Any nurses out there?

[traditionalcobgirl]

I am going to university in September to do an access to nursing course (in the hope to then go on to do the nursing degree).

I have a young pony who I absolutely adore. He is on DIY livery and I have a good support network. I currently work full time and do shifts (8 hour shifts) so I do him in the mornings and he gets brought in at night by another livery when I'm on a late.

My question is, how do you human nurses get on with working long shifts and owning ponies? I'd like to hear your experiences, positive but honest.

 

[Nativelover]

I'm not a nurse but I work in medicine along with nurses and other health professionals. What I can tell you is that it's bloody hard work, you need to get yourself into a strict routine and face the fact that mostly you'll only be able to do your horse once a day ( unless both you and your horse live very close to the hospital and university!!!) set aside your study time and be prepared to be tired.
Shift work is hard even without the physical work of a nurse!!
Good luck with your career, it's one of the most emotional but rewarding jobs you can have! Good nurses can make a real difference to people when they are at their most vulnerable, the impact you will have on people's lives will often seem insignificant to you, but to them is immense.

 

[Araboo27]

I did a year of children's nursing back in 2011, ended up falling pregnant unexpectadly with my third child and when I returned it was too much trying to arrange childcare to cover my shifts and I had to leave. I didn't have horses at the time but can imagine it being very difficult, IMO you would definitely need full livery services - if I did three long days in a week, maybe even consecutively, I'd be out of the house from 5:30am until about 10pm. The actual shifts were 7am-9pm but they may well be different at other hospitals? Otherwise it would be earlies/lates/nights which you could probably work around with the help of someone turning out/bringing in. Good luck, I loved it and miss it so much. I'm now doing accounting which isn't half as enjoyable!

 

[RoughcutDiamond]

It's tough!! I'm a paramedic rather than a nurse.

I've done 6 years on relief (ie filling in for those on annual leave or off sick, which meant finding out on a Friday what I was doing the following week) and, frankly, was near breaking point. Not being able to plan anything like outings or shows or lessons, rushing to muck out in the mornings when on backshifts, mucking out mid-afternoon whilst half asleep between nightshifts, or mucking out in the early/late evening after a full-on day shift when all I wanted to do was come home, eat and sleep!! I found riding on a shift-day impossible and sometimes worked 7+shifts in a row so could go days without riding. In the summer it was rubbish, in the winter positively demoralising!

In the last 3 months I've got myself a permanent backshift - and things are much better since I now have a routine and a roster which I can project ahead. I too, have a brilliant support in the shape of my YO/friend and the way she runs the yard, which means I can stay DIY.....if I had to move I'd be hard pushed to manage on DIY and suspect that full livery would have to be considered.

I know you wanted positive stories but I think realistic ones are most useful ;-). Good luck with it all!

 

[lurcherlu]

I'm doing the access course now and working 3-4 days along side 2 kids ant the 3 day course... My horse has never been fatter or happier lol. It's shattering ... If found a sharer now which hopefully means she will get ridden again more than once a week

 

[kateandluelue]

Hello
I did my nurse and Health Visitor training whilst living at home. However had 3x horses and did shifts. Horses lived out so it was easier and i just got organised. Its totaly do able. Id make it as easy as possible so make all feeds up before etc, do poo picking daily and if poss leave your pony out with a field shelter. If i can do it with 3 horses you should be fine! xx

 

[ChwaraeTeg]

Initially I chose nursing because of the shifts - especially in winter, we had a whole morning or a whole afternoon for the horses. I soon realized I loved the job and ended up as a ward sister.

Hard work,yes - very early mornings to do the horses before work ,yes - tiring when shifts double-backed (finish 9pm start 7am next morning)oh yes ! - nightshifts were great once my body clock adjusted . My 2 horses were at home and I found time for local shows and taking in other people horses for training (no more than one at a time though).

After nursing, we started our own business and that is when my quality horse time dwindled. Enjoy your nursing AND your horses OP

 

[honetpot]

I did my nurse training 30+ years ago when you worked mainly on the wards and my daughter has just qualified with the new degree and it is completely do able. When I qualified I rode five days a week, DIY and hunted when I could afford it. You just have to be extremely focused and organised, get all your food and bedding in and learn to be quick.
Having seen what my daughter did for her degree its not so time consuming as when I trained, she worked as a care worker as well, lots of girls on her course didn't work but I think its good preparation for working full time.
When I had my children I still worked part time, rode and took them to pony club so from my point of view its far better than working 9-5

 

[case895]

My wife is a nurse. She works in the community so no problem.