Anyone trained to be a nurse?

[nowherewoman]

I did post in student parents but got no reply, just wondered if any lone parents have trained to be a nurse, is it do-able or am I mad to consider it? If anyone could share their experiences, I'd be so grateful.

Sadly it involves shiftwork , do you have childcare at night time for example?

i did the access course to do it then found out that when you are at uni & in your 2nd year you have to do different shifts like nights, early, lates so i haven't taken it further as i have nobody to have my boys.

Thanks bigchris and roastedfox (how sad you couldn't do it ) Exp would be able to have ds sometimes I think (although I haven't spoken to him yet about it) I'm going to some uni open days to see how the land lies. I think I'll need to find out exactly how many nights you have to do. Sounds like it might be pretty difficult.

My best friend has just qualified and is a lone parent. You need a good support network as yes the placement work is 12 hour shifts but then you would need this kind of childcare when you were working as a nurse.

Childminders do sometimes do overnight care.

Thanks dietcoke, didn't know that about childimders. Has your friend managed to retain her sanity?

She has changed alot over the last 3 years. Mostly for the better. She is more confident and has met lots of nice people. She also now knows what area she wants to work in.

I would say go for it! Im about to embark on a Social Work degree and was a lone parent until recently. Childcare was my biggesr worry but once I investigated solutions I felt a lot better.

Once you have qualified you will have a career with reasonable pay.

Brilliant that's just what I needed someone to say! I think when I qualify the world will be my oyster, there will be so many different areas I could work in.
I think it will actually be 2012 before I can start, but if I know what I'm working towards it won't seem so long. Should have done it years ago, that's my only regret (career-wise anyway)
Good luck with your degree.

Thank you....Im very nervous about doing my degree.

Will you have to do an access course to gain the entry requirement? If so enrol ASAP...you may still get on course this year.

Also the nurses dipolma is ending so look into this. The funding structure is different. With the dipolma its a NHS bursary you get but with the degree its student loans (which if you have a degree already means you are stuffed!)

One of the women on my friends course was a LP with 5 children and another was married with 13 (I think)......you'll be fine!

I need to look in to what I need, probably will be an access. I don't want to start until ds is in school, so it will have to be 2012 unfortunately.
I don't have a degree already thankfully! I think you still get some bursary with the degree but have to get a loan too.
Open days for unis are in october so should get a better picture then.
Thanks again everyone.

You will find placements will be very flexible with you regarding childcare.

There is no reason for them not to be, you will be supernumary, as long as you are honest and upfront about your difficulties.

I didn't train as a lone parent, but I did work for four years as an A and E Charge Nurse as one.

It's a fab job. People will help you. Shoe enthusiasm and willingness and much else will be accomodated.

Good luck!

Thanks retiredgoth, I'm getting really, really excited about it now, shame I have to wait. Working at the moment as a hca in the community so gaining plenty of good experience.

I am a nurse, and it is the best job ever ( APART FROM BEEN A MUM OF COURSE) i think you will find that night shifts could be arranged around childcare if you give your mentor some prior warning, it may be that you have to work diferent to your mentor but i think sometimes that is a good thing anyway, we all work different as nurses, so working with others you will see different things.
Go for it we only live once and its a fantastic job, and very rewarding..........

GOOD LUCK

Thanks belleshell, think my mind's made up now

I'm doing occupational therapy. I know it's not nursing but the hours are much better for a LP. Only during the daytimes and no weekends. It's a fab careers in my opinion and very rewarding. You get to work with people and help them but just in a different way to nursing.

I'm also a nurse although I qualified before having my dd. It'll be hard work but def possible, unless its changed you only get a bursery with the diploma. I only needed 5 gcses to get on the diploma course but they might have changed that as well (I started training 10yrs ago which is really scary as has gone very quickly!!!)Most mentors would be understanding and supportive if they know upfront that you are a single parent and have childcare to sort out. Mostly placement s are kind to you and don't make you do hideous shift patterns!!It is a hard job but rewarding and I def love it!!!

My mum trained to be a nurse, as a lone parent, when we were teenagers. She used to work shifts but now works regular office hours as a community nurse specialising in learning disability.

She went from being a poorly paid occupational therapy assistant to a well paid nurse. She has now paid off her mortgage on her own, has a nice car, holidays every year and she no longer struggles. She never took a penny in benefits or any child maintenance. I am so proud of her.

Thanks again everyone, my mind's made up now, you've confirmed it will be hard but worth it