You may be familiar with the report entitled “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health” that was published in October 2010 by the Institute of Medicine. This report provided eight recommendations regarding how the roles of nurses and nursing education should adapt to accommodate changes in the US healthcare system. Ultimately, the goal is to assure that the nursing workforce is prepared to provide the best possible patient care to a diverse and expanding patient population.

Going Back to Nursing School

One recommendation from the report states that nurse leaders in the academe should work together to increase the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree. This has garnered a lot of attention, especially since it seeks a raise from 50 percent to 80 percent by 2020.  

As a result of the IOM report and other environmental factors, many nurses are now choosing to further their education by obtaining a BSN or MSN. Some opt for education leading to a specialized advanced practice role. However, in today’s economy, it is difficult for most people to quit work and devote time to a nursing program. Post-secondary education can be expensive and nursing is no exception. Balancing work and school obligations, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle for yourself and with your family, can be challenging.

Before embarking on such a journey, there are steps that you can take to increase your likelihood of success.

Get Real

It is so important to set realistic expectations for yourself. It may not be possible for you to attend school on a full-time basis. It may be that you only are able to manage one or two classes at a time along with all of your other responsibilities.

In reality, it can be a good idea to “start out slowly” and not attempt more than those one or two classes during your first term back in school. This approach can provide you with enough information to know whether this class load is enough for you or whether you can manage more hours during subsequent terms. There is nothing wrong with continuing your education on a part-time basis. In fact, this is very common for students who are also working professionals.

Ask for Advice and Help

It can also be helpful to talk to and seek the advice of others who have attended school and worked at the same time. Those individuals may be able to provide you with time management tips. They can also offer information about the time requirements and expectations for specific courses that you plan to take. Take a look at the article about time management at do my essay today academic website for more details. Establishing effective time management skills will serve you well and will help you become better organized, therefore increasing your confidence level and chance of success.

If it is possible for you to arrange your work schedule to accommodate your class schedule, that can also be helpful. If you can work part-time and still make it financially, do it. In any case, do what you can to gain the support of your employer and take advantage of whatever resources may be available to you. For example, there may be scholarships or other types of financial support available if you agree to continue employment at that facility for a specified period of time after graduation.

Don’t feel guilty about taking time for yourself to relax, exercise, read a book that has nothing to do with nursing, etc. You need it, and it will help you to put things in perspective and focus on your end goal of improving the quality of care that you can provide to those in your community as well as possibly providing you with better job opportunities.