Want To Work Full Time While Earning Your Nursing Degree? Here's How!

Many people who wish to attend nursing school have simply given up on the idea because they can't allow themselves the "luxury" of quitting work and dedicate at least two years of their life, full-time, to their education. After all, two years is a LONG time to go without a salary.

And the two years we've mentioned is just for an Associate Degree! The standard Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree takes four years.

That's fine for recent high school graduates whose parents will foot the entire bill, or for someone who has a spouse who is working and can support them for the entire length of their schooling, or for people who don't mind graduating from school with massive debt.

For the rest who have different circumstances as those described above, this is your best option:

Start out by enrolling in a part-time evening LPN degree program. This will generally be an 18-month program. Full-time LPN programs generally take 12 months, but they are much more intense, and it will be very hard to work even part-time during such a program.

When you complete that first step and become a Licensed Practical Nurse, you can then take any pre-requisite courses that you will need before you can be accepted into an LPN to RN bridge program. There are about 8 of these subjects which include college level Algebra, Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Psychology, Nutrition, and Human Growth and Development. You may already have taken some of these classes. Either way, you can take them a couple at a time online or at a local community college while you work full-time.

After that, it's time to apply to an online LPN to RN bridge program to get an Associate's Degree in Nursing. Expect to complete this within a year and a half; but don't forget that you are still juggling both work and nursing studies. Plus, it is very likely that your employer will help pay for some or all of your continuing health care education, particularly if you are already connected to a hospital or health care facility.

Going to traditional nursing school is not the only way to have a career in nursing. As we've outlined above, you can still enjoy a good income working full time, even as you slowly but just as surely get that nursing degree!

LPN programs are a great way to get your nursing career started even if you have a full-time job. Check out our site to learn more about these nursing programs and to find schools in your state that offer them.