And So My Nursing Career Begins...

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I GOT A JOB!

I never could have imagined how hard it would be to find one of these, particularly after graduating from nursing school.

Aren't nurses supposed to be in high demand?

Always able to find work?

No matter where they are?

This was apparently not the case, at least not at this time.

After the first month of searching day after day for pediatric jobs (that's why I went to nursing school, after all... to work with kids), I began to realize the reality of the situation. That's when I started applying for everything I could find.

Every. Single. Available. Posting.

I got a couple of interviews along the way and got my hopes up at first, but started to realize how hard it was to stack up against R.N.'s who had experience. The past 6 months have definitely had their fair share of discouragement, but I remained hopeful that I would find something.

And I did! I got offered a job on Friday!

I admit that I am having totally mixed emotions right now. I am feeling mostly nervous, but definitely excited. I haven't worked full time since before nursing school, so that will be a change of pace for sure. I've never worked in the health care field, so that will be a new adventure all on it's own.

But I am definitely excited for the amazing opportunity to get experience as a nurse and to help provide an income for our family. Especially with Eric going back to school in August, this is definitely an answer to prayer and a wonderful blessing.

For now I am just gearing up for what is going to be a busy life starting next week. I hope to enjoy this last week of freedom while I can!

Interview

I have applied for dozens and dozens of jobs since I graduated from school two and a half months ago. Who would have ever guessed that nursing jobs would be so hard to come by?! As I have been searching, I must say that I have really enjoyed having some down time and not being in school for the first time in a long time. It's been a wonderful experience being able to dust off some of my old hobbies and even have time to explore some new ones.

But, I finally got a "bite" the other day from one of the managers I'd sent an application and resume to, and it is a job that I would absolutely love to have! My heart sort of skipped a beat when I opened the email and read all about the job and saw that I was being asked to come in for an interview! Ah, I was so excited! The day of the interview came, and Eric took me our to lunch at In-N-Out (sooo good, and what a great husband) in celebration and to help calm my nerves a little bit.

The interview went really, really well. I felt so calm and was able to think really clearly when asked all of the questions. The manager had originally said that he wanted me to come in for about 45 minutes, but we sat there talking for an hour and a half, which I figured was a good sign. My prayers were definitely answered that day because it all went so smoothly. The manager explained that he had received so many resumes in the first two days of posting the job that he had told HR to just stop sending them to him. And that was the hard part- he had at least 12 more interviews to do! 12! For one job! But he said he was going to narrow it down to a few within the week to those who he wanted to come back in for peer interviews.

At that point, even though the interview went so well, I didn't want to get my hopes up. I told myself that it was really good practice to go in for the interview either way... and that I wouldn't be discouraged if I wasn't one of the applicants to get called back because there were so many... and many of them probably had more experience than me (any experience is more experience than me!). Still, I couldn't help the rush of adrenaline I felt as I walked out to my car, thinking about the great interview and how much I would love having that job.

Well, I got an email from the manager yesterday, and....

I made the final cut! 

Now, it is definitely far from time to celebrate yet because there are still other applicants being called back in as well, but I am just so happy for the chance to go back in for a second interview. It's probably the competitive side coming out in me, being excited because I beat out other people to this second cut. :) Either way, I go back next week for a peer interview, and for now I am going to celebrate this small victory and enjoy feeling like this...

I'll keep you all updated! Hope you all have a fabulous day.

The Results Are In...

I PASSED THE NCLEX!

It's a miracle! Although I wouldn't get my results for a few days after, I left the testing center after taking the test and just knew that I hadn't passed. It was so dang hard. After coming home and crying, being a pill to live with for a couple of days because I was so stressed and worried, and beginning to plan how I would study to take it the next time, I looked up my results online and read the word "passed." A wave of relief passed over me immediately, and the next thing I knew tears were just streaming down my face.

The night before my test, my sweet young women "heart attacked" me and left me some encouraging words and yummy treats! They are the best and I love each and every one of them!
Eric came home from work to make me lunch before I headed off to take my test (love him!), and when I walked out to my car to leave for my test, I found this wonderful surprise on my car! My wonderful mother was so thoughtful and had driven down to give me these wonderful balloons and some delicious sour gummy worms (I'm such a sucker for sour sweet treats).

I am so grateful for the love and support of my dear family and friends. Now, on to finding a job!

Study, study, study

I've finally cracked down and started studying for the NCLEX, the boards test that nurses have to take to become a real-life licensed RN. I am scheduled to take it on September 23rd, so I have two weeks to read and study and stuff my brain full of information! Luckily, Eric is studying, too, so we have been late-night study buddies at the library. He is studying to take the GMAT on Saturday, so send your positive vibes and prayers his way!

Done and done.

I just took my final four tests of nursing school.

What a feeling.

It seems like just yesterday I was turning in my application to the nursing program at the University of Utah. I vividly remember feeling like I wouldn't get in because I had zero clinical experience, which was one of the "strong recommendations" to apply for the program. I remember deciding to give it a shot, telling myself that I wouldn't be disappointed if I didn't get in. It seemed surreal when I got an acceptance letter a couple of months later and began school just a couple of months after that.

And what a whirlwind it has been ever since then. Nights of studying until the wee hours of the night/morning, procrastinating writing papers only to stress myself out WAY more than needed, waking up early to be to the hospital for clinicals when it was still dark... I remember thinking at times like that year and a half was never going to end, but hoping that it would before I gave up.

And now it has.

And it hasn't really sunk in yet.

I am so grateful for the incredible opportunity that I have had to go to nursing school. I learned so much about myself throughout the process and was able to push myself further than I ever thought I could.

Now, into the real world of finding jobs in an economy so tough that even nursing jobs are hard to come by. But I am feeling hopeful! And I have two and a half weeks to decompress a little on a trip, which will definitely be nice!

Thank you to all of my dear friends and family who have been so supportive throughout this experience. I truly could not have done it without you. Now my dear husband will get to see what it is like to be married to the non-nursing school stressed out woman I have become.

Here are some pictures from graduation!

Nursing School Update, Spring 2010

I was accepted into the University of Utah's Nursing School at the beginning of last year and began classes in May 2009. I am in the Accelerated program, which means that all of my classmates and I have previous bachelor's degrees in different areas, and that they pretty much spit us in and out of the program as quickly as they can. It's a fast-paced 16 month program, so I am happy to say that I'll already be done this August! There are definitely the days when August cannot come soon enough. But I have loved being in nursing school up to this point and have really enjoyed all of the experiences that I have had.

This semester has been particularly busy up to this point, but it has been worth it because of the incredible clinical experience I have so far this semester. I have had the opportunity of being in the Women's Center at IMC, working with pregnant ladies as well as them and their baby's after delivery. And I have LOVED it! By far the most amazing experience that I have had so far in nursing school was seeing the delivery of a baby. I did not even know the couple before I walked in to help them deliver their baby, and it was still the most amazing experience I have ever witnessed. Besides that, being in the room watching a couple of C-sections and working with babies that were barely over a pound in weight have been the most amazing experiences. Sadly, tomorrow is my last day in this rotation, but I will be moving on to pediatrics at Primary Children's, and I can't wait for that!