How to Juggle Parenting and a Nursing Career

Nursing and parenting are two roles that require attention, hard work, and patience. At times, it can be difficult to give both the attention they need, which could impact your career and your children. While there is no getting away from the busyness of both responsibilities, there are ways to organize your life to ensure neither is neglected. 

Say No More Often 

Do you find yourself saying "yes" to plans, even when you know it'll cause stress and fatigue to get there? As someone who works long shifts and needs to look after children, do yourself a favor and start saying no a little more. It might be hard, especially if you're eager to help out at the bake sale or you enjoy a packed social life, but it's essential to prioritize your family and career at this stage. 

That isn't to say you can't do anything outside your life as a parent or a nurse, just that you should avoid taking too much on at once when you already have important responsibilities. 

Study from Home

Many nurses reach a stage in their careers where they wish to progress, and this is an excellent choice! Whether you want to become a manager, nurse practitioner, or even just get started in a nursing career, studying to achieve this will provide you and your family with better opportunities. 

The catch is that studying takes up a lot of time - if you're working and going to school, there'll be little time left to spend with your kids. To avoid this, choose an online course for your studies - there are plenty out there! There are even online ABSN programs to kick-start your nursing career from home, allowing you to get started as a nurse without spending too much time away from your children. Have a look at https://onlineabsnprograms.com/ for more information. 

Ask for Chosen Hours 

While choosing your hours won't always be an option, it is always worth having a word with your boss to see if they can allow you a little more freedom with your working hours. Let them know your situation, especially if your children are very young, and hopefully, they can accommodate your needs. 

Night working appeals to many nursing parents, as they can sleep when their kid is at school and greet them when they come home, only needing to leave for work once their little one is tucked up in bed. 

Set up a Routine 

When you have so many responsibilities, having a set routine is crucial. If your work hours often change, take some time to sketch out a plan at the beginning of each week, making sure you're realistic with your timings. By doing this, you'll see clearly when you have some spare time, allowing you to slot in quality time with the kids or even a much-needed nap! 

Work Close to Home 

If you can, choose a workplace that is close to your home to cut down on commute time. This way, if your kids ever need you quickly, they won't have to wait hours for you to get there. Plus, it will give you peace of mind knowing your little ones are never too far away. 

Tell Your Kids About Your Day 

While you may no longer think of sickbeds and jabs as interesting, your kids probably do! Once you've finished your long shift and you've traveled home, take the time to tell your children about the day you've had, from the funny patient who told a silly joke to the incredibly quick recovery of one of your patients. 

Letting your kids in on this part of your life will strengthen your bond with them, and you never know, they might just become healthcare workers themselves one day! 

Create a Support Network 

A support network will prove life-saving on the days where your boss asks for extra hours or your kids are sick and need constant attention. By getting your partner, parents, siblings, and friends on board to help when necessary, you ensure you don't burn out at the worst of times. The bigger the network, the better, as you won't have to ask the same person over and over again. 

Use Your Nursing Knowledge at Home 

The benefits of knowing how to care for the sick don't just help you at work; they could also come in handy when your little ones are poorly. As well as knowing the best ways to treat them, you will also be equipped at dealing with discomfort, sadness, and tantrums - after all, most nurses have seen it all! 

The skills you pick up as a nurse will help you in many areas of life, but especially with your own children, so don't completely switch off your nursing brain when you walk through your front door. 

Plan Fun Activities When You Have a Free Day 

The chances are your kids don't see you as much as they want to, as nursing hours are often long. While there isn't much to combat this (other than cutting down your hours), a great way of making up for it is to make the most of the time you do have with your little ones. 

When you next have a day spare with your kids, plan a fun activity that you can all enjoy as a family. You could go bowling, to the cinema, or simply to the local park - by taking them somewhere they love, they'll hold special memories of you forever. 

Get into Meal Prepping 

As a busy parent, your goal is to save as much time as possible, and meal prepping will help you there. Instead of spending hours over the stove or residing to microwave meals each night, dedicate a few hours each week to planning and cooking food for the entire week. 

Meal prepping will save you time and money and ensure you and your kids eat healthy meals without much effort in the evenings. 

Talk to Other Nurse Parents 

It's important to remember that you are not alone. Sometimes, the weight of being away from your kids for too long on top of the stresses of the shift can feel overwhelming, and in times like this, it helps to talk to someone, and no one fits the bill better than other nurse parents. 

Seek them out at work - there'll be plenty - and share your trials, errors, and achievements when it comes to looking after young ones while working such an intense job. They might provide some sacred advice or even just be an understanding shoulder to cry on when times get tough. It's better to stick together! 

Create a Speedy Morning Routine 

Save as much time in the day as possible by coming up with a morning routine that sees no minute spared. For example, you could spend fifteen minutes showering and dressing, ten minutes eating breakfast, fifteen minutes with your kids, and an extra ten minutes getting everything else organized for the day. This totals only fifty minutes but still includes caring for both yourself and your children, allowing you to sleep in a little longer.  

Hire Some Help

There is no shame in needing outside help, so if your kids need extra attention while you're at work, consider hiring a nanny or babysitter. This way, you can rest assured that their needs are seen to when you're too busy to be there. Plus, whoever you hire can fill you in on all the activities your little one got up to while you were busy nursing! 

Keep Clothes and Toiletries in Your car 

As a nurse and a parent, you won't always find the time to go home and change before heading out again, so keep some spare clothes and toiletries in your car at all times. If your teacher rings because your child needs picking up, for example, you'll be prepared to change and get there as soon as possible. 

Being prepared in this way is also helpful when you have plans after work. You have little time to spare, so by getting ready in your car, you save the time it would take you to go home and do the same. 

Take Time to Yourself

It's crucial to understand that not every spare minute of yours needs to go to your children. While you should prioritize spending as much time with them as possible, it's also necessary for you to have time alone. Without it, you could end up burning out, negatively affecting yourself, your children, and your career. 

If you have a couple of days off work, take a couple of hours completely to yourself. You could read a book, take a walk, or enjoy a hot bottle bath - just make sure it's relaxing and revitalizing. 

Make the Most of Every Moment

One day, you'll look back on these years in awe, wishing you could step into the body that allowed you to raise your kids while caring for those in need. Both of your roles are admirable and exciting, so make the most of every moment. 

Being both a nurse and a parent isn't easy, but the best things in life rarely are, so appreciate the time you have and never take a second for granted.