Becoming a nurse with no childcare - unrealistic?

[Newname908]

I want to train to become a nurse but have no idea about the practicality of this. I have 2 school age children and have no on tap childcare from family etc. Dh is home every evening but has a job that comes with a lot of pressure. I could pay for some childcare but not much.

Is it realistic to think I could train in nursing under these circumstances?
Any tips on what else I should expect? I haven’t done much research in to what is expected so feel free to fill me in on the reality of it.

It depends where you go- for example whether you are at university every day or do more selfstudy during theory, and placements all differ so you could get one or two ideal placements (with supportive mentors) or one really bad one. However, if you can plan it for the worst outcome, which depends on you.. is it Mon-Fri 0800-1700, or 3/4 0730-2000 shifts a week, could you do nights (you are required to do at least 60 hours of night shifts off the top of my head), can you work weekends? Can you study at home?

Basically, have a look at your local university plus Open university and see what their course flow is like, where their students go on placement etc.

I’m currently doing my training but my girl is in nursery mon-fri 0800-17/1800 depending on when her dad can pick her up and I go several days without seeing her when I’m on long shifts as I leave before she gets up and get home after she’s in bed.

It is really good fun though!
:)

Depends on age of your DC. Teens/preteens it's possible.

Training is 50:50 Uni and placements. Likely very very short notice of your shifts which clinically will be 12.5 hr shifts day and night, 7 days a week.

I did a HCP degree when mine were 5 and 7. I needed plan a, b & c for childcare with a DH in a pressurised but regular hours.

Could you accommodate an au pair?

Basically, have a look at your local university plus Open university and see what their course flow is like

You can't train with the OU unless you are employed and your employer is supporting your training.

OP you usually have to do a mix of ward placements (which can start early, finish late, and include nights) and community placements (usually but not always 9-5). You do need to figure out how you'll cover those before starting - you may get lucky and have an understanding placement where you can work mostly the same shift, but usually it's dictated by what your mentor works.

Could you afford wraparound childcare covering the gap between school ending and your DH picking them up? Can he work flexibly at all, and do the school drop off if you are on an early shift? You might get additional support as an NHS student with dependents, but you'd need to check as I'm not sure if they still do it...
I hope you find a solution.

I couldn't have done it without several layers of childcare. A few of my coursemates ran into trouble with childcare, and unfortunately there was absolutely zero support or flexibility from the uni.

Some placements will be accomodating if you need to move shifts about; some won't; your uni is very unlikely to back you up if you run into problems.

You have to work shifts over the full 24hr cycle. For adult and paeds nurses, most placements will be 12.5hr shifts in hospital.

Realistically, unless you can find a really amazing childminder who can be flexible with days, you would probably need to book an after-school place for every weekday (plus holiday club for Easter/halfterms/etc, nursing students often work through holidays) to cover all the shifts you'll have to work. If you can't afford that, I would hesitate. You don't want to pay out a year of uni fees then run into difficulty because of childcare.

Think again