Hey Everyone,
I hope everyone’s week is going good. My week has been very interesting (that is for a later post). I received another “ask me a question”. I seriously LOVE LOVE getting questions….its fun hehe! This question comes from Kim all the way in Milwaukee, WI. Here is what she asked:
“Hello…
1)Are you employed while in school?
2)Were the dosage calculations difficult?
3)Do you choose how many hours a day you do clinicals?thanks,Kim, milwaukee,wi”
Kim, these are some really good questions because the answers to these questions are hard to find unless you know someone specific to ask. I would have loved to known the answers to these questions when I started nursing school to become a RN. Great questions!
Do You Work While in Nursing School? Should Nursing Students Work While in College?
Am I employed while I am in school? The answer to this is yes and no. I am doing a four year nursing program. During the first two years I took just regular courses like math, English, history, speech…etc (which were somewhat easy classes that didn’t require a lot of time and dedication like nursing classes), so I worked at a job pulling around 25-30 hours a week. I actually worked at a local Tanning Salon LOL….yeah helping the world get skin cancer…bad me…but it paid good…plus commission.
Then when I got accepted to nursing school I quit my job that following summer because I didn’t think I could have handled it. However, looking back on it I probably could have but it would have been hard…plus I’m married and I needed to have time to spend time with my husband (plus I could quit because he was bringing in a pay check). So if you are thinking about working and going to nursing school….it can really done. I have a lot of friends who make great grades and work. But you might want to consider that if you are married and have kids…may be cutting your hours back because you don’t want to take on too much. However, if you are single I say totally go for it because people do it all the time. Plus the whole working thing depends on what you can handle.
Dosage and Calculations in Nursing School Hard?
Are dosage and calculations difficult? I totally stink at math….that is one reason I picked nursing because I figured at least there will be no math…lol well there is a little bit of math in nursing school but it is basic math like adding, subtracting, dividing, and multiplying. No stupid algebra (hate that stuff). At first, it took me a couple of days to grasp the whole dosage and calculations stuff but after I kept practicing and practicing the questions it started to click and now D&C problems are my favorite thing on a test because I know I will at least get these questions right lol. So no they aren’t difficult…if you don’t get them at first I suggest you practice and practice them and I swear they will eventually click. If you have problems with them I suggest searching the web for free practice questions. Check out my last post on Dosage and Calcuation Problems..
How Many Hours Do I Work Clinicals?
Do I choose how many hours a day I do at clinicals? When I first started clinicals in nursing school, I didn’t get to pick how many hour I pulled at clinicals a day. My assigned professor picked how many hours my group pulled daily. I think every semester you have to get in so many clinical hours so it is up to your professor how many hours you pull a day. One time one of my professors let us vote on how many hours we wanted to do a day. I have had to pull hours ranging from 8, 10, or 12 hours a day for clinicals. However, since I’m in my last semester of nursing school I am on my own and I get to make my own schedule. I pull 12 hours per day because I think it is easier that way and I get more hours faster. Plus that is what I’m going to be doing after I graduate so I figure I better get use to it.
Kim, I hope I answered all of your questions. If you ever have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask. Good luck with your nursing career. I think you will like nursing because there is so much you can do as a nurse. You are not just limited as being a bedside nurse.
Thinking about going to Nursing School?
Are you contemplating going to nursing school, or are you actually in nursing school right now? Nursing school can be challenging, especially if you do not know what to expect. Here is a great guide by S. L. Page BSN, RN called “How to Pass Nursing School“. This book gives you detailed information about how to pass nursing school from beginning to end. S.L. Page, the creator of this website, complied all the information students what to know about nursing school into one easy to read guide. She gives in depth information on how to succeed in nursing school.
S.L. Page graduated from nursing school with honors and passed the NCLEX-RN on her first try. In this ebook, she reveals the strategies she used to help her succeed.
Here is what the book looks like:
