How to Successfully Study to be a Nurse While Raising a Family

Updated on June 23, 2021

When you have a family, no matter how young or old your children are, you will always find it hard to balance what you want to do and what needs to be done, especially if you want to have a career. Time goes quickly, and it can be challenging managing your time and ensuring that you get the most out of life as an individual and as a parent. Going for a career as a nurse may have been something that you have wanted to do for a little while, or it may have been something that you decided to do just recently. Whatever led you to make this decision, it is important that you invest as much as you can to make it happen, and at times you need to be aware that this will involve making compromises and sacrifices.

The Juggling Act

Studying can take a lot out of you, especially when you are raising a family, so it is important to remember that you are trying to juggle lots of things and that nobody is perfect. Pushing yourself can affect your mental health and well-being so remember to focus on what you want to achieve and why. Utilize support from family and friends where you can to ensure that you can juggle everything you need to. From the assignment deadlines and research for your study program to the loads of laundry that are piling up. Juggling everything is something you will need to do, and it is something that you will need to accept.

Getting the Right Program and Studying Online

To help you become a nurse, you need to study the right program, and if you already have a degree, then the right program will be a BSN, for which you need to look at online BSN to nurse practitioner programs which can be undertaken and completed around your family life and any other commitments you have. Studying online is essential when you have a family as you need convenience, and you need to have the maximum amount of flexibility as things can happen or change at the last minute, which may mean you have to move the time of day you study. When you study online, you ensure that you get a top education from the comfort of your own home.

Choosing a Top Provider

When it comes to studying online, it is important that you go with a recommended educational provider. There are many websites that claim to offer top courses, but unless they can back up these claims, they are not right for you and your studies. Top providers have good reviews and recommendations, and they have links to other professional establishments. A top provider will be one that is easy and convenient to contact and one that is always on hand to help and guide you whenever you need it. Studying online may feel isolating at times, and this is why a good support system from an educational establishment is important.

What Does a Fantastic Nurse Look Like?

It is important to remember early on that there is no such thing as a perfect nurse; there are just people trying to do their best to help patients around them. Although there are no perfect nurses, fantastic nurses have features and traits that you may want to aspire to. For example, they will be quite selfless, and they will ensure that no matter what, patient care comes first. A fantastic nurse will be professional at all times, and they will always embrace professional learning and development to ensure they are the best that they can be.

Finding and Achieving a Balance

When you are studying online, you will find your time easier to manage than if you were at a physical campus, but you will still find it difficult to achieve and find a happy balance. There will be times when you are on top of your workload and times when you feel that you will never meet deadlines. It is important to communicate openly and effectively to ensure that everyone knows what is going on, when, and why.Managing your time is a skill that you must utilize to get the most out of your studies and the most out of your family time. It can be hard to manage your time and find a balance but creating a schedule or timetable will help you stay on track.

Remember Why You Want to Be a Nurse

When studying feels a bit overwhelming and you feel like the housework is getting to you, it is important to take a step back and remember what is driving you. Remembering just why you want to be a nurse can ensure that you have the direction and focus to succeed in your studies and working life. So, do you want to be a nurse because you had a positive experience at some stage, or do you want to make a noticeable and tangible difference to the care that patients receive within your local community? Your choices and motivations will be personal, and they will most likely be different from other people’s, so it is important to always focus on your goals, ambitions, and driving forces.

Top Tips for Studying from Home

Studying from home can give you extra time to spend with your family, but it can also be stressful to try and get work completed when you are driven to distraction, so here are 3 top tips to ensure success:

  1. Create a dedicated work area – Whether this is a separate room or it is a section of space within a living space, you need your own working area that is free from the distractions of home life.
  2. Keep set study times – Let others within your family, and home know just when you will be studying as this will help to avoid confusion and unnecessary stress.
  3. Take regular breaks – Trying to get all of your studies and work done quickly and in one go is no good for achieving a balance, so remember to take regular breaks when studying to refresh and revitalize yourself.
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