patients life at risk this way.
So make sure that you schedule in time to get enough sleep the night before clinical, and eat a good breakfast so that you can provide safe and competent care to your patients.
If you know you need 6 hours of sleep to be functional, schedule yourself 6 hours. If you know you need 8 hours of sleep, schedule 8 hours. Don’t push yourself so hard that you crash and burn, because your patients might crash and burn right there with you.
Don’t be afraid to sleep in your car, or anywhere else for that matter
Sleep is necessary, but sleeping in bed is not. And if sleeping in your car is what it takes for you to, simply, sleep, then that’s what needs to happen.
So keep a spare pillow and some blankets in your car, just in case. A change of clothes and an extra water bottle are never a bad idea either. Really, just stuff your car with whatever you’ll need to catch some zzz’s (more) comfortably.
Ask for help
Here’s the thing, and I say this lovingly: You are too dang nice.
When someone asks you for help, you say, “Oh, no problem, I’ve got it.” Girl, you could be mistaken for superwoman most days.
I know you can do it all. But I’d rather you not burn out while doing it.
So say this with me: “Yes, thanks for offering, would you mind doing…(insert chore here).”
Call on your family and friends to help with childcare, grocery shopping, food prep, house cleaning…and anything else you need. They love you, and they will help you. They just need to know what you need first. So tell them! 🙂
So there are your 5 actionable steps that you can take to ease the stress of working and going to nursing school.
It is totally doable. Just keep your head up and take it one day at a time.
“Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it.” – Harvey MacKay
And let me just tell you, becoming a nurse IS worth it.
So go get ’em girl.
Leave a comment below and tell me what other tips you have for working and going to nursing school at the same time.
