Considering starting a nursing degree while TTC?

[Sparkle2020]

Hi all. Cycle 16 ttc and have been working in hospitality for the last 6 years. It’s been very up and down and recently lost my job as “it’s January so we don’t need you” (great). I’ve been doing some thinking since then and have always been interested in doing nursing. I studied a year of adult nursing a few years ago but had to leave due to medical reasons (nothing that will happen again), anyway, I’m thinking maybe id like to go back? But would that be a stupid move when ttc?

Can I ask if anyone knows much about student finance? I have 18 months of uni in the past, so am I likely to still get the 3 years of funding?

You won’t be eligible to funding.

Previous study
If you have previously received UK or other EU public funds for one or more courses of higher education, you may still receive full support to study a nursing or midwifery course at undergraduate level. This does not apply if your previous course was in nursing or midwifery.

www.saas.gov.uk/full_time/nmsb/eligibility.htm

Would you consider training for other NHS roles - maybe OT, physio etc?

But OTs and physios get paid the same as nurses, we’re all on the same pay scale. And physios have to work on calls and weekends.

So if TTC is possible and you do conceive whilst on your course, what’s the plan ?

@Troels I think you were agreeing with my post? I said the same as you.

You won’t be eligible to funding.

NOT TRUE OP.

You get the bursary therefore you will get funding.

I already have a degree had full student finance and no way would I be funded for a 'normal' degree.
Luckily, I got the bursary (last cohort that got it, I'm England), therefore I'm fully funded.

And you will be too.

Why on Earth would you consider this?
Nursing studies are full on and require placements. You’d need to do several , many thousand worded essays and a considerable amount of studying.
No... don’t try to conceive while studying to be a nurse.

Those saying you won’t be eligible for fund are wrong. Nursing (and a number of health degrees) are still eligible for fee loans even if you have previous degrees. www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/study-and-training/considering-or-university/financial-support-university

Additionally you would qualify for a bursary to help with living costs of 5k a year which will be more if you are doing a shortage degree like learning disability nursing or if you live in a shortage area or have childcare costs (this could happen if you end up taking a year out to have a baby). You would also still get the living cost bursary from student loans company.

She's only eligible for the bursary because she's in Scotland - just in case anyone reading this is considering their future in nursing. It's loans in England now.

Also I may have misinformation above. I said that because I had a previous degree I wouldn't be able to do nursing. Now the bursary is scrapped.
But that might not actually be true.

@Rhayader Op lives in Scotland, the eligibility to the NHS bursary is different and is covered in the link I posted. She will already have had an NHS bursary as she studied at least 6 years ago, so will to check if she could get a student loan as she’s not entitled to an NHS bursary

Ahhh I didn’t realise OP was in Scotland, sorry!

Thanks so much for the info about bursary’s! That’s helpful :) will just see how it goes on ucas and hop back on this post when I’ve given more thought

@Sparkle2020 you aren’t automatically entitled to funding as you’ve already had an NHS bursary, so will need to speak to the Students award agency to check eligibility. They may also question your health and fitness to practice as you dropped out of your course previously

www.saas.gov.uk/full_time/nmsb/index.htm

After I had my youngest when I returned to work I did do nights the second week back - went into work after that saying I couldn't do nights while I was breastfeeding - I was taken off of them for a year

I did my nursing degree as a single parent, and have done well for myself. Now stepping up to a band 7/8 role and am pregnant again (13 year age gap!).

I LOVE my job, nursing is one of the most flexible jobs in the world, whatever branch you're in you can find where you will be happy. You can do further training and do all sorts.

Is it hard work? Absolutely. I'm 34 weeks pregnant and this is my 8th working day in a row and I'll probably do another 4 before I get a day off. I'm on call overnight tonight as well.

We are not paid as well as we should be and that's partly our own fault. Partly government. Partly circumstance. It is what it is and all we can do at this point is campaign for better.

Be careful that you're not treated as a foreign student and charged the earth, a few people in Scotland have been caught out with that!

I'm glad you've done it and I hope it's what you need.

@DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou there's workplace grants in England now as well as of this year

Is it hard work? Absolutely. I'm 34 weeks pregnant and this is my 8th working day in a row and I'll probably do another 4 before I get a day off. I'm on call overnight tonight as well.
I'm not sure that's something to be proud of to be fair.

Why would you want to waste everyone's time and money?
What are you going to do if you conceive and you have a placement to do? Tell them you can't do it?
Time off for ante natal appointments?
Selfish.

It's obviously not the usual state of play @DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou but I'm perfectly healthy as is DD in utero (I had a scan today as it happens).

Sadly though emergencies happen and my point was to illustrate that you can't just walk away and carry on with life in this line of work and the OP has to accept that or stay in a job where she can.

That's right, nurses are so selfish. Fuckers.

How dare the dedicate their careers to saving people's lives, making people mor comfortable, well and helping their lives and wellbeing.
Worse still, nurses want a family AS WEL?!

WHAT CUNTS!

How would you manage being heavily pregnant/ with a tiny baby working a mixture of day/ night/ weekend shifts while on placement. Do you have childcare for days at uni? Can you afford it?

That was to @Chuffit

@DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou
Quite right. I'll tender my resignation immediately.

So you're a nurse and begrudge student nurses having kids?
Seriously?

That's even worse.

Why would you want to waste everyone's time and money? What are you going to do if you conceive and you have a placement to do? Tell them you can't do it? Time off for ante natal appointments? Selfish

Why is op selfish? She’ll be a student, and isn’t letting other staff down. Students are supernumerary and aren’t/shouldn’t be included in the wards staff numbers. If she does fall pregnant, she’ll be treated as any other pregnant woman and is entitled to attend her antenatal appointments, and probably will have her placement hours adjusted. If she doesn’t attend placement she’ll fail the course as it’s an NMC requirement.