by Megan Flaherty
May 31, 1998

If you’re a working nurse pursuing a higher educational degree, you’re probably trying to cram a lot into a week. Or maybe you’ve put off returning to school because the schedule seemed daunting. You’ve got to give 100 percent at your job, pay attention during classes, and keep up with your studying, not to mention finding time for family and friends.

But you can survive, and even thrive, on the challenge, say educators and nurses who have been there. Here is their advice for successfully juggling work, school, and a personal life.

1. Be up-front with your employer

Talk to your manager, vice president of nursing, or human resources director before you start an RN-to-BSN or master’s program. In general, nurse managers encourage employees to obtain higher degrees and will accommodate class schedules, said Lorain Brault, MS, NP, RN, vice president of operational resources for the Healthcare Association of California and an instructor at California State University, Los Angeles. Once you’ve begun, alert your employer to your class schedule as far in advance as possible. Keeping your employer in the loop could save money, too. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement, scholarships, or loans.

Of course, it’s important to keep work and school separate even if your employer is understanding, said Anne Hakes, RN, an MSN candidate at CSU Los Angeles who is working three-quarters time at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. "The people at work are supportive, but still expect 100 percent from me when I’m here."

2. Tailor your program

Nursing schools recognize that most of their RN-to-BSN and master’s students aren’t traditional college students who are available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To attract students, schools are finding creative ways to meet students’ scheduling needs.

Some schools schedule several classes in a row so students need to be on campus only one day a week. Others offer only night and weekend classes. Some offer courses on an intensive basis so that students spend two or three consecutive eight-hour days together, then meet periodically during the
semester.

At California State University, Sacramento, candidates for a master’s in school nursing come from as far away as Chico, Tahoe, and Solano for one full weekend a month of instruction. And several schools provide distance learning opportunities, which allow students to take courses via the Internet or teleconferencing.

Employers are also partnering with educators. For example, Kaiser Permanente uses teleconferencing to broadcast classes from Oakland to facilities statewide so nurses don’t even have to leave the workplace to attend classes. And Long Beach Memorial Medical Center hosts instructors on campus.

Depending on where you live, you may have several—or only a few—options. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to choose a program that’s right for you.

3. Shore up your support

A support network of family and friends can help you maintain a positive attitude when you get discouraged or overwhelmed, said Erica Buck, RN, an MSN candidate at CSU Los Angeles who works 60 hours every two weeks at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Long Beach.

"If students don’t have a good sounding board, they don’t make it," said Deanna Balantac, MS, RN, professor at Sacramento State’s division of nursing.

Your support network can provide more than emotional aid. Nancy Carlson, MBA, RN, assistant director of California division nursing services at Kaiser Permanente, was a single mother who worked full time while pursuing her advanced degree. She was in classes two nights a week and spent a lot of time studying. Carlson said she got through because of her family’s support. "Take advantage of the good will of your family. When they volunteer to take the kids, take them up on it."

4. Maintain your focus

Keep your eyes on the prize, say educators and nurses. Have a schedule for completing your degree, even if it’s long-term. It may seem like it’s going to take forever, but it won’t. "There is an end in sight," said Sandra Pepicello, PhD, MS, RN, dean at the University of Phoenix, which has branches all over the country. Always keep in mind that what you’re doing will open doors for you, she said.

"Even though education is lifelong learning, to get this particular piece of paper, you have to be focused," Balantac said. Persistence is the key, said Hakes, who took one class every quarter for six years to get
her BSN.

5. Weigh your sacrifices carefully

You may have to give up some hobbies when you return to school. Some students replace their outside interests—like softball one night a week—with school, Pepi-
cello said.

Some short-term sacrifices are worthwhile, but others aren’t. You have to be able to take the kids to the park without feeling guilty, for example, and you have to plan time for yourself that’s not related to school, Balantac said.

6. Manage your time wisely

Setting priorities and making lists is an investment. Ten minutes spent thinking now about what you have to accomplish will save you time and energy later, say students and educators.

Plan your week rather than your day, said Linda Searle, MN, RN, assistant professor of clinical nursing and a PhD candidate in healthcare administration at the University of Southern California. "Evaluate your priorities to determine which ones you really have to spend your time on. If you don’t take time out to determine which priorities are important, by the end of the day you may have done a lot of things, but not what you really needed to be doing," Searle said.

Buck says making lists helps. "For me, the busier I am, the more organized I get. I can’t waste a lot of time anymore." Even though she’s organized, the weeks when finals or mid-terms prevent her from getting much sleep are still rough. "Everything else happens those weeks, too—your car breaks down, you lose your wallet."

A successful juggler stays calm and keeps his or her sense of humor when problems arise, according to Cora Barrios, MSN, RN, director of education and consulting services at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles. "Stress is a self-fulfilling prophecy," she said.

7. Don’t neglect yourself or your responsibilities

"You need to take care of yourself so you can function better during the really stressful times," said Buck, who has maintained her running regimen while in graduate school.

Many nurses say they set aside a particular day when they’re not working or taking classes, like Sunday, to get caught up on errands and chores around the house.

8. Take a break if you need one

In your daily life, you should take time out to reflect on how you’re doing and if there’s something you need to be doing differently, according to Searle. "You have to set limits and say ‘no’ sometimes."

You may need to slow down, too. "People take on so much [with work and school] and worry ‘What will people think if I drop out?’ " said Lynne Whaley, MS, RN, senior vice president of nursing at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

Take a semester off if you’re feeling overwhelmed, or take only one class. "We get our egos wrapped in it" and sometimes hold ourselves to unattainable standards, she said.

9. Find ways to study on the run

You can sneak in studying almost anywhere if you have books or tapes on hand. "When I was going to school, I had four children and I was always in a hurry. I’d always carry a nursing journal or magazine while waiting in line," Balantac said. She also taped lectures and reviewed them on her commute from Sacramento to San Francisco for classes. "I’d listen to it again and again until it clicked."

Educators and students also recommend studying with classmates in groups.

10. Take advantage of technology

Technology can help even if you aren’t enrolled in a distance learning program or don’t attend classes via teleconference. If you’re computer literate, you can communicate with professors via e-mail and do research and discuss projects with other students online.

Your computer doesn’t have office hours, so you can use it whenever you have a spare minute.

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