Nurses are the backbone of the country because they are the backbone of the medical industry. RNs and APRNs do the most for patients per visit. They are there to provide you comfort and medical expertise for everything from a false alarm to caring for you before and after surgery.
Nursing is far more accessible than being a doctor is as well. You can start your career as a nurse with at-home responsibilities like raising children. The very first step on the nurse’s career ladder only takes a few weeks to do, allowing you to start getting paid while you continue to work, study, and juggle your personal responsibilities.
It certainly isn’t easy being a mother and a nurse, especially as you get further into your career and need the BSN, the MSN, and would even benefit from a post-graduate certificate. With this guide, however, you should be able to get it done much more easily, and that is without sacrificing quality time with your kids:
Find the Right Workplace for You
Working mothers, especially if you are a single parent, need to have consistency in their day. It’s better for their kids, and it’s better for their health. While many nurses work in hospitals, there are many other positions you could take up that will allow you to get paid well and give you a bit more control and balance over your workday.
School nurses, clinic nurses, palliative care nurses, research nurses – the list goes on. They can, of course, be a bit competitive, so if you are currently working in a hospital, keep trying to find a position that will better suit you so that you can progress your career and take care of your little ones with better balance (and energy).
Rely on Online Learning
Online degrees are the future, especially for nurses. If you have a previous degree, you can fast-track through your BSN, and you can further customize your career in the future after your post-graduate degree by earning an APRN certificate instead of going for another full nursing degree. Take whatever shortcut is available to you, and make sure the bulk of it is online and designed to be completed online. There will always be clinical hours, yes, but those should be arranged with a hospital near you.
Learn When Your Kids Do Their Homework
Leading by example is a great way to raise kids, and what better way to prove to them how important learning and consistent work is than learning alongside them? They have their homework, and you have your study time. By working together, you can get the educating parts of your day done in a social, cozy family environment.
Give Your Children Responsibilities
Share responsibilities like cooking, cleaning, and other everyday chores. When doing them together, it feels like a group contribution, rather than having your kids or yourself do your own chores when you have the time. Once again, this can help you get essential tasks out of the way so that you can spend more time with your kids. It doesn’t even matter if they go off with their friends afterward. You can talk to each other and spend time together cooking dinner, doing the laundry, or cleaning up. Just stay nearby, and you can turn boring chore time into good social time.
Keep Your Promises
Don’t promise the world. Always disappointing your kids is the worst thing you can do as a parent, especially when there is a much easier solution. If you cannot make their play recital on opening night because you cannot get out of work, don’t promise that you’ll make it work; instead try to make a plan that will suit and please everyone.
If you keep your word, then your kids can trust you. They won’t get their hopes up and can instead rely on you.
It Takes a Village
Being a mother, being a nurse, and being a person are all full-time jobs in and of themselves, but you are not in this alone. Don’t let your kids parent themselves, but ask friends and family to help out. If your parents are nearby, set up a good routine with them, and this includes organizing it so that you can have an afternoon once a week or month just to yourself. There are many people who will love your kids, so let them help and share the load.
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