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The balancing act

Stressed Out Nurses Weekly, July 23, 2007

Are you stressed about how to balance work and family while becoming a nurse? For all you non-traditional nursing students, nursing student wannabes, and everyone else who could use a time management tip or two, this article is for you. Heather Grondin, RN, a nurse from New Hampshire, provides some tips and tricks on how to balance it all, maintain your GPA, and maybe even get involved in student government:

So you have decided to go to nursing school, but are nervous about how you are going to balance the needs of your children, spouse, and employer with the challenges of an intensive nursing program. Most nursing schools require you to score nothing less than 70% or 80% on tests just to stay enrolled in the program. But it's okay! Stop stressing out.

Here are some tried and true tips to help you balance it all without making everyone, including yourself, miserable.

Identify your needs: Your first step is to make a list of what you need to be successful in your program. Prioritize these needs by placing the most important at the top of the list.

Communicate with your family: Let your family know what you need in order to be successful. It's a good idea to call a family meeting. You must be flexible with your needs, but know the top three that are necessary. In other words, find those pivotal needs that are crucial for your success. Inform your family of the sacrifices that will have to be made.

Organize your time: You must organize your time by using a daily planner. Schedule EVERYTHING, from the time it takes to travel to and from class, to time you will spend with your family.

For more of this story (plus a whole lot more!), please click here.

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