the home stretch (maybe)
Supposedly, I will be finished with school in December. I feel like I have senioritis because of this and because I rarely ever hang out with other friends who are in school, so I have no motivation to do school work when no one else around me is doing school work. I am so scared about being out on my own. I feel like I have learned a lot in my MSN program, but at the same time, I feel like I know nothing. I have a very real fear of messing up and hurting somebody. Of course, that leads to lawsuits, which are no picnic either. Have worked as a pediatric nurse the past couple of years, I feel a little more comfortable with children and their health issues, but I feel so clueless about some adult-specific health issues. Working in peds, I almost never see heart medications (blood pressure, blood thinners, anti-arrhythmics), so I really don't feel comfortable at all with those types of problems. Hopefully, I can find a job where I will either: a) not have to deal with such problems, or b) find a job that teaches me all I need to know about them.
That's the next scary thing: finding a job. I was only planning on looking for jobs in the Raleigh area because Brian's job is here, but last week he told me I really should apply everywhere. You never know how much money, etc somebody might be offering. I've heard that nurse practitioner positions often start at around 70-75K here, and the North oftens pays much better than the South. I work with a nurse from Toledo who knows a family nurse practitioner who works 3 days a week in a doctor's office in Sandusky making 105K per year. I think I would be willing to move just about anywhere for a 6-digit salary. So thus, I will apply to jobs in Cleveland and other major cities up North (minus New York because that's just too damn expensive) along with the Raleigh area. We'll see what happens. Of course, this is all assuming I even graduate this December. I am sick of being in school, but I am so scared to be on my own so soon.
School has me so exhausted on top of working part time. I am only taking one class this summer (women's health). As I took the final exam last week, I was hoping to have a couple weeks of some relaxation because fall classes start up. I am learning that is not to be the case. I have a class that begins on August 31st, and we have to have a pre-test completed before the first day of class. It's for a grade too! Each of my 20-25 classmates and I have also been assigned to give a 30 minute presentation on either the first or second day of class. My topic is biting in children. Can you believe that?! I have to give a 30 minute presentation on BITING the FIRST day of class. I am this close to wanting to strangle my professor. Who assigns tests and projects before the class has even officially begun? Where is my gosh darn break? I want a vacation dammit!