Although the desire to learn is there, some nurses hit the pause button when it comes to going back to school and earning advanced degrees. To some who are not in the field, this may be baffling. However, most of us have convenient excuses. Let’s explore the five common reasons why nurses don’t prioritize going back to school.

1. Time Constraints

“I don’t have the time.”

How often do we hear nurses use this as a crutch? Believe me, I get it. I used to be one of those who uttered those very words ad nauseam.

You’re juggling a full-time job and life at home. You are a spouse and/or a parent. Your responsibilities extend beyond your 12-hour shift in the hospital. When do you find time for school?

In a nutshell, all of us have the same 24 hours in a day. How we utilize them efficiently differs from one person to another, however. But, hey, have you forgotten that you are a nurse?

As nurses, priority setting is second nature to us. You are able to organize your shift and complete your tasks every single day, right? For sure, you will also be able to find time dedicated to earning an advanced degree.

If I was able to do it, you will be, too. If you are curious how I completed my degree while working two jobs, click here.

2. Financial Burden

“That is an additional expense I cannot afford at this time.”

Nurses earn good money! There I said it!

For most of us, however, what we earn is enough to meet our basic needs: housing, utilities, food, kids’ expenses, etc. Others even have to take on side hustles to meet their financial obligations. There is no shame in that. Nevertheless, this shouldn’t stop you in your pursuit of higher education.

Tuition Reimbursement

Did you ask your human resources regarding tuition reimbursement? Most organizations offer some sort of tuition assistance. It is a benefit that most employees don’t take advantage of.

I distinctly remember a colleague who dissuaded me from going this route. She stated that tuition reimbursement meant more income. Increased income means higher taxes to pay, according to her. I was in a dilemma for the longest time.

Paying taxes or earning a degree partially funded by my work: what to choose? I don’t know about you, but it seems like a glaringly obvious choice. If you are curious how I was able to afford graduate school, click on this link.

Loans, Grants, and Subsidies

You can inquire if your prospective school offers loans, grants, and/or subsidies. If they say, no, at least you asked about them. If they respond in the affirmative, I suggest that you should be prepared with additional questions to ask.

How much can you loan for? What are the payment terms? Are there loan forgiveness programs that you can avail of? As I am not that well versed in loans, I suggest that you consult someone who has more knowledge about this topic.

Also, ask your work if they provide subsidies. Mine did not. However, our organization had a partnership with my school so I had a 30% discount on my tuition. Same difference?

Specifically speaking about scholarships or grants, I will strongly encourage you to apply if you meet the criteria. What is the worst thing that could happen? That you get rejected? That happened to me. Did I lose anything? No! In fact, it inspired me to strive to do better. C’est la vie!

3. Vintage

“I am too old to learn anything new.”

This is an all too familiar line more experienced nurses tend to hear. Collectively, we precondition ourselves that this is true because learning new things is challenging.

Case and point? I often hear front-line nurses complain whenever there is another upgrade in the system’s electronic health record (EHR) system. This translates to: “Y’all don’t have anything else to do that you have to tweak the EHR yet again?” This should be followed by an eye roll emoji just about right here!

The fact is this has conveniently become our go-to excuse. Admit it, you are comfortable where you are currently. You are already anticipating school to be another potential source of stress and anxiety.

Well, I used to believe that too – the operative words are: USED TO!

Even when I was already enrolled in my first class, this still reverberated constantly. Sometimes, this voice is too loud to silence. Until one day, that is…

When we were introducing ourselves, a fellow student posted something I could never ever forget. She stated (and I paraphrased):

“I am Ms. Jane (not her real name). I am proud to share with you that I am 60 years young. It has been my lifelong dream to become a nurse practitioner. Since I am done raising my family and sending my children to school, I feel that now is my time to pursue my own goals!”

Ms. Jane’s words continue to lift me up whenever I doubt myself both at work and in life!

4. Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

“I am not sure how to navigate online learning.”

This is usually tied with the previous reason of feeling “too old” to learn anything new. Yet you have used Zoom, Skype, or other platforms to communicate with your families and friends, right? You receive and respond to emails through your Outlook application. Computer-based training is required for work, and you have mastered it. You even know how to search for policies and procedures in your organization’s Sharepoint sites when needed. These are some of the important elements of online learning.

Sure, you will be using other tools such as Grammarly or the online dictionary or thesaurus, but those skills will come in time. You will also become more discerning when searching for topics in terms of their usability, credibility, and added value to your post, paper, or presentation. In no time, you will be able to master using your Microsoft Office tools, particularly Word and PowerPoint.

If these all feel overwhelming to you, do what I did. I am friends with my younger colleagues who were also in graduate school at the same time that I was. I just asked them my tech questions and they were all happy to answer them for me. And nope, none of them called me a dork to my face!

5. Already Self-satisfied

“Why would I want to advance my degree when I am already comfortable in my field?”

If you are truly happy and content with where you are at this point in your career, congratulations! I am happy for you. That was what I exactly thought before: that I will live and die as a Pediatric nurse.

However, not even midway into my graduate program, our Pediatric unit closed. Some of my colleagues left the organization. Some were reassigned to adult and outpatient units. A few of us remained within the Maternal and Child department.

Nursing, or healthcare for that matter, is such a dynamic field that it constantly changes. These days it is not unusual to hear nurses being redeployed to units where more help is needed.

What if you are not happy there? Worse, the organization is not offering early retirement packages. What then?

 

Having Options is Good for You

My Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree gave me the option to either stay as a bedside nurse or to move on to the nursing informatics field. I didn’t feel trapped because I was in control of my own destiny thanks in part to my graduate degree.

What option did I go for, you ask? I am a full-time clinical informaticist in my workplace. At the same time, I also work as a per diem special care nursery nurse in another organization. Yes, I still have the best of both worlds!

 

More than having those letters after your name, advanced degrees offer you a different dimension of expertise. Learning from mentors who are experts in your field of study provides you with an idea of how to effect positive change in your current practice. It also gives you a sneak peek of where you will be able to take your career regardless of whether you are a new or a seasoned nurse.

Excuses, excuses, excuses

Needless to say, there are still other excuses that prevent nurses from pursuing higher education. Sometimes they may also hamper specialty certification plans. To me, the above reasons are the most common ones that I hear.

So, for those of you who are considering going back to school or are currently enrolled, what made you decide to go for it? What were the hindrances you overcame before eventually taking the plunge? I would love to hear your own stories! Please feel free to share your experiences or ask questions in the comment section below or on our Contact Me page.

 

Conclusion

Navigating the world of nursing is difficult enough as it is. If you have considered going back to school but don’t know how to start the process, just look for online resources. Here is a good place to start.

Also, ask around in your workplace. Maybe, there are other colleagues who are on the same boat as you are. Find a supportive niche that can give you a word of encouragement when you need it. Or, I will be happy to share my own experiences with you.

Academic challenges will be there, but I am sure that you will triumph over them. Remember, you already survived nursing school and the NCLEX! You will be able to successfully conquer graduate school, too!