While nursing can be a very rewarding career tailor-made for people with good parenting skills, it can be difficult to pursue a formation as a nurse when you have a family to attend to. However, with the right preparation, it’s always possible to make room for your studies, even if you have little ones to take care of. Here are a few tips for parents pursuing a career as a nurse.
Consider online options
In this day and age, online classes are making it easier than ever to get a formation as a nurse from the comfort of your home. Online classes allow you to compartmentalize your time, and depending on the program, you’ll be able your stretch your studies for much longer then you could at a regular brick and mortar nursing school. This will allow you to follow your classes on your own time and at the pace you want.
Online diplomas from certified online schools are recognized by many reputable institutions and nurse practitioner program requirements will vary in some cases. More often than not, you will be required to have at least a BSN or an associates degree to enroll. This makes it a great choice for those who interrupted their studies to concentrate on their family and want to get back on track.
Find other parents in the same situation
If you decide to go for a traditional program, it would be a good choice to find other parents that are in a similar situation as yours. They’ll be able to share some tips on how to juggle your studies and your family life. You should also join as many discussion groups dedicated to students/parents as you can for advice.
Make sure you plan study time
As you may already know, your courses as a nursing student do not end when the day is done. You’ll usually have some substantial work left over once you get home. This is why you should have a clear study schedule planned in advance. If you have many activities to attend with your kids, you could ask the other parent to attend them for you and use these time slots for schoolwork.
Others might prefer working in short bursts and alternate between schoolwork and their other parental duties. While this may seem difficult to some, for others this might be the best way to get all of their work done.
Set boundaries and rewards
By now, you should already have a dedicated room for studying. Make sure that your kids are aware of your schedule and that you have a system for signaling them when you’re doing schoolwork. You could keep them busy with a cool project while you’re working or promise a treat if they manage to stay put until you’re done. This could be enough to give you the peace and quiet you need to see your work through.
Conclusion
Juggling nurse school and your family life can be a challenge, but you can still make it if you have the determination to do so. If you follow the tips in this article, you should be able to master the two effortlessly over time. Once you’ve completed your course, go to Day Webster to start your career.
