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Life, Nursing, NYC

Life As An RN & Also An NP Student

December 15, 2015 By Robyn 8 Comments

Last Thursday I wrapped up my fifth semester of nursing school. Five semesters including a degree in 18 months seems crazy, yet normal all at the same time. I can still so vividly remember the day I packed up a rental car and moved my entire life to NYC. And when I think about it, that all seems surreal. Most days when I’m walking or biking through the city, I still find myself thinking back to the first weeks I was here and thinking, “I can’t believe God had this story written all along.”

nursingschool

Going back to nursing school has been one of the most unknown and uncertain, yet peaceful and confident decisions of my life. I had no idea what the demands of school would entail, the emotions I would feel, the patients I would interact with, how I would even learn to be a nurse, how I would navigate and settle into New York City, what friends + community would look like, or if I would love Columbia. But even among all the uncertainties and instabilities and at times seemingly impossible work load, I never once second guessed my decision to go back to school.

Ever since entering my dietetic internship and being in the hospitals as a dietetic intern I was fascinated with the direct patient care side of things and always had a pull in my heart to care for patients in a more hands-on way. I remember my first day of clinical, seeing my first patient – an older Hispanic man at a hospital in the Bronx – and even through my broken Spanish I knew this was what I was created to do. To nurse. To care for people in their most vulnerable state and help them heal. Help them heal both emotionally and physically.

Last month I started a job as an IV infusion nurse for a private practice doctor. It’s been a quick learning curve, and my first few IV sticks weren’t the most perfect, but now I’ve settled in and I’m loving it. The hours are flexible and being able to start an IV painlessly for patients and care for them before/after treatments has been really life-giving. I finally feel like a nurse now that I’m actually nursing. Ideally, I’d love to nurse in a hospital, but right now that just isn’t feasible with my schedule and Nutshell and everything else going on. So for now, this is a good fit.

The first year of our program was spent getting a BSN and it was the perfect storm.  It was total immersion in school as we took 60 credits in three semesters. School demanded a lot of my time, my clinical group and classmates became family and we learned so much in such little time. Passing the NCLEX and putting RN behind my name felt bittersweet. I loved that first year of nursing school and was so glad the busyness of it was over, but I was so sad to know things would be changing and we’d never get that year back. You bond with people quickly when you’re together 8-12 hours day cramming for tests, trying to survive a clinical day, talking through an emotional breakdown or keeping yourself sane with a happy hour.

nursingschool

Now that we’re two out of five semesters into our MSN and now Nurse Practitioner students, things look so different. Still good, but just different. Our credit load is now much less where we’re taking around 12-13 credits a semester and I’m only up at Columbia 1-2 days a week and then at clinical 1-2 days a week. Instead of living in Harlem which is only a couple miles from school, I now live down in the East Village which is about a 50 minute commute on the train. So all in all, this year feels a lot more autonomous and less connected. It’s been hard for me to adjust to that because I love the feeling of closeness and community. But it’s teaching me to be more organized and on top of things and also to be intentional about continuing to grow the friendships that were natural and easy to maintain when we spent 50+ hours a week together.

Shifting out of an RN mindset and into an NP mindset has been an adjustment too, but exciting. As a nurse, you’re the one carrying out the orders that the MD, NP, or PA puts in. So you’re not the one calling all the shots, making the diagnosis, prescribing mediations, ordering tests + labs, and creating a plan of care. As a Nurse Practitioner though, I will be. When I think about being someone’s potential primary care provider and autonomously managing their health I get nervous, but super pumped about that.

For one, they are trusting you to take care of them which is a lot of responsibility, but also having the responsibility of being able to take care of someone comprehensively and care for them well is awesome. This is why I went back to school. I think of the Nutshell clients I’m working with now and I get giddy at the thought of being able to manage their PCOS or hypothyroidism or anemia or amenorrhea or diabetes or gastroparesis from both a nutrition + medical perspective. To order labs + tests, hopefully take people off medication, and do gynecologic care for women and all of that stuff – to care for every aspect of a persons health. That excites me.

nursingschool

We have 12 short months until graduation which is unreal. Next semester I’m doing clinicals at a new urgent care center in Brooklyn that acts like a “fast track” ER for the community. A huge problem in the city is people not having primary care providers so they go the ER for any and all concerns. This center is an attempt to hopefully clear out the ERs and give people a place to go when they aren’t having a major health event like a heart attack or stroke or a trauma. They see anyone with a non life-threatening concern. I love and thrive in fast paced environments and I’m excited that we’ll be seeing a wide variety of patients – men, women, kids, elderly – so I’m eager to learn a ton!

My first semester of NP school I was a TA for a physical assessment lab and took Antepartum Care, Advanced Pharmacology and a Health and Public Policy class. This past semester I took FNP I [Family Nurse Practitioner I], Genetics, Advanced Clinical Assessment. Next semester I’ll be taking Diagnosis and Management, FNP II, Family Theory and then our Clinical Practicum. I’m most looking forward to Diagnosis and Management because after learning the ins and outs of clinical assessment I’m ready to learn how to diagnose and then manage. So that’s that!

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Going into next year, I’m not quite sure how everything is going to work and how all the parts are going to keep moving. What I do know is that things are going to have to shift -` I always want to put my all into school, care for Nutshell clients really well, be an attentive and great nurse and also love my church, my family, my friends, and Nick well. So while I know all these things are important, I’m in the process of figuring out how much time needs to be devoted to each so I’m focused on doing what matters most.

But what I do know is that the past 18 months in this city have been the biggest adventure. It’s been wild and messy and unexpected and beautiful and sweet all at the same time. Here’s to the next 12, NYC!


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Filed Under: Life, Nursing, NYC

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Comments

  1. Kylee says

    December 15, 2015 at 10:43 am

    Thank you for the comprehensive recap! It was so cool to hear first-hand what you’ve been experiencing these past two years. I love hearing about your NP journey. It gets me excited for my journey. Thank you for sharing, Robyn!

    Reply
  2. sarah says

    December 16, 2015 at 6:51 pm

    I love hearing about journey to become a NP, as it is a field I’m interesting in pursuing. Right now I’m a pre-nursing student, I’ll be applying for nursing schools after next semester. I can not wait!

    Reply
  3. Jennie says

    December 16, 2015 at 7:04 pm

    Robyn, this really speaks to me. I’m in the same kind of season right now where life is going to be CRAZY next semester because im in a one year elementary education masters program.

    i just graduated college, and it seems so surreal that i’ll be graduating in five months with a masters. hopeful for smooth sailing, but this post really spoke to me. God really had me understand myself and what i am and who i am and WHOSE i am last semester, and as i get into this season where ill be overwhelmed with social, job searching, school, and internship, it is good to know that there are other sisters around the country who are engaging in the same things.

    my prayers for you are that you will engage in this season with ease and grace and may the peace of God astound you with love and satisfaction.

    thank you for always spreading hope and joy, and i can tell you that many of your posts helped me recover with food and come to the place i am at. thank you for never being ashamed of the gospel.

    jennie

    Reply
  4. Christina says

    December 17, 2015 at 3:37 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, Robyn! As someone who is considering a career change to nursing (from several years as an accountant, ha!), your blog has been so helpful in many ways. Every person must walk their own path, and you are blessed to share your story with so many people to reflect on in whatever way they might need it. Congratulations on your successes in such a short career life; you are on a great, inspiring path with an amazing vision I am looking forward to see even more!

    Reply
  5. Amanda Fechtner says

    October 28, 2017 at 4:51 pm

    Thank you for sharing your journey! I am also a registered dietitian who will graduate from nursing school with a BSN in one month. After 3 years in nursing school, it is heartbreaking to leave the university and classmates I love dearly. Hearing your story makes me feel less isolated. I can’t wait to go back to NP school, I’m glad all the effort has paid off for you! It gives me hope in the future. Blessings to you and you work, keep it up!

    Reply
  6. Madalyn says

    December 15, 2017 at 2:42 pm

    I love hearing about your journey of becoming an NP! I’m currently doing my dietetic internship and I have also though of advancing my RD career to another level. This really encourages me to keep an open mind and that its actually possible.

    Reply
  7. Logan Guinn says

    February 21, 2018 at 11:16 am

    Robyn!

    Your journey has inspired me so much! My background is in Dietetics, and now I’m about to finish my BSN. I love that I can combine the two focuses to individualize and concentrate my care with patients . My next step will be into the FNP world and I can’t wait! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  8. rolling ball 3d says

    March 6, 2023 at 11:19 pm

    I want to thank you for constantly sharing happiness and optimism. Several of your postings have actually benefited me.

    Reply

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A non-diet dietitian and nurse practitioner helping women find peace with food, accept their natural body size and heal from hormonal issues and period problems.

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A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years o A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years of getting to spend so much time with my kids: aka another way I’m discovering some pockets of peace so my heart & mind & soul don’t crumble under the reality of dependent & emotionally dysregulated tiny humans.  About once a week we go somewhere for baked goods. We drive or walk, buy something buttery & then find a beautiful, relatively quiet outdoor spot where the boys can romp and I can sit and think my thoughts while I watch them play. This past week we were found ourselves at the Wool Factory where the boys threw rocks & whatever else off the bridge while I ate 90% of this almond 🥐 from @coucourachou that will blow your mind. Boys ate the other 10% bc they were busy playing and didn’t ask for more quickly enough 😜  I’m finding *for me* playgrounds have a time & place but they aren’t where I enjoy motherhood & my two toddlers the most. Baked goods & a pretty outdoor spot without high drops my 15 month old could launch himself off of…I’m here for it.
I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the boys to hike out at one of our favorite spots last week and when I ripped it open I was regretting my choice to share them with my kids. @baresnacks randomly sent me a box of snacks and I usually eat free food we receive or give it to a friend/neighbor and move on. But I felt it my duty to tell you about these bc they are THAT GOOD. I’m not getting paid and this isn’t sponsored - I was just shocked at how tasty these were and felt you needed to know. We ate them with some buttery roasted nuts and the combo was 👌🏻 but they are good just on their own.  The boys climbed rocks and swam in the reservoir - leave it to my almost 3 year old to want to strip down naked and fully submerge himself in chilly water on a sixty degree morning. “Mama can I get super nakey?” Sure baby. Sure. This is your childhood.
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a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face from @mariebettecafe this morning when she came to get her toddler who played with us all morning and it is v good. even better when paired with an iced latte 😍
#AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing a #AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing about how taking @alignprobiotic regularly has improved my digestive regularity.  And I’m still taking them! I’ve permanently added Align 24/7 Digestive Support* into the roundup of supplements I take before bed (prenatal, vitamin D, choline & DHA - all which help keep me healthy while breastfeeding) so I can keep seeing the benefits.  Just because you see benefits, doesn’t mean you should stop taking your probiotic. Keep taking Align daily (under the supervision and recommendation of your health care provider of course) to keep seeing the benefits!  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - one of my favorite parts of Align probiotics is that they don’t need refrigeration AND they come in a convenient little blister pack that has the days labeled. It’s the little things people! #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoo I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoon (91 and muggy in MAY 🤯) when a toddler nap was refused and a baby nap was cut wildly short ....so my tired mom brain pulled out two plastic storage bins, filled them up with soap & hose water and striped ‘em down naked in the yard. Two hours later, it was almost time for an early dinner and I had magically been able to sit for most of that time and we already had baths checked off the list. 👍🏻 I’m archiving this idea for my future self, hope it helps another tired mama out.
#AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about #AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about getting better at doing the basics to care for myself which included taking my supplements and @alignprobiotic regularly.  Probiotics take time to work so I wanted to give it a full month to see the full effects of @alignprobiotic. So here are my honest thoughts: it took a few weeks to notice any differences, but near the end of the month I did notice some changes in my digestive balance - even while traveling! I’m not someone who experiences occasional gas, bloating or abdominal discomfort frequently enough to notice a difference, so I don’t feel like I can comment on how well Align works for those benefits.  All in all though, taking @alignprobiotic was a positive experience and I really appreciated how the capsules don’t need to be stored in the fridge, making it convenient to take them with me anywhere #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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Just walked in from an appointment with my midwife because I was due for a Pap test + an overall wellness visit. My last pap was during my first trimester with Cal which feels like a jillion years ago, but it’s only actually been three years. Life changes so fast! Pre-baby life feels like a whole other life.  I’m wayyyy overdue for a visit to my PCP bc I’ve been under OBGYN or midwifery care for the majority of the past three years while having babies, but I am pretty good with keeping up with my paps. It seems women often think they need pap and/or HPV testing way more frequently than they do (and providers sometimes perform these tests more frequently than necessary - remember more testing doesn’t always mean better outcomes!)  So if you need it, here’s a quick little reminder on this chilly spring Friday afternoon on how often you need this testing (these are the recommendations from ACOG)  Women aged 21–29 years should have a Pap test alone every 3 years. HPV testing is not recommended.  Women aged 30–65 years should have a Pap test and an HPV test (aka co-testing) every 5 years (preferred). It also is acceptable to have a Pap test alone every 3 years.  If you get abnormal results, this testing frequency could change - but for healthy women with normal results, you actually don’t need testing as frequently as you might think. Which is great news for those of you who hate the speculum.  Ok, off to finish up some things on the to-do list (including cleaning this kitchen) during nap time and then come 5 o’clock, crack an IPA with our neighbors 🍻
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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