What’s it like studying Nursing with a busy working/family life?
At first glance, the very thought of managing studies, work and family life can seem daunting. Our students explain how they manage the demands of work, family life while studying.
Luckily, at Think Education, we are aware of these challenges. We ensure the workload is as flexible as possible to fit your busy life. Our Nursing students get the opportunity to choose how they want to study, whether it’s full-time, face to face, or blended. Our blended study mode mixes on-campus and online learning. Students attend classroom and simulated laboratory sessions one day per week. The rest of the time, they study from the comfort of their home and at their own pace. Thanks to this flexibility, getting a handle on all of life’s commitments is so much easier.
Let’s hear it straight from nursing our students, Ellyn Wright and Praveena Chand. Both of them are based in Sydney and are currently using our flexible blended study mode.
ELLYN: I am an AIN and I wanted to expand my skill set so that I could help others live a happy and healthy life. When my father was diagnosed with cancer, I felt helpless in regards to his care and diagnosis, so Nursing gives me the chance to help others in need every single day.
PRAVEENA: I’m working as a dental nurse, I love taking care of others and it gives me a sense of fulfilment when seeing people recover. Becoming a nurse will give me the opportunity to watch their progression to optimum health.
Why did you choose the blended mode study option?
ELLYN: I wanted to be able to attend classes but I also needed to earn an income to support myself, the Blended mode gave me that opportunity.
PRAVEENA: I choose the blended mode as I wanted to work and study at the same time, to stay financially comfortable. This enabled me to come to class only one day a week for clinical practice and review the theory component which was online. I found it suited me perfectly. The educators were always available, via email, skype or in person, when we needed further assistance and clarifications on our coursework.
ELLYN: The advantages of studying blended are that you still receive quality teaching even though you are not there full time. There is a lot of support you can access from home and extremely knowledgeable teachers ready to assist you with any questions you might have. The only challenge I had was that it can be hard to take time to sit down and study at home. But after a few weeks, I found that I looked forward to my study time, and it got easier and easier to follow up with my classes at home.
PRAVEENA: You can study at your own pace. There is a lot of support available from educators and other staff members such as Learning advisors, Program Coordinator. Thanks to the blended mode, I had no major interruptions in my family life. My main challenge was going back to study after a good 24 years break, it was really scary for me. I was really excited when I went back to class the first day, there were so many students from different age groups, different backgrounds… but all with one goal to become the best enrolled nurses. We ended being a very cohesive group of students and we all helped and encouraged each other.
ELLYN: Every Tuesday, when I attend class, has a positive impact on my studies. Sometimes getting things to sink into my brain at home is hard! But when I get to class and talk to Jane, my nurse educator, and my classmates it all makes sense. I have made lifelong friends and the things I have learnt not only will benefit my future career, but also my current job. I bring new information to work and my manager appreciate it. The whole experience is a positive one for me.
PRAVEENA: The teamwork component allowed me to share my ideas and to collaborate on the development of a communal project. The excellent support provided by my educator was also very much appreciated and helpful. I really admire her professionalism and dedication. She had a very caring approach, she taught us the fundamentals of nursing and guided us to work hard and practice what we learnt as this would lead us on the track to become good nurses. I hope I can follow in her footsteps and become a respected member of the nursing profession as an RN.
ELLYN: To anyone who is trying to decide between blended and face to face, I would say, pick the mode that is still going to let you do the things you are passionate about, whether it is family time, work or hobbies, for me that was blended. And depending on availability, you can always change learning methods, after all, life is not linear! Embrace the choice you make and give it all you’ve got.
PRAVEENA: Ask yourself the right questions, how much are you available to study? Do you need to work to be financially ok while you are studying? Is your employer flexible? Are you serious enough to study online? The course and career advisors are very helpful, they will guide you in the right direction.
Let’s hear it straight from nursing our students, Ellyn Wright and Praveena Chand. Both of them are based in Sydney and are currently using our flexible blended study mode.
What made you want to study Nursing?
ELLYN: I am an AIN and I wanted to expand my skill set so that I could help others live a happy and healthy life. When my father was diagnosed with cancer, I felt helpless in regards to his care and diagnosis, so Nursing gives me the chance to help others in need every single day.
PRAVEENA: I’m working as a dental nurse, I love taking care of others and it gives me a sense of fulfilment when seeing people recover. Becoming a nurse will give me the opportunity to watch their progression to optimum health.
Why did you choose the blended mode study option?
ELLYN: I wanted to be able to attend classes but I also needed to earn an income to support myself, the Blended mode gave me that opportunity.
PRAVEENA: I choose the blended mode as I wanted to work and study at the same time, to stay financially comfortable. This enabled me to come to class only one day a week for clinical practice and review the theory component which was online. I found it suited me perfectly. The educators were always available, via email, skype or in person, when we needed further assistance and clarifications on our coursework.
What are the advantages of the blended mode?
ELLYN: The advantages of studying blended are that you still receive quality teaching even though you are not there full time. There is a lot of support you can access from home and extremely knowledgeable teachers ready to assist you with any questions you might have. The only challenge I had was that it can be hard to take time to sit down and study at home. But after a few weeks, I found that I looked forward to my study time, and it got easier and easier to follow up with my classes at home.
PRAVEENA: You can study at your own pace. There is a lot of support available from educators and other staff members such as Learning advisors, Program Coordinator. Thanks to the blended mode, I had no major interruptions in my family life. My main challenge was going back to study after a good 24 years break, it was really scary for me. I was really excited when I went back to class the first day, there were so many students from different age groups, different backgrounds… but all with one goal to become the best enrolled nurses. We ended being a very cohesive group of students and we all helped and encouraged each other.
Can you share your favorite experience while studying with us?
ELLYN: Every Tuesday, when I attend class, has a positive impact on my studies. Sometimes getting things to sink into my brain at home is hard! But when I get to class and talk to Jane, my nurse educator, and my classmates it all makes sense. I have made lifelong friends and the things I have learnt not only will benefit my future career, but also my current job. I bring new information to work and my manager appreciate it. The whole experience is a positive one for me.
PRAVEENA: The teamwork component allowed me to share my ideas and to collaborate on the development of a communal project. The excellent support provided by my educator was also very much appreciated and helpful. I really admire her professionalism and dedication. She had a very caring approach, she taught us the fundamentals of nursing and guided us to work hard and practice what we learnt as this would lead us on the track to become good nurses. I hope I can follow in her footsteps and become a respected member of the nursing profession as an RN.
What would you say to a student who can’t decide between face to face and blended?
ELLYN: To anyone who is trying to decide between blended and face to face, I would say, pick the mode that is still going to let you do the things you are passionate about, whether it is family time, work or hobbies, for me that was blended. And depending on availability, you can always change learning methods, after all, life is not linear! Embrace the choice you make and give it all you’ve got.
PRAVEENA: Ask yourself the right questions, how much are you available to study? Do you need to work to be financially ok while you are studying? Is your employer flexible? Are you serious enough to study online? The course and career advisors are very helpful, they will guide you in the right direction.
Want to know about study options?
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