Can any nurses give me an idea of what to expect during training?

[debka]

I'm thinking of doing a nursing degree. I have 2 DDs, 3 and 1, the 3yo has just started pre school. My DH works from home but is often away.

I'm just wondering what sort of hours the course entails- are they regular? Lots of nights/shifts? Is it do-able with 2 pre-schoolers or would I do better to wait until DD1 is in school and DD2 in pre school perhaps?

Any advice very welcome!

[Cremeeggsandkitkatsoldiers]

some people get lucky with placements and get some sort of flexibility, but if there's a lot of students on a placement in relation to mentors you work the rota you're given. Some manage to squeeze through the 3 years with few or even no nights, others have to work nights if they ever wanna see their mentor for dust to get stuff signed off.

Its difficult to have any second job other than bank/agency HCAing because you don't even know what your next placement will be half the time till just before. And bank/agency HCAing is earlies (7ish to lunch time) or lates (lunch time till 8/9/10ish) or long days (both) or nights.

Even the shift work nurseries attatched to hospitals don't accomodate a lot of hospital shifts (and really you wouldn't want them to, too early/late for littlies)

Its not the most supportive, sisterhoodish environment, if you need time off for something to do with kids the normal reaction is tutting and lots of "well we all have kids.."

you have to make up time if you're off sick etc, you can't just write it off like at work.

So all in all, of course it's doable, lots of people do it with kids, but how much support do you have in the form of informal childcare if you are doing unsociable hours, how flexible can you REALLY be?

(academically it's not hard, its the politics and flexibility/hours which makes it a very difficult course)

[Cremeeggsandkitkatsoldiers]

"I'm just wondering what sort of hours the course entails- are they regular?"
no
you do a few weeks of lectures, the a few weeks of placement.
Placements can be anything really, anything at all, nursing homes, wards, out patients, community.. and the variety of shifts is just as varied. And placements are not mon-fri if the area is not mon-fri, which is the case most of the time.

you do have the major holidays off during training though!

[debka]

Thanks cremeeggs, I am planning on going to the Open Day at the uni, but wanted some idea beforehand.

Like you say, it's do-able but will need some serious planning, which I have never done before wrt children, been a SAHM since they were born.

Anyone else done this in a similar position to me?

[Cremeeggsandkitkatsoldiers]

so long as by planning you mean putting people in place who can slot in at short notice for times when they don't tell you about your next placement till just before, then best of luck, as I say there are many many parent student nurses. Some drop out in first year (I don't think the unis are realistic with some of them prior to starting about just how flexible they need to be, which IMO is unfair, and is why I've tried to paint the real picture for you here) but many others qualify!
However you really can't plan much in advance other than the big holidays when doing nurse training. It chops and changes.

If you wanna try before you buy, do some HCAing to find out what 37.5hrs/wk of shift work is like.

I've studied with a child, its fine, I find the way to make it work is not to try to do both at the same time, because then you're never 100% doing either IYKWIM, so if you're playing with the kids, PLAY WITH THE KIDS and don't feel guilty about the assignement you have to work on, then pencil in times when you can 100% concentrate on your uni work.

Honestly a few hours a week of SOLID focussed study time achieves more than hours and hours a day of faffing about half doing it! I had 5 hours of library time a week but I used it wisely, then at home I was mum! the non parent students could spend 5 hours a DAY in the library but they weren't really using it (Cause it wasn't an expensive luxury like it was for me with childcare n all), they were chatting, facebooking etc. So I got more done in much less time because I knew that was the only time I had and I didn't have to feel guilty because I didn't try and study when I was home and DS was awake, he had my full attention during mum time.

[sashh]

Don't forget it is not just during training that you will have odd hours, there will be more routine but you will still have to work nights, different shifts.

[Finallygotaroundtoit]

Some do find it academically hard. It's not an easy degree but as others have said it will all depend on your childcare.

[stargazer1]

Hi Debka,
I'm in a similar-ish position to you, have accepted a place on a course starting this September, although I do only have one child (15 months).
I'm starting to worry about the finances though...does anyone know whether the bursary/student loan/childcare grant can reasonably be expected to cover nursery fees? Or do most student nurses use childminders/grandparents etc?