Looking for nurses...

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Jonesie86
Jonesie86 Posts: 446 Member
in Chit-Chat
To help convince me that I'm heading in the right direction! I'm currently working on my AA in pre-nursing and then going for my RN and BSN...right now I'm having a slight panic attack wondering if I'm taking the right path.
I'm a single mother of two, with no help from either father in my children's lives, don't associate with my family and have only a handful of friends, who don't provide a lot of help. I feel like it's sink or swim and I barely have my head above water! The biggest thought that is crossing my mind lately is that once I'm done with school, I'm worried about getting stuck with shifts that have late hours/graveyard/swing (which can be expected in the nursing field, I know) and with the lack of stable people in my kids lives, it's going to have a horrible affect on their relationship with me from seeing less and less of me, with no other family to be there to love and support them...

And now I'm rattling...dear Lord, please tell me someone can put my mind at ease!!!

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  • krazyforyou
    krazyforyou Posts: 1,428 Member
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    I've been a nurse ( RN ) since dirt. It is a very stressful and somewhat unfufilling profession. Long hours, crazy shifts, and unplesant patients. But only you can decide what is the best course for you. I worked in hospitals for 12 years and now work in long term healthcare, much happier since I made the move. Good luck.
  • morticiamom
    morticiamom Posts: 221 Member
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    I took nursing classes as a single mother, working my way through nursing school as a nurse aid. I felt guilty when I was with my daughter since I needed to work more, and study more, felt guilty when I was studying because I wasn't with my daughter or working, and felt guilty when I was working because...well, you get the picture. I finally had to pretend that guilt felt good.

    Anyway, I had to work third shift when I graduated, and the important thing is to find TRUSTED overnight care. My daughter was in bed before I had to go to work, and we laid out her clothes and made her lunch the night before, so the night care person didn't have to sweat that. Then I went to sleep, and picked her up from her preschool when I woke up.

    Anyway, that was over twenty years ago, and our relationship is wonderful, so hang in there.
  • ThePinkAlligator
    ThePinkAlligator Posts: 142
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    I'm a nurse, I've worked as an inpatient nurse, a care coordinator (with M-F hours) and a healthcare software programmer - the thing I absolutely love about nursing are all the different options. It is good to start out your career with some IP nursing experience - however, after a few years of putting in your time - you have a lot of options! I was worried about the hours too, however, I ended up asking to work night shifts only - I worked 12 hour shifts, 3 days a week, so I was off work more days that I actually worked. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT - KEEP GOING!
  • fightingautism
    fightingautism Posts: 84
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    I am a nurse and I have loved it. I went back as a married mom of 3 children under 18, one of them disabled. I got my bachelor degree with the goal of being a FNP eventually. The first 2 yrs since I graduated I had to work 7am-7pm shifts in a hospital, which are NOT family-friendly. I'm now divorced. However, I got a job in home health back in December, and I LOVE IT. My hours are roughly 8:30am-4pm Monday through Friday, though I am available until 5pm. If one of my kids gets sick, I can leave to go pick 'em up from school & get 'em settled. I'ts very flexible for a family.

    There are nursing jobs out there that offer family-friendly hours. One of my friends landed a health department job with Mon-Fri 8-4 hrs.
    I can't tell you what to do for you, but for me, nursing has been worth it.
  • sandylion
    sandylion Posts: 451 Member
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    I'm a nurse, and I went to school with a couple of single moms. Getting through your BScN as a single mom with no support is going to stretch you to the limit and beyond. Once you make it through it is a fairly stable profession, though. There are no shortage of sick and old people, therefore there is no shortage of nursing jobs! However, at times it can be difficult to find a full time position with benefits. (I'm in Canada, this is how it is right now)

    Yes, there are shifts, yes you work nights. Lots of woman like the shifts though because if you work 12hrs, it means you work that many LESS days that you have to figure out child care. When you work nights, you're around to get your kids off to school and see them in the evening, you're just gone over night. And you sleep while they're in school. It's murder on your circadian rhythm but some people don't mind it. The 12hr shift is long, but you literally only work 15 days a month. There are also day-job types of positions. I work as a home-care nurse. I don't work nights and I only work one in 4 weekends. That being said, the on call can be tough (especially with kids, you need to be able to go out at 3am if someone pages).

    Nursing is a really rich, amazing profession. I have lost count of the number of people who have said they were so thankful for the nurses who take care of them, that the doctors were a$$hats, but the nurses were wonderful. Nurses get to help people get back to, or continue with, their lives. Its amazingly fulfilling. Yes, their are unpleasant clients but you show me someone who has a job who never has to deal with a jerk and I'll show you a liar.

    Honestly, I love my job. But honestly, if I was in your position there is no way I would have made it through. My family was very supportive, I did not have to work except between semesters, and I have no kids. I was still stretched to the limit.

    Good luck with whatever you decide!

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