To change careers to nursing as a single parent?

[DuckPancake]

I am 31 and a single parent to 4yo DS, he starts school this September. I do not currently work in healthcare. I'm aware that there are various routes into becoming a registered nurse now, but my circumstances are making it difficult for me to identify which route would be best for me;

I already hold a bachelor's degree in an unrelated subject (I graduated in 2021) so I don't think I can get student financing for the tuition fees for a BSc in nursing - does anyone know if this is true? I’ve been invited to write a short personal statement through clearing for January cohort, but unsure whether to bother if I can’t get tuition fee support.

The other option is to start right at the bottom as an apprentice healthcare assistant in the NHS and work my way up with a degree apprenticeship towards registered nurse status.

The next obvious issue I face is getting childcare covered during the unsociable shift hours… I feel like I’m hitting a brick wall. I do have my parents around but I’m unsure to what extent I’ll need to ask them to help out.

Has anyone successfully done this in similar circumstances?

@DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou yes this is my answer when people ask why I’m doing it when it’s long hours and low pay but I do it because I love it the money is just a nice bonus for me

@DuckPancake I started my nursing at the brick uni 7 years ago but then fell pregnant, I wasn’t a single parent and I couldn’t return to finish because I just didn’t have the support in place for childcare full time. I have had to wait until my youngest has started primary school before starting back at the beginning doing it this route and it will take me 4 years instead of 3 as it’s classed as part time and I still stress over childcare, speak to the people who will be helping you before applying to make sure they will definitely help you.

Its worth noting that in my trust you would be expected to spend at least 18 months as a b5, our current annexe posts take 2 years from 5 till 6 and there are usually more band 5 than 6 vacancies. Band 7 vacancies are rare. My old team had 5 band 5's, 2 band 6's and one band 7 for example.

Often there's an unrealistic expectation of how quickly you can rise to a band 6 or 7 when it depends on the setting. A band 6 in my old team is a deputy ward manager so its not an automatic progression from a 5

Agree that you will need lots of support child care wise. You'll be expected to do full time hours whilst on placement covering the shift pattern, even if its a day shift 9-5 you would need school pick ups, but its likely you'll have long day shifts (finishing after typical nursery hours) night shifts.
In general it tends to be night shifts and weekends that are harder to get child care for as its not something most paid childcare settings cover.
I also had placements some hours from my house (although didn't have kids so may have been closer if i asked!)

I eventually chose OT. A full time ot course is full on hours at uni (i would assume nursing the same) mine was 9-5 hours at least 4 days a week but even part time you were expected to do full time placements. Our placements were up to 12 weeks, sometimes a solid hour drive from home (or longer) so you'd need 8-6 cover for 12 weeks at a time. There is a push for ots to no longer work 9-5 so some placements and jobs for OT do follow shift patterns eg weekends and long days that they didn't used to

I've been an OT for 30 years and always regret not doing nursing. It's a myth that the hours are always more family friendly in OT. Yes they are office hours but nursing has far more flexibility, and more vacancies to choose from.
Don't let yourself be talked out of it OP. Have you looked at post grad masters courses? They are only 2 years and are funded. My DD did one in mental health nursing with a first degree in English lit.

Not all nursing posts require night shifts or weekend work. Nurses in hospital clinics or on elective day surgery units for example don’t do them.
However, for a science graduate, it’s not exactly the best paid option of career, OP. Have you considered training in IT or business? My DDs are on £50K and £70K respectively at the ages of 31 and 30, and both work 9 to 5. The latter’s company has just granted all staff a four day week on full pay, for the duration of the summer!

Biggest ongoing issue is child care. If you have to do 13 hour shifts, will you parent provide and be well enough to provide all day care? If you have a 7am start, where will your son go before school? A 9.30 finish where can he go/ stay until you come home? To be honest, nursing with no other source of childcare is impossible, without then spending lots of money on childcare. Difficult to get school holidays as that's what most people want. Not trying to be a downer, but nursing is not single parent friendly, purely because of the shift patterns, unless you can find a GP surgery- but the pay usually isnt great.

I think it depends on how much you actually want to be a nurse, if it's a real desire then seriously consider it. Im a nurse and a manager now. its a 9-5 which is easier childcare wise but the level of responsibility is huge. Having said that I've completed a post grad in teaching and hoping to start that in Further Ed soon- the level of responsibility I'm hoping will lessen.
Childcare is a major issue with the unsocial hours- also most nursing posts expect a degree of flexibility- i.e. is someone rings in sick. My DH is also a nurse and in the years that we both worked shifts we would have been snookered without my SIL who has been our childminder all along and doesn't mind covering unsocial hours.

If I had my day back I think I would have gone for another profession in healthcare with less responsibility and more predicatable hours.

@Katefoster

I wouldn't do all the training that's required for a nurse for the awful pay they get. I'd recommend being a dental nurse if you like people, being a hospital is way better as there's more flexibility and it's more laid back. You get paid while you do your training and if it's NHS you'll be a band 4 if it's practice you'll likely be on more. I was on 30K in my last job. It's way more flexible and no weekends/nights

One of my kids is a nurse, still in their 20s and a higher rate tax payer without overtime. Post grad qualifications and promotion can make a big difference. They don't do nights either but they do on calls for week ends but it is a rota so not every week.

I would try spending a few months working as a carer first to see if it's the type of work for you before jumping in and committing to do your training. So many people believe they can do it, but to on to find that the practicalities are very difficult indeed, especially dealing with the emotional and practical sides of the job.

It's looking impossible childcare-wise... what else can I train in in healthcare that has more sociable hours?

I'm also due to end my current employment without another job to go to in a couple of weeks, it was so awful.

@DuckPancake social work? Not totally healthcare but they do deal with hospitals etc when sorting out care packages etc

@DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou
Can I ask how you'll be on 31k in a year if you qualified 7 months ago? Have you been promoted to a band 6 already? When I was looking at pay bands the other day, it looked like you'd be on 31k once you reached the top of your band?

@Singinghollybob yes I wondered this? When I qualify in a few years I’ll start on £25,000 and the top of my band will be £31,000 I think but that’s yearly increments up to that amount

You’d be better off as an allied health professional eg OT, physio, SLT. Most work pretty much office hours (I work 8.30-4.30 as an OT and 1 in 6 Saturday’s) Much more family friendly.

@HotChocolateLover what about the training though? What will placements be like? Where I am we get OT/physio/SALT students coming from the uni 2 hours away so they must be staying nearby?

Can I ask if anyone knows if ODP tuition fees would be funded as a second degree? Just finished undergrad in a biological sciences degree, have been wondering what to do next as I would love to do medicine but think it will be too long, hadn't heard of ODP but it looks really interesting and there are a few unis near me that do the course. Can't afford to pay the fees myself though.

Op I’m also 31 and about to qualify as an adult nurse. Having solid childcare in place for placements is definitely the key, I’m a single parent but get a lot of help from my parents and family and they have helped loads with DS. When I qualify I’ve got a Monday-Friday 9-5 job (in a clinic) so much more family
Friendly hours that can be sorted with school and wrap around care. The 3 years have been hard but have flown by, if you can sort childcare I’d say go for it

@DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou that's brilliant but it's not what happens to everyone. All my friends who are nurses are severely underpaid and overworked. No 30K Is is brilliant for a dental nurse 😂 I'm on 21K now in a hospital but it's so much less work, better hours, better AL, Mat Pat etc

@StudentPurse I’m really hoping I can go back into a community post (currently HCSW with community nurses) doing maybe 28 hours mainly 8.30-4.30 with the odd 12 hour shift and a run of night shifts (2 nights or so) every 6 months or so

I was a single parent at uni so have experience of the trials and tribulations. I had a reasonable adjustment made for me and that was that my placements had to be local and because I live in a big city they were all within either walking distance or a short car ride. There’s usually a way around it.

I am a nurse and unless it is your absolute passion I would not recommend this career to anybody!

Physician Assistant/Associate?

Work in a variety of medical settings. Link below to PA job in GP surgery.

www.bmj.com/careers/job/136826/physician-associate/?LinkSource=SimilarJobPlatform

@Singinghollybob I'm not on 31k now but I will be in a year. So 18 months after qualifying.

I'm training to be a HV, so after that year is up I will be band 6.
And I guess if I plug at it I can find a band 7 if I look about. I'm not keen on continuing up though.

What about Radiography? All newly qualified Radiographers progress to band 6 following their preceptorship (takes max 2 years). 2nd degree funding is available too