Can i afford to give up my job to be a nurse?!

mrsreid

Hi everyone,

First of all i would like to say hello as i am a new poster, i regulary look through the forums but never post as most of my answers are on here!! so hi everyone!

I would be soo grateful if somebody could help me, i work full time with the NHS as a mental health administrator and have done for the last 6 years. However my dream has always been to be a Community Mental Health Nurse.

In order for me to go to uni i have to do a nursing access course. I have kept putting it off and off and now my husband has finally said to just do it!

The thing that is holding me back is financially, i am nearly 26, married with three children, 7,2,1. My eldest has an autism specturm disorder. My husband is not on a high wage if anything it is about 16k, my salary is 18k.

If i left work to go to college to do an access course, would i get help with childcare? I understand that i may be eligible for fee waived or if not the new government 24+ loan which i am fine with. I am just wondering and worrying about childcare, the lady i spoke to from the college said it would go on earnings, but obv i wouldnt be working at that time but from the previous year my income would be much higher thatn the 16k threshold for help with childcare.

I am worried about money so much and would we be able to live financially. i have put this off for soo long but my dream was to qualify before i was 30.

Im sorry for ranting on but if anybody could help me at all i would aprreiciate it so much.

o and i am a council tenant if that is any help. I have always worked and i feel i am stuck in a rut.

Please help

Emma

somethingcorporate

You should probably head over to the benefits board to ask what help you would get, rather than the jobs one.

CIS

My wife is a student nurse (aged 31 - although she did originally start 4 years ago and had to stop due to my son's autism) at the moment (nursing masters) , I earn about £18K and we have 2 children (1 with autism).

By the time we budget for childcare (after school and holidays) then the entire bursary (including the basic non-means tested amount & childcare) means we just break even on the child costs (with very little left over)- what's left is isn't a lot and we have to find extra to cover travel, meals etc.

clairec79

some colleges have the option of access in the evenings parttime over 2 years instead of full time for one) that may help until you get a place in uni as you would then have the bursary

Shoey1610

Just do it, if you are sure.

As a mental health administrator you should have a good idea of what the job will involve. If you can do it, then that is totally fantastic and I would never try to put someone off.

I worked as a qualified mental health nurse for 10 years, 7 on the ward, 3 in the community. I've trained and signed off student nurses too.

I think the difference you will find from mental health admin is the involvement and responsibility for individuals. You need to be sure that some nights you will be able to go home not knowing if you made the right decision, if someone will kill themselves. Then multiply that by a few chaotic patients. Then add in the ones who deserve funding for care but who will not get it despite your best efforts (because you will have to apply for the funding and justify it). Add to that the ones with children who have safeguarding issues and then the ones who you are not quite sure have safeguarding issues or not. Then add the consistent pressure to take on new people. Then add on the paperwork (although it sounds like you will know about this). The constantly flashing answerphone. The visiting the person with anorexia who won't eat to extent that they are hospitalised, together with the person who emails you to say they just took an overdose, but you didn't get the email until several hours later and you're not sure if they are dead, and they won't answer their phone, so you have to call the police to do a welfare check. You will have more clients than hours.

That's a typical week as a community mental health nurse. If you think you can handle it, then go for it, follow your dream, the NHS needs people like you. If not, you have a bloody good job with an NHS pension and three young children who don't need the stress of that brought home. Think carefully, it's a tough decision.

On the student side, 26 is very young so you would be fine in. Mental health is usually a second career choice. Please don't think I am trying to put you off, but it is a very hard job.

mrsdanreid

Thanks guys the part time ones available are still in the day, my employer will not let me cut I think. Maybe it's something I just have to jump into and everything will pan out lol!! Either that or a distance learning course

pauletruth

as your employed by the nhs have you asked your employer to sponsor you. the wife is being sponsored to do her DN degree. auxiliaries are sponsored to do the nurse training via the OU. they are paid there normal wage whilst training.